Error while trying to partition disk

Question

Level 1

8 points

Error while trying to partition disk

I'm trying to bootcamp windows 10 onto my Mid 2012 Macbook Pro Retina running 10.11.5, the current updated version of El Capitan. 2.6Ghz Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD. I checked the requirements for installing Windows 10 on a Mac, and there shouldn't be any issues. However, when I get to partitioning my disk, it says "Your disk could not be partitioned" and that an error occurred. I currently have a little over 300GB of free space, and only tried allocating around 100GB to be partitioned.

I've tried going into the disk utility to verify the disk- as per some community suggestions. Did that and nothing came up. Restarted my computer, just because why not. And even reinstalled OSX, and still nothing.

Any suggestions into fixing this would be greatly appreciated.

Also, as a side note. Not sure why this is or if it is at all relevant, but other screen shots of people using bootcamp show an image of their bootcamp assistant asking to install Windows 8 or later, and mine still says Windows 7. Not sure what that's all about, but thought I would point it out.

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012), OS X El Capitan (10.11.4)

Posted on Apr 18, 2016 7:52 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Jason L

Community Specialist

Apr 20, 2016 6:42 AM in response to paneklulu

Hi there paneklulu,

If I understand correctly, there's an issue installing Windows 10 on your MacBook Pro using Boot Camp because of a partition alert. Try taking a look at the article below and ensuring that your Mac is updated and the latest version of the Boot Camp Assistant is installed.

Use Windows 10 on your Mac with Boot Camp - Apple Support

Perform a new install of Windows 10

Use these steps if you're installing Windows on your Mac for the first time.

Use the list at the end of this article to make sure you have a Mac that supports Windows 10.

Check for software updates to make sure OS X, your Mac firmware, and Boot Camp Assistant are up to date.

Open Boot Camp Assistant from the Utilities folder (or use Spotlight to find it).

Use Boot Camp Assistant to install a new copy of Windows.

If the issue persists, try using the information in the article below to resolve any partition issues.

Boot Camp: Partition alert message when using Boot Camp Assistant - Apple Support

Cheers.

Reply

Answer 2

paneklulu Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 21, 2016 1:05 PM in response to Jason L

Okay, so I think I'm getting close to this all working out. I finally got the Windows Partition to work. I guess what was wrong was my Mac partition was OS Extended Journal, Encrypted, and I guess it didn't like that. So I reinstalled Mac OS X to just be OS Extended Journal. So I got the partition to work. But now I have a new problem. 😝

So, when my computer restarts and goes into the Windows 10 installer, and tries to get the installer information from my USB, its not detected. I've gone back and repartitioned it a couple times, but nothing seems to be working.

I went into the Disk Utility. Selected my USB, repartitioned it as MS-DOS FAT, and put it's scheme to Master Boot Record- as per some community suggestions, and still nothing. So I'm not sure what's going on here, hopefully someone can please help me resolve this. Again, any suggestions, recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Reply

Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Apr 21, 2016 1:22 PM in response to paneklulu

After you erased the USB, did you recreate the USB using the first two options in BC Assistant?

Reply

Answer 4

paneklulu Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 21, 2016 1:30 PM in response to Loner T

Yes. After erasing it, I went back into the bootcamp assistant, and selected the first two options.

Reply

Answer 5

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Apr 21, 2016 1:39 PM in response to paneklulu

Is your USB a USB2 flash drive?

Reply

Answer 6

paneklulu Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 21, 2016 1:47 PM in response to Loner T

Yes, it is. That shouldn't be a problem, right?

Reply

Answer 7

paneklulu Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 21, 2016 1:52 PM in response to Loner T

Quick question, too, btw. I just went into the finder menu, and just went through some information about my USB. And I'm looking at it, and it says that it was created December 31, 1969. Could that be what's causing the issue? I have no idea, why that would be either. Because its definitely not from 1969.

Reply

Answer 8

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Apr 21, 2016 1:57 PM in response to paneklulu

Finder cannot see all attributes. Can you connect the USB to your Mac and from OSX Terminal post the output of

diskutil list

Reply

Answer 9

paneklulu Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 21, 2016 2:06 PM in response to Loner T

I guess I'm not quite sure how to do that.. :/

Reply

Answer 10

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Apr 21, 2016 2:19 PM in response to paneklulu

Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal

Reply

Answer 11

paneklulu Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 21, 2016 2:21 PM in response to Loner T

Yes, I understand that. But I'm not sure what you would like me to do in the terminal. The command to get the information you're looking for.

Reply

Answer 12

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Apr 21, 2016 2:27 PM in response to paneklulu

Yes. Connect your USB and run the following command.

diskutil list

Reply

Answer 13

paneklulu Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 21, 2016 2:32 PM in response to Loner T

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *500.3 GB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage Macintosh HD 249.4 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

4: Microsoft Basic Data BOOTCAMP 250.0 GB disk0s4

/dev/disk1 (internal, virtual):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD +249.0 GB disk1

Logical Volume on disk0s2

Unencrypted

/dev/disk2 (external, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: FDisk_partition_scheme *8.0 GB disk2

1: DOS_FAT_32 WININSTALL 8.0 GB disk2s1

Reply

Answer 14

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Apr 21, 2016 2:37 PM in response to paneklulu

From OSX Finder, if you check the USB, can you post a screen shot of the contents of the USB with one level of directories expanded.

You have a 250GB partition for Windows. If you shutdown your Mac, connect the USB, and power it up and hold the Alt/Option key, do you see the USB as a selection.

Reply

Answer 15

paneklulu Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 21, 2016 2:53 PM in response to Loner T

When my USB is plugged in, after holding the option key, it shows my Mac disk, and the Windows disk. If its not plugged in, it just shows my Mac disk.

Reply