Removed Bootcamp with Disk Util, recovered, BUT

Question

Level 1

14 points

Removed Bootcamp with Disk Util, recovered, BUT

Hi

I spent the day trying to install Windows 8.1 from a USB stick, on my iMac 5k with a 3TB Fusion Drive

Like many others here, I kept getting stuck with GPT errors. Eventually I stupidly removed the Bootcamp partition, and ran into the subsequent problems of lost/redundant HD space and greyed out options for removing/changing partition sizes in Disk Utility.

After ploughing through pages of forums, I managed to delete the redundant space while booted up from Internet recovery, using the terminal- my Fusion drive went back to its full 3TB capacity. Using advice from here:

http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/168723/i-think-i-messed-up-the-fusion-d rive-on-my-1tb-imac-with-bootcamp

However, I have been following LONER's great advice on these threads :

Windows 8.1 install on iMac with fusion drive, GPT partition error

Can't format former Boot Camp partition

But when i get to enter "2 3 4" I get this message :

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

GPT partition #2 does not exist or is too big; skipping.

GPT partition #3 does not exist or is too big; skipping.

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

No partitions converted; original protective/hybrid MBR is unmodified!

Maybe when I removed the redundant space on my HD I didn't fix the drive back to how it should have been?

I have a full backup on an external drive so if I have to wipe my Fusion drive and start again it's no big deal.

Here is the output from

diskutil list

diskutil cs list

sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk1

sudo fdisk /dev/disk1

Wherry-iMac:~ Wherrys$ diskutil list

/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *121.3 GB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage 121.0 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Boot OS X 134.2 MB disk0s3

/dev/disk1

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *3.0 TB disk1

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk1s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage 2.3 TB disk1s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk1s3

4: Microsoft Basic Data BOOTCAMP 700.9 GB disk1s4

/dev/disk2

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD *2.4 TB disk2

Logical Volume on disk0s2, disk1s2

51210933-CA61-4132-99DA-14284FB36473

Unencrypted Fusion Drive

Wherry-iMac:~ Wherrys$ diskutil cs list

CoreStorage logical volume groups (1 found)

|

+-- Logical Volume Group 04F51976-32DF-4C3F-9296-6ADADC7EEBAA

=========================================================

Name: Macintosh HD

Status: Online

Size: 2419855843328 B (2.4 TB)

Free Space: 376832 B (376.8 KB)

|

+-< Physical Volume D5D20091-CCC3-48F2-85F9-0207EFE7304A

| ----------------------------------------------------

| Index: 0

| Disk: disk0s2

| Status: Online

| Size: 120988852224 B (121.0 GB)

|

+-< Physical Volume A6AD4A38-FCA2-4543-9CD8-5525D9C2639F

| ----------------------------------------------------

| Index: 1

| Disk: disk1s2

| Status: Online

| Size: 2298866991104 B (2.3 TB)

|

+-> Logical Volume Family 2B272C20-609F-42F6-AB2E-219AEE481B7E

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

Encryption Status: Unlocked

Encryption Type: None

Conversion Status: NoConversion

Conversion Direction: -none-

Has Encrypted Extents: No

Fully Secure: No

Passphrase Required: No

|

+-> Logical Volume 51210933-CA61-4132-99DA-14284FB36473

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

Disk: disk2

Status: Online

Size (Total): 2414000209920 B (2.4 TB)

Conversion Progress: -none-

Revertible: No

LV Name: Macintosh HD

Volume Name: Macintosh HD

Content Hint: Apple_HFS

Wherry-iMac:~ Wherrys$ sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk1

Password:

gpt show: /dev/disk1: mediasize=3000592982016; sectorsize=512; blocks=5860533168

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 5860533167

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 4489974592 2 GPT part - 53746F72-6167-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

4490384232 1269536 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

4491653768 1400

4491655168 1368877056 4 GPT part - EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7

5860532224 911

5860533135 32 Sec GPT table

5860533167 1 Sec GPT header

Wherry-iMac:~ Wherrys$ sudo fdisk /dev/disk1

Disk: /dev/disk1 geometry: 97451/255/63 [1565565872 sectors]

Signature: 0xAA55

Starting Ending

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

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

1: EE 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 1 - 4294967294] <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

Thanks in advance for any help

Posted on Jul 31, 2015 5:01 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Jake Wherry Author

Level 1

14 points

Jul 31, 2015 5:13 PM in response to Jake Wherry

I forgot to mention that I also had the following problem at first - after running BA when the computer restarted I got a Circle with a slash (prohibited) icon, and I had to power down the iMac. On subsequent attempts to install Windows after running BA I pressed alt at startup and selected the Windows usb disk, where I then ran into the GPT problems

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Answer 2

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 31, 2015 5:29 PM in response to Jake Wherry

You have several different contradictory states in this configuration.

1. You have Bootcamp at the very end of a 3TB HDD, specifically beyond the 2TB boundary, so a MBR will not work.

2. If BC Assistant wanted you to use EFI boot (because your iMac is UEFI-compliant), the partition should be left as Free Space, but it is now a FAT partition.

Either we can erase it and make it Free Space and you can try an EFI installation, or, use BCA (only) to remove the current BCA, run Disk Utility and run Disk Repair, and try BCA again.

Which option do you want to pursue?

My 2c - the EFI method has fewer restrictions and is more flexible and faster.

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Answer 3

Jake Wherry Author

Level 1

14 points

Jul 31, 2015 5:32 PM in response to Loner T

I'm happy to try the EFI method, though (and I don't know much about this sort of thing) I haven't seen an EFI option next to Windows when I've booted up and pressed "alt" with my windows usb stick - should I have seen an option to boot from EFI?

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Answer 4

Jake Wherry Author

Level 1

14 points

Jul 31, 2015 6:03 PM in response to Loner T

Hi Loner - thanks for helping me out.

It's 2am here and I'm struggling, I'll try and stay up for bit longer, but if I don't reply straight away, I'll catch up tomorrow and follow any instructions that you leave.

Any idea why I was getting the circle/slash icon when BCA had finished and the computer restarted?

Thanks

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Answer 5

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 31, 2015 6:22 PM in response to Jake Wherry

BCA failed to set the NVRAM correctly with the boot_arg value, and it was pointing to a non-bootable location, hence the circle/slash icon.

To convert the existing bootcamp FAT/NTFS partition to Free Space, please use the following command from Terminal.

diskutil eraseVolume free Untitled disk1s4

We can proceed further tomorrow after you get some sleep. ✅

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Answer 6

Jake Wherry Author

Level 1

14 points

Jul 31, 2015 6:23 PM in response to Loner T

Thanks - I'm good for another 1/2 hour I reckon if you don;t mind carrying on?

diskutil eraseVolume free Untitled disk1s4

Started erase on disk1s4 BOOTCAMP

Unmounting disk

Error: 2: POSIX reports: No such file or directory

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Answer 7

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 31, 2015 6:27 PM in response to Jake Wherry

This is expected. Since the disk slice has been converted to free space, no disk1s4 exists and will appear, The POSIX error is because there is no longer a device node called /dev/disk1s4 or /dev/rdisk1s4.

Let us verify it. Please post the output of diskutil list disk1 .

Reply

Answer 8

Jake Wherry Author

Level 1

14 points

Jul 31, 2015 6:28 PM in response to Loner T

diskutil list disk1

/dev/disk1

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *3.0 TB disk1

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk1s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage 2.3 TB disk1s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk1s3

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Answer 9

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 31, 2015 6:34 PM in response to Jake Wherry

One more command to be certain beyond a shadow of a doubt.

sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk1

I expect a chunk of space after Recovery HD.

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Answer 10

Jake Wherry Author

Level 1

14 points

Jul 31, 2015 6:35 PM in response to Loner T

sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk1

Password:

gpt show: /dev/disk1: mediasize=3000592982016; sectorsize=512; blocks=5860533168

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 5860533167

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 4489974592 2 GPT part - 53746F72-6167-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

4490384232 1269536 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

4491653768 1368879367

5860533135 32 Sec GPT table

5860533167 1 Sec GPT header

Reply

Answer 11

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 31, 2015 6:38 PM in response to Jake Wherry

Jake Wherry wrote:

sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk1

Password:

gpt show: /dev/disk1: mediasize=3000592982016; sectorsize=512; blocks=5860533168

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 5860533167

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 4489974592 2 GPT part - 53746F72-6167-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

4490384232 1269536 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

4491653768 1368879367

5860533135 32 Sec GPT table

5860533167 1 Sec GPT header

The highlighted line is now free space. If you have created a USB, boot from it, and select EFI Boot. I expect an error during your installation. It is most likely going to fail because it will not find an MSR after it creates it.

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Answer 12

Jake Wherry Author

Level 1

14 points

Jul 31, 2015 6:40 PM in response to Loner T

will do now

brb

thanks again

Reply

Answer 13

Jake Wherry Author

Level 1

14 points

Jul 31, 2015 6:46 PM in response to Loner T

When I restarted and held down ALT I only saw "Macintosh HD" and "Windows" - EFI option

It could be something to do with how I made the USB disk - using BCA i kept getting errors saying "could not be completed error copying windows files" So I used Rufus on a PC.

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