Can't format former Boot Camp partition

The final complete list before booting

Last login: Sat Aug 1 02:14:14 on ttys000

iMac:~ RalphImac$ Sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk0

Password:

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.0

Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Partition table scan:

MBR: protective

BSD: not present

APM: not present

GPT: present

Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT.

Command (? for help): p

Disk /dev/rdisk0: 236978176 sectors, 113.0 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): A1286177-A577-4A60-95DF-E3CB9AF2CFE7

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 236978142

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 13 sectors (6.5 KiB)

Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI System Partition

2 409640 236715991 112.7 GiB AF05 OSX-MacintoshLVG

3 236715992 236978135 128.0 MiB AB00 Booter

Command (? for help): r

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): o

Disk size is 236978176 sectors (113.0 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0x00000000

MBR partitions:

Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 236978175 primary 0xEE

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): h

WARNING! Hybrid MBRs are flaky and dangerous! If you decide not to use one,

just hit the Enter key at the below prompt and your MBR partition table will

be untouched.

Type from one to three GPT partition numbers, separated by spaces, to be

added to the hybrid MBR, in sequence: 2 3 4

Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): y

Creating entry for GPT partition #2 (MBR partition #2)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AF):

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

Creating entry for GPT partition #3 (MBR partition #3)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AB):

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

GPT partition #4 does not exist or is too big; skipping.

Unused partition space(s) found. Use one to protect more partitions? (Y/N): n

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): o

Disk size is 236978176 sectors (113.0 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0x00000000

MBR partitions:

Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 409639 primary 0xEE

2 409640 236715991 primary 0xAF

3 236715992 236978135 primary 0xAB

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): w

Final checks complete. About to write GPT data. THIS WILL OVERWRITE EXISTING

PARTITIONS!!

Do you want to proceed? (Y/N): y

OK; writing new GUID partition table (GPT) to /dev/rdisk0.

Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Warning: The kernel may continue to use old or deleted partitions.

You should reboot or remove the drive.

The operation has completed successfully.

iMac:~ RalphImac$

What do I do next after rebooting?

This is not correct and it is my mistake. This should be done on disk1 not disk0. Your BC partition is on disk1.

This is why you see this on disk0

GPT partition #4 does not exist or is too big; skipping.

disk1 has 4 partitions.

The disk0 can be returned to a single Protective MBR using the following steps.

sudo disk /dev/rdisk0

x

o

n

o

w

y

Ok here is what I got

Last login: Sat Aug 1 03:04:02 on console

iMac:~ RalphImac$ sudo disk /dev/rdisk0

Password:

sudo: disk: command not found

iMac:~ RalphImac$ disk /dev/rdisk0

-bash: disk: command not found

iMac:~ RalphImac$ Sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk0

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.0

Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Partition table scan:

MBR: hybrid

BSD: not present

APM: not present

GPT: present

Found valid GPT with hybrid MBR; using GPT.

Command (? for help): x

Expert command (? for help): o

Disk size is 236978176 sectors (113.0 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0x00000000

MBR partitions:

Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 409639 primary 0xEE

2 409640 236715991 primary 0xAF

3 236715992 236978135 primary 0xAB

Expert command (? for help): n

Expert command (? for help): o

Disk size is 236978176 sectors (113.0 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0x00000000

MBR partitions:

Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 236978175 primary 0xEE

Expert command (? for help): w

Final checks complete. About to write GPT data. THIS WILL OVERWRITE EXISTING

PARTITIONS!!

Do you want to proceed? (Y/N): y

OK; writing new GUID partition table (GPT) to /dev/rdisk0.

Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Warning: The kernel may continue to use old or deleted partitions.

You should reboot or remove the drive.

The operation has completed successfully.

iMac:~ RalphImac$

Disk0 looks good. This is what was expected.

Disk size is 236978176 sectors (113.0 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0x00000000

MBR partitions:

Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 236978175 primary 0xEE

The updated steps for disk1 are

Rebuild MBR to match the new GPT information thus resetting the Hybrid MBR.

1. Sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk1
2. P (Print list of parts)
3. R (Recover)
4. O (print current Hybrid MBR)
5. H (chooses Hybrid)
6. Partitions numbers to be hybridized: 2 3 4
7. Y (Good for GRUB question)
8. N (part 2 boot flag)
9. N (part 3 boot flag)
10. N (part 4 boot flag)
11. O (print current Hybrid MBR)
12. W (Write the new MBR)
13. Y (Yes! write the new MBR)
14. Reboot

Here is sample Q&A for this section. Please notice the Press Enter/Return.

Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): Y

Creating entry for GPT partition #2 (MBR partition #2)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AF): Press Enter/Return

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): N

Creating entry for GPT partition #3 (MBR partition #3)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AB): Press Enter/Return

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): N

Creating entry for GPT partition #4 (MBR partition #4)

Enter an MBR hex code (default 07): Press Enter/Return

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): N

It is almost the same. I have to stop here. Maybe it is because I have already deleted the windows partition through BCA?

Last login: Sat Aug 1 03:04:28 on ttys000

iMac:~ RalphImac$ Sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk1

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.0

Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Partition table scan:

MBR: protective

BSD: not present

APM: not present

GPT: present

Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT.

Command (? for help): p

Disk /dev/rdisk1: 1953525168 sectors, 931.5 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): D7A2F2DF-3726-47CC-B9F7-242CD2B86DB6

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 1953525134

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 13 sectors (6.5 KiB)

Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI System Partition

2 409640 1952255591 930.7 GiB AF05 OSX-MacintoshLVG

3 1952255592 1953525127 619.9 MiB AB00 Boot OS X

Command (? for help): r

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): o

Disk size is 1953525168 sectors (931.5 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0x00000000

MBR partitions:

Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 1953525167 primary 0xEE

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): h

WARNING! Hybrid MBRs are flaky and dangerous! If you decide not to use one,

just hit the Enter key at the below prompt and your MBR partition table will

be untouched.

Type from one to three GPT partition numbers, separated by spaces, to be

added to the hybrid MBR, in sequence: 2 3 4

Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): y

Creating entry for GPT partition #2 (MBR partition #2)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AF):

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

Creating entry for GPT partition #3 (MBR partition #3)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AB):

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): n

GPT partition #4 does not exist or is too big; skipping.

Unused partition space(s) found. Use one to protect more partitions? (Y/N):

And also I have this from (command R)

-bash-3.2# fdisk /dev/disk1

Disk: /dev/disk1 geometry: 121601/255/63 [1953525168 sectors]

Signature: 0xAA55

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1: EE 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 1 - 1953525167] <Unknown ID>

2: 00 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 [ 0 - 0] unused

3: 00 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 [ 0 - 0] unused

4: 00 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 [ 0 - 0] unused

-bash-3.2# gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk1

gpt show: /dev/disk1: mediasize=1000204886016; sectorsize=512; blocks=1953525168

gpt show: /dev/disk1: PMBR at sector 0

gpt show: /dev/disk1: Pri GPT at sector 1

gpt show: /dev/disk1: 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 - 53746F72-6167-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

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

1953525128 7

1953525135 32 Sec GPT table

1953525167 1 Sec GPT header

-bash-3.2#

What is the next step? Any solution?

If the BC/Windows partition has been deleted, then

GPT partition #4 does not exist or is too big; skipping.

is expected.

Boot normally, run BCA, partition and try Windows installation. If you end up with the same error, we can repeat the steps.

Ok, I will take a little rest. Its already late here. you will get my report when you wake up in the morning.

Thanks Man!

Please post back when ready.

I always delete the wininstall (windows iso) that I have in my usb flash and start afresh by downloading the iso and windows support software. This is why it takes a bit long. Can I go on with the window iso already contained in the usb flash without creating the window iso again?

Let me clarify something. You are rebuilding the USB Installer, not downloading the whole ISO to USB, are you?

BCA downloads Support Software, open the ISO on your Mac, copies and integrates these two to create an Installer from which it boots. Once this USB Installer is built, it is not necessary to rebuild it.

After each failure attempt, I normally erase the usb. Then from boot camp I select all the 3 options (creating iso from system already in my computer, downloading software for windows and installing windows) in order to continue.

Or am I expected to select only the last option (installing windows) after each failure. But I thought it is only for those who are using optical drive.

The first two options can be done only once. The last option is usually what is needed again. It just takes longer choosing all three options, but it is not incorrect.