MacBook cannot delete BOOTCAMP Parition

MacInvestor wrote:

diskutil list

/dev/disk0 (internal):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme 1.0 TB disk0

1: EFI EFI 314.6 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_APFS Container disk1 769.0 GB disk0s2

3: Microsoft Basic Data OSXRESERVED 8.0 GB disk0s3

4: Microsoft Basic Data BOOTCAMP 94.6 GB disk0s4

5: Apple_HFS TimeMachine 127.9 GB disk0s5

6: Apple_Boot Boot OS X 134.2 MB disk0s6

but still doesn't work.... what do I need to do to delete this bootcamp partition ? thank you for your time.

Is there a specific reason that you store TM backups on the same internal disk as your macOS disk? What happens if this internal disk fails, how will your restore your backup?

The current layout will not work. Also, erasing disk0s4 does not help, unless you first merge disk0s3 and disk0s4.

MacInvestor wrote:

ok, I will first make a copy of what I have in TM to an external drive.

It is better to create a TM backup on the external disk, instead of copying the existing one. If you still want to, see Time Machine: How to transfer backups from a current backup drive to a new backup drive - Apple Support as a reference.

MacInvestor wrote:

Then after the copy is finished, I will proceed with:

diskutil eraseVolume jhfs+ BC1 disk0s3

diskutil eraseVolume jhfs+ BC2 disk0s4

diskutil eraseVolume jhfs+ BC3 disk0s5

diskutil eraseVolume jhfs+ BC4 disk0s6

diskutil mergePartitions jhfs+ BCMP disk0s3 disk0s6

diskutil eraseVolume fat32 BOOTCAMP disk0s3

then we can use the Bootcamp Assistant?

Yes.

You will need to use an external disk for the TM backup. If your Mac has an SD card slot, you may want consider the SD card as an option for TM.

The BCA partitioning will work only if disk0s3-disk0s6 do not exist.

MacInvestor wrote:

I guess my question is what is BOOT OS X? Why is it there?

Due to a bug in High Sierra BC Assistant. Notice

/dev/disk1 (synthesized):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: APFS Container Scheme - +769.0 GB disk1

Physical Store disk0s2

1: APFS Volume Macintosh HD 143.0 GB disk1s1

2: APFS Volume Preboot 25.6 MB disk1s2

3: APFS Volume Recovery 518.1 MB disk1s3

4: APFS Volume VM 1.1 GB disk1s4

How do I properly delete 03-06 so I can use BCA? Any of my Mac OS files be impacted?

You will need to use diskutil commands. No. But you should create a TM backup, before you do this.

MacInvestor wrote:

Thanks for sharing. I don't quite understand meaning of "APFS Volume Recovery" and Boot OS X. Does that mean Boot OS X is that part of the APFS Volume Recovery??

If I delete the Boot OS X. That would be ok?

Prior to HS, Recovery HD (Apple_Boot) was a separate partition. Under HS, it was subsumed into the APFS Container as a volume. BCA has a bug which creates the Apple_Boot outside the container, duplicating the function, which si incorrect.

MacInvestor wrote:

For the diskutil commands would this work?

diskutil eraseVolume jhfs+ BC1 disk0s3 disk0s4 disk0s5 disk0s6

diskutil mergePartitions jhfs+ BCMP disk0s3 disk0s4 disk0s5 disk0s6

diskutil eraseVolume fat32 BOOTCAMP disk0s3 disk0s4 disk0s5 disk0s6

if I do this, I can delete the Bootcamp partition?

diskutil eraseVolume jhfs+ BC1 disk0s3

diskutil eraseVolume jhfs+ BC2 disk0s4

diskutil eraseVolume jhfs+ BC3 disk0s5

diskutil eraseVolume jhfs+ BC4 disk0s6

diskutil mergePartitions jhfs+ BCMP disk0s3 disk0s6

diskutil eraseVolume fat32 BOOTCAMP disk0s3

Be aware that your are losing your TM backup, so you should create a backup on an external disk first.