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Windows portion disappeared after updating to El Captain

I updated to El Capitan 10.11.1 and my windows 7 partition was no longer available. I followed the instructions provided by others in other threads but I have come up on a problem.I get a line that says;

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


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

I don't know where to go from here. Any help would be awesome. Thanks


I followed the steps that Loner T posted in another thread;

Install GPT Fdisk (aka gdisk). Leave your Testdisk display and start a new Terminal Window. You need to use the following steps. If you see any error messages during the following steps, please stop and post back here with the error message. The following steps have values from your Testdisk output (and you can verify) in Steps 7 and 8. Please notice the'+' sign in step 8 (this is called offset notation). The text in parentheses is for informational purpose to describe the action being taken. Gdisk has one-character commands except when entering numbers.


Rebuild GPT4 using start/end offsets


  1. Sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk0
  2. P (print the full list of parts)
  3. D (delete)
  4. 4 (part 4)
  5. N (new part)
  6. 4 (part 4)
  7. 509906944 ( - Start offset in sectors or the start point for Bootcamp part)
  8. +115234809 ( - Size offset, as opposed to End offset)
  9. 0700 (Windows part type)
  10. P (print list of all parts just to see what changes will be made)
  11. W (Write the new GPT)
  12. Y (Yes! really write the new GPT)

This will delete and re-write the GPT partition info for /dev/disk0s4.Rebuild MBR to match the new GPT information thus resetting the Hybrid MBR. Use defaults for other questions (like partition codes). The only values that need modifications are the Boot flags and step 10. Accept all other defaults that Gdisk offers. Please see thesample Q&A as an example. These steps can be repeated if you make a mistake before you get to Step 12, otherwise start from Step 1 for these steps. Step 6 has numbers which are typed with a space between the numbers. Please see the sample Q&A before you execute these steps.

  1. Sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk0
  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. Y (part 4 boot flag make NTFS bootable partition)
  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): Y


Test 1 - Does Bootcamp Volume show up in Finder?

Test 2 - Can you see files in Bootcamp Volume?

Test 3 - Can you select Bootcamp in System Preferences -> Startup Disk?

Test 4 - If Test 3 is successful, select Bootcamp and Click Restart.

The first part worked fine, but when I got the the second part (rewriting the GPT partition) it wants to skip partition 4 and use one to protect more partitions. Anyway to fix this? When I finished the first part, I accidentally closed the terminal window, so I don't have the terminal log for it.


Amy-McCallums-MacBook-Pro:~ amym$ diskutil list

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *320.1 GB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage Macintosh HD 260.0 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

/dev/disk1 (internal, virtual):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD +259.6 GB disk1

Logical Volume on disk0s2

3D9C724C-CCED-4C21-83CD-421473313648

Unencrypted

Amy-McCallums-MacBook-Pro:~ amym$ diskutil cs list

CoreStorage logical volume groups (1 found)

|

+-- Logical Volume Group 38E5FB14-BDF8-4EE3-8EF9-54DCC3C280B2

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

Name: Macintosh HD

Status: Online

Size: 259999997952 B (260.0 GB)

Free Space: 18948096 B (18.9 MB)

|

+-< Physical Volume 863B5F1B-95E4-4246-B596-380BF70AE238

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

| Index: 0

| Disk: disk0s2

| Status: Online

| Size: 259999997952 B (260.0 GB)

|

+-> Logical Volume Family 629683C2-D6A0-44AA-B605-89C042EF02F7

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

Encryption Type: None

|

+-> Logical Volume 3D9C724C-CCED-4C21-83CD-421473313648

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

Disk: disk1

Status: Online

Size (Total): 259628728320 B (259.6 GB)

Revertible: Yes (no decryption required)

LV Name: Macintosh HD

Volume Name: Macintosh HD

Content Hint: Apple_HFS

Amy-McCallums-MacBook-Pro:~ amym$ sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0

Password:

gpt show: /dev/disk0: mediasize=320072933376; sectorsize=512; blocks=625142448

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Suspicious MBR at sector 0

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

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Sec GPT at sector 625142447

start size index contents

0 1 MBR

1 1 Pri GPT header

2 32 Pri GPT table

34 6

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

409640 507812496 2 GPT part - 53746F72-6167-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

508222136 1269536 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

509491672 115650743

625142415 32 Sec GPT table

625142447 1 Sec GPT header

Amy-McCallums-MacBook-Pro:~ amym$ Sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk0

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.1


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): p

Disk /dev/rdisk0: 625142448 sectors, 298.1 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): 00002861-323A-0000-4466-0000973F0000

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 625142414

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 115650749 sectors (55.1 GiB)


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

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI system partition

2 409640 508222135 242.1 GiB AF05 Macintosh HD

3 508222136 509491671 619.9 MiB AB00 Recovery HD


Command (? for help): r


Recovery/transformation command (? for help): o


Disk size is 625142448 sectors (298.1 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0x000019D8

MBR partitions:


Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 409639 primary 0xEE

2 409640 508222135 primary 0xAC

3 508222136 509491671 primary 0xAB


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):

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If it makes a difference, before I had updated to El Capitan, I had changed the partition size of the windows partition.


OSX El Capitan 10.11.1

MacBook Pro 13 inch, early 2011

MacBook Pro (13-inch Early 2011), OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Nov 24, 2015 7:50 PM

Reply
28 replies

Nov 25, 2015 3:28 PM in response to falcoskater

You want to leave the Testdisk screen as it. Start a new terminal window and use the values (first and third values which are start and size as indicated in my last post in steps 7 and 8) and you can copy/paste them when you get to the appropriate Gdisk step in the first set of steps.


Once you complete both set of Gdisk steps, post the output of the GPT and Fdisk commands before you reboot, so we can verify them.

Nov 25, 2015 3:40 PM in response to Loner T

I only get 3 parts when I press 'p'


Last login: Wed Nov 25 18:38:25 on ttys003

Amy-McCallums-MacBook-Pro:~ amym$ Sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk0

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.1


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): p

Disk /dev/rdisk0: 625142448 sectors, 298.1 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): 00002861-323A-0000-4466-0000973F0000

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 625142414

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 115650749 sectors (55.1 GiB)


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

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI system partition

2 409640 508222135 242.1 GiB AF05 Macintosh HD

3 508222136 509491671 619.9 MiB AB00 Recovery HD

Nov 25, 2015 3:50 PM in response to falcoskater

It should be all right, you will skip the 'D' and '4' (steps 3 and 4) and continue with step 5, which create a new entry. You may have deleted part 4 previously.


According to your output from diskutil list, you started with only 3 parts (from your first post).


/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *320.1 GB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage Macintosh HD 260.0 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3


Amy-McCallums-MacBook-Pro:~ amym$ sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0

Password:

gpt show: /dev/disk0: mediasize=320072933376; sectorsize=512; blocks=625142448

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Suspicious MBR at sector 0

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

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Sec GPT at sector 625142447

start size index contents

0 1 MBR

1 1 Pri GPT header

2 32 Pri GPT table

34 6

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

409640 507812496 2 GPT part - 53746F72-6167-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

508222136 1269536 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

509491672 115650743

625142415 32 Sec GPT table

625142447 1 Sec GPT header

Nov 25, 2015 3:52 PM in response to Loner T

For this part;

Current type is 'Apple HFS/HFS+'

Hex code or GUID (L to show codes, Enter = AF00):


I put the code as 0700?



Last login: Wed Nov 25 18:38:25 on ttys003

Amy-McCallums-MacBook-Pro:~ amym$ Sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk0

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.1


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): p

Disk /dev/rdisk0: 625142448 sectors, 298.1 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): 00002861-323A-0000-4466-0000973F0000

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 625142414

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 115650749 sectors (55.1 GiB)


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

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI system partition

2 409640 508222135 242.1 GiB AF05 Macintosh HD

3 508222136 509491671 619.9 MiB AB00 Recovery HD


Command (? for help): n

Partition number (4-128, default 4): 4

First sector (34-625142414, default = 509491672) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: 509493248

Last sector (509493248-625142414, default = 625142414) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: +115648505

Current type is 'Apple HFS/HFS+'

Hex code or GUID (L to show codes, Enter = AF00):

Nov 25, 2015 8:33 PM in response to Loner T

Ok, I think that I've done it correctly. I've finished both sets of Gdisk steps, here is the output that I got. I'll wait for you to verify before I reboot. Thanks so much for helping me (and others) with this problem 🙂

Last login: Wed Nov 25 18:38:25 on ttys003

Amy-McCallums-MacBook-Pro:~ amym$ Sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk0

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.1


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): p

Disk /dev/rdisk0: 625142448 sectors, 298.1 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): 00002861-323A-0000-4466-0000973F0000

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 625142414

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 115650749 sectors (55.1 GiB)


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

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI system partition

2 409640 508222135 242.1 GiB AF05 Macintosh HD

3 508222136 509491671 619.9 MiB AB00 Recovery HD


Command (? for help): n

Partition number (4-128, default 4): 4

First sector (34-625142414, default = 509491672) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: 509493248

Last sector (509493248-625142414, default = 625142414) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: +115648505

Current type is 'Apple HFS/HFS+'

Hex code or GUID (L to show codes, Enter = AF00): 0700

Changed type of partition to 'Microsoft basic data'


Command (? for help): p

Disk /dev/rdisk0: 625142448 sectors, 298.1 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): 00002861-323A-0000-4466-0000973F0000

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 625142414

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 2244 sectors (1.1 MiB)


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

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI system partition

2 409640 508222135 242.1 GiB AF05 Macintosh HD

3 508222136 509491671 619.9 MiB AB00 Recovery HD

4 509493248 625141752 55.1 GiB 0700 Microsoft basic data


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.

Amy-McCallums-MacBook-Pro:~ amym$ Sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk0

Password:

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.1


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): p

Disk /dev/rdisk0: 625142448 sectors, 298.1 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): 00002861-323A-0000-4466-0000973F0000

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 625142414

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 2244 sectors (1.1 MiB)


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

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI system partition

2 409640 508222135 242.1 GiB AF05 Macintosh HD

3 508222136 509491671 619.9 MiB AB00 Recovery HD

4 509493248 625141752 55.1 GiB 0700 Microsoft basic data


Command (? for help): r


Recovery/transformation command (? for help): o


Disk size is 625142448 sectors (298.1 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0x000019D8

MBR partitions:


Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 409639 primary 0xEE

2 409640 508222135 primary 0xAC

3 508222136 509491671 primary 0xAB


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


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

Enter an MBR hex code (default 07):

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


Recovery/transformation command (? for help): o


Disk size is 625142448 sectors (298.1 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0x000019D8

MBR partitions:


Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 409639 primary 0xEE

2 409640 508222135 primary 0xAF

3 508222136 509491671 primary 0xAB

4 * 509493248 625141752 primary 0x07


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.

Amy-McCallums-MacBook-Pro:~ amym$

Nov 26, 2015 7:00 AM in response to falcoskater

You are not done yet. 😉.


Please backup OS X and Windows. Use separate external disks, if possible. Create a Windows System Restore point. If you have Windows Automatic Updates enabled, I recommend disabling it, and running it manually every week. You want to ensure that driver updates are carefully selected, otherwise the WHQL drivers can cause issues with Apple BC drivers.

Windows portion disappeared after updating to El Captain

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