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User profile for user: Barncore
Barncore Author
User level: Level 1
16 points

Boot camp: "The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition"

Hey guys,

Would really appreciate some help on this!

I used to successfully use bootcamp and have an extra partition so i could use Windows aswell, until my HD crashed and i had to take it to the Apple Hospital. When i got the computer back and restored my old backup Time Machine clone, i couldn't create a new partition for Windows. It doesn't let me get passed the first screen.


What happens is: I load up Boot Camp as usual, push Continue passed the Introduction screen, then i get a msg pop up that says:

The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition.

The startup disk must be formatted as a single Mac OS Extended (Journaled) volume or already partitioned by Boot Camp Assistant for installing Windows.

Then i push Ok and it goes back to the BootCamp introduction screen. I.e. i can't get passed this msg.

I looked in Disk Utility and of course my internal HD already is Mac OS Extended (Journaled) so i have no idea why it isn't being recognised as one partition.


What do i have to do to be able to install windows on this computer without having to format my entire Mac and installing everything again? I really need the exact clone of what i have right now. I do have an external HD for making backup clones using Time Machine though.


Some specs:

- Boot Camp Assistant version is 3.0.1

- Mac OSX 10.6.2 (yeah i guess i'm old school now)

- 2.66 GHz Intel Core i5, 4 GB RAM

- I have no other partitions currently, just my current mac one


Any questions just ask. I would love to resolve this tonight.

iMac (27-inch Late 2009), iOS 6.1.2

Posted on Oct 8, 2014 4:05 AM

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104 replies
User profile for user: Loner T
Loner T
User level: Level 9
59,471 points

Oct 8, 2014 5:30 AM in response to Barncore

Please post the output of the following commands from OS X Terminal. Enter your password when requested. You can triple-click any individual line , and copy (Command+C) and paste (Command+V) into OS X Terminal.


diskutil list

sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0

sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

Please be aware that Time Machine cannot backup Windows partition (it is a read-only NTFS partition for OS X).

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User profile for user: Barncore
Barncore Author
User level: Level 1
16 points

Oct 8, 2014 6:22 AM in response to Loner T

Ok...

Last login: Thu Oct 9 00:08:35 on ttys000

Nic-Barnshaws-iMac:~ nicbarnshaw$ diskutil list

/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *1.0 TB disk0

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 999.3 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

Nic-Barnshaws-iMac:~ nicbarnshaw$ sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0

Password:

gpt show: /dev/disk0: mediasize=1000204886016; sectorsize=512; blocks=1953525168

gpt show: /dev/disk0: PMBR at sector 0

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Pri GPT at sector 1

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Sec GPT at sector 1953525167

start size index contents

0 1 PMBR

1 1 Pri GPT header

2 32 Pri GPT table

34 6

40 409600 1 GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B

409640 1951845952 2 GPT part - 48465300-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

1952255592 1269536 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

1953525128 7

1953525135 32 Sec GPT table

1953525167 1 Sec GPT header

Nic-Barnshaws-iMac:~ nicbarnshaw$

Please be aware that Time Machine cannot backup Windows partition (it is a read-only NTFS partition for OS X).

That's fine. I'm happy to reinstall a whole new windows partition. I just want to be able to keep my current Mac partition (i.e. not reinstall everything), and also create a windows partition.

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User profile for user: Loner T
Loner T
User level: Level 9
59,471 points

Oct 8, 2014 7:08 AM in response to Barncore

1. I suggest upgrading to at least 10.6.8.

2. How do you have a Recovery HD on a SL machine? Did you upgrade to Lion/ML and then go back to SL?

3. If you look at http://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/1000/MA1519/en_US/Boot_Camp_Install-Setup_ 10.6.pdf on page 8, there is a screen shot of the disk partitions, which has only 3 partitions, and you have 3 already (including EFI/ESP and Recovery HD).

4. If you do not need Recovery HD, can you delete the partition and try to use Bootcamp Assistant to partition for Windows.

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User profile for user: Barncore
Barncore Author
User level: Level 1
16 points

Oct 8, 2014 7:21 AM in response to Loner T

1. Is it absolutely necessary? I don't wanna mess with what i have going right now, is all.

2. No, I've always had SL, i'm not sure how Recovery HD got there..? Maybe the Apple store put it there when i took it in to get repaired with a new HD (after it crashed).

3. I see.

4. I didn't even put Recovery HD there. What does it even do? I have an external HD with a clone backed up on it already, do i even need Recovery HD? I'm happy to delete if not. How do i delete it?

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User profile for user: Loner T
Loner T
User level: Level 9
59,471 points

Oct 8, 2014 7:36 AM in response to Barncore

1. It is not necessary. Leave it at 10.6.2. If there are any other issues, they can be tackled, if necessary. There may be driver issues if you choose a Windows7/Windows8+ OS and try it on SL 10.6.

2. Apple Hospital may be the answer. 😉

3. You can use diskutil mergePartitions disk0s2 disk0s3. Please be aware that order is very important. Please ensure you have a full backup of OSX.

4. Recovery HD is used for recovering OSX, if necessary, when there are issues with your OSX partition. The explanation here is a bit incomplete but you can look at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4848 .


Here is the help (man page) for diskutil mergerPartitions. Please see the highlighted Example section.


diskutil mergePartitions

Usage: diskutil mergePartitions [force] format name

DiskIdentifier|DeviceNode DiskIdentifier|DeviceNode


Merge two or more pre-existing partitions into one. The first disk parameter

is the starting partition; the second disk parameter is the ending partition;

this given range of two or more partitions will be merged into one.


All partitions in the range, except for the first one, must be unmountable.


All data on merged partitions other than the first will be lost; data on the

first partition will be lost as well if the "force" argument is given.


If "force" is not given, and the first partition has a resizable file system

(e.g. JHFS+), it will be grown in a data-preserving manner, even if a different

file system is specified (in fact, your file system and volume name parameters

are both ignored in this case). If "force" is not given, and the first

partition is not resizable, you will be prompted if you want to erase.


If "force" is given, the first partition is always formatted. You should

do this if you wish to reformat to a new file system type.


Merged partitions are required to be ordered sequentially on disk.

See diskutil list for the actual on-disk ordering; BSD slice identifiers

may in certain circumstances not always be in numerical order but the

top-to-bottom order given by diskutil list is always the on-disk order.


Ownership of the affected disk is required.


Example: diskutil mergePartitions JHFS+ NewName disk3s4 disk3s7

This example will merge all partitions *BETWEEN* disk3s4 and disk3s7,

preserving data on disk3s4 but destroying data on disk3s5, disk3s6,

disk3s7 and any invisible free space partitions between those disks;

disk3s4 will be grown to cover the full space if possible.

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User profile for user: Barncore
Barncore Author
User level: Level 1
16 points

Oct 8, 2014 7:47 AM in response to Loner T

Awesome, thanks for your assistance here. I just want to make sure i'm aware of what the risks are...

So if i merge the partitions then i can still use an external backup HD from Time Machine if something goes pair shaped? Despite getting rid of "Recovery HD"?

I made a backup on an external HD via Time Machine about 2 or 3 hours ago, so i'm good to go in that department.


3. You mentioned the order being important. Is the code/order you gave me okay to use?

3b. Does a backup from Time Machine count as a "full backup of OSX". (probably a dumb question but i want to be sure)

3c. So do i paste that code into Terminal or..?


Then once that's done, Bootcamp will have the necessary resources to create a new partition for Windows, right?

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User profile for user: Barncore
Barncore Author
User level: Level 1
16 points

Oct 8, 2014 9:07 AM in response to Loner T

Planning on installing Windows 7. However the first paragraph of my current Boot Camp introduction screen says "The Boot Camp Assistant helps you install Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista operating systems on an Intel-based Mac computer." etc.

I can't imagine that will fly too well...


Shall i download a newer version of Boot camp? (currently using v3.0.1)

Or will it still work for Windows 7?

Or do i actually have to update my OSX? :/

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User profile for user: Loner T
Loner T
User level: Level 9
59,471 points

Oct 8, 2014 9:14 AM in response to Barncore

If you plan to use W7 you may need to go to SL 10.6.8 to get the correct BC drivers.


According to Boot Camp: System requirements for Microsoft Windows operating systems

Supported versions of Windows

(Authentic, single, full-installation)

  • Windows XP: Home Edition or Professional with Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3 (Boot Camp 3)
  • Windows Vista: Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate, Service Pack 1 or later (Boot Camp 3)
  • Windows 7: Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate (Boot Camp 4 or 5.1)
  • Windows 8: Windows 8 or 8.1, Windows 8 or 8.1 Pro (Boot Camp 5.1 only)


From Boot Camp Support Software 4.0.4033


System Requirements

  • MacBook (13-inch, Late 2006)
  • MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2007)
  • MacBook (13-inch, Late 2007)
  • MacBook (13-inch, Early 2008)
  • MacBook (13-inch, Late 2008)
  • MacBook (13-inch, Early 2009 & Mid 2009)
  • MacBook (13-inch, Late 2009) *
  • MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2010) *
  • MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2008)
  • MacBook Air (13-inch, Late 2008 & Mid 2009)
  • MacBook Air (11-inch & 13-inch, Late 2010) *
  • MacBook Pro (15-inch & 17-inch, Core 2 Duo)
  • MacBook Pro (15-inch & 17-inch, 2.2 & 2.4GHz)
  • MacBook Pro (15-inch & 17-inch, Early 2008) *
  • MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) *
  • MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009 & Mid 2009) *
  • MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2009) *
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch and 15-inch, Mid 2009) *
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch,15-inch, and 17-inch, Mid 2010)
  • MacBook Pro (13-in, 15-inch, and 17-inch, Early 2011 & Late 2011)
  • Mac Pro (Mid 2006)
  • Mac Pro (Early 2008) *
  • Mac Pro (Early 2009)
  • Mac Pro (Early 2007)
  • Mac Pro (Mid 2010)
  • Mac Pro (15-inch and 17-inch, 2.2 & 2.4GHz)
  • Mac mini (Mid 2007)
  • Mac mini (Early 2009 & Late 2009)
  • Mac mini (Mid 2010) *
  • iMac (17-inch, Late 2006)
  • iMac (20-inch, Late 2006)
  • iMac (24-inch, Late 2006)
  • iMac (20-inch & 24-inch, Mid 2007)
  • iMac (20-inch & 24-inch, Early 2008)
  • iMac (20-inch, Early 2009 & Mid 2009)
  • iMac (21.5-inch & 27-inch, Late 2009) *
  • iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) *
  • iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2010) *
  • iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010)
  • iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011 & Late 2011)
  • iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011)

all these drivers support Windows 7, 32 bit

* drivers that support Windows 7, 32 and 64 bit

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Boot camp: "The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition"

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