Can I resize the macOS High Sierra HDD partition without losing data or making dual boot unusable?

This is the log from Recovery mode:

Sep 18 07:03:36 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: opendirectoryd (build 197.17.2) launched - installer mode
Sep 18 07:03:36 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: Logging level limit changed to 'notice'
Sep 18 07:03:36 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: Initialize trigger support
Sep 18 07:03:36 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: created endpoint for mach service 'com.apple.private.opendirectoryd.rpc' with work limit 10
Sep 18 07:03:36 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: set default handler for RPC 'reset_cache'
Sep 18 07:03:36 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: set default handler for RPC 'reset_statistics'
Sep 18 07:03:36 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: set default handler for RPC 'show'
Sep 18 07:03:36 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: starting endpoint for service 'com.apple.private.opendirectoryd.rpc'
Sep 18 07:03:36 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: no dynamic data found at '/System/Library/OpenDirectory/DynamicData/Configure.plist'
Sep 18 07:03:36 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: Registered node with name '/Configure' as hidden
Sep 18 07:03:36 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: no dynamic data found at '/System/Library/OpenDirectory/DynamicData/Local.plist'
Sep 18 07:03:36 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: Registered node with name '/Local' as hidden
Sep 18 07:03:38 localhost Unknown[303]: kern.boottime: { sec = 1537279415, usec = 0 } Tue Sep 18 07:03:35 2018
Sep 18 07:03:38 localhost Unknown[311]: Launching the Language Chooser for an OS Install
Sep 18 07:03:42 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:03:42.668 LCA[312:707] NSSoftLinking - The Librarian framework's library couldn't be loaded from (null).
Sep 18 07:03:42 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:03:42.669 LCA[312:707] NSSoftLinking - The function 'LBCurrentProcessHasUbiquityContainer' can't be found in the Librarian framework.
Sep 18 07:03:43 localhost configd[112]: bootp_session_transmit: bpf_write(en1) failed: Network is down (50)
Sep 18 07:03:43 localhost configd[112]: DHCP en1: INIT transmit failed
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:03:44.375 LCA[312:707] LCA+BT2: systemHasBluetooth entry
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:03:44.376 LCA[312:707] LCA+BT2: [[NSProcessInfo processInfo] processName] LCA
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:03:44.376 LCA[312:707] LCA+BT2: systemHasBluetooth exit - controller = 0x7f908c431000
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost LCA[312]: Using keyboard layout 250
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost Unknown[313]: Keyboard Layouts: duplicate keyboard layout identifier -16899.
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost Unknown[313]: Keyboard Layouts: keyboard layout identifier -16899 has been replaced with -28673.
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost Unknown[313]: Keyboard Layouts: duplicate keyboard layout identifier -16900.
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost Unknown[313]: Keyboard Layouts: keyboard layout identifier -16900 has been replaced with -28674.
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost LCA[312]: Found primary language hint "en"
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost LCA[312]: Using keyboard layout 250
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost LCA[312]: Found primary language hint "en"
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost LCA[312]: Launching the Springboard using language code "English"
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:03:44.982 OS X Utilities[336:707] NSSoftLinking - The Librarian framework's library couldn't be loaded from (null).
Sep 18 07:03:44 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:03:44.983 OS X Utilities[336:707] NSSoftLinking - The function 'LBCurrentProcessHasUbiquityContainer' can't be found in the Librarian framework.
Sep 18 07:03:45 localhost OSIESpringboard[336]: Can not connect to /var/run/systemkeychaincheck.socket: No such file or directory
Sep 18 07:03:45 localhost OSIESpringboard[336]: Failed to unlock login keychain.
Sep 18 07:03:46 localhost Unknown[313]: Keyboard Layouts: duplicate keyboard layout identifier -16899.
Sep 18 07:03:46 localhost Unknown[313]: Keyboard Layouts: keyboard layout identifier -16899 has been replaced with -28673.
Sep 18 07:03:46 localhost Unknown[313]: Keyboard Layouts: duplicate keyboard layout identifier -16900.
Sep 18 07:03:46 localhost Unknown[313]: Keyboard Layouts: keyboard layout identifier -16900 has been replaced with -28674.
Sep 18 07:03:49 localhost configd[112]: subnet_route_if_index: can't get interface name
Sep 18 07:10:10 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:10:10.267 Disk Utility[338:707] NSSoftLinking - The Librarian framework's library couldn't be loaded from (null).
Sep 18 07:10:10 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:10:10.268 Disk Utility[338:707] NSSoftLinking - The function 'LBCurrentProcessHasUbiquityContainer' can't be found in the Librarian framework.
Sep 18 07:10:10 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:10:10.356 Disk Utility[338:707] **********
Sep 18 07:10:10 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:10:10.359 Disk Utility[338:707] Disk Utility started.
Sep 18 07:10:10 localhost Unknown[313]: 
Sep 18 07:43:48 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:43 OS X Utilities[336] (CarbonCore.framework) FSEventStreamStart: ERROR: FSEvents_connect() => Unknown service name (1102)
Sep 18 07:43:48 localhost OSIESpringboard[336]: Connection to NetworkBrowserAgent became invalid
Sep 18 07:43:48 localhost OSIESpringboard[336]: Connection to NetworkBrowserAgent became invalid
Sep 18 07:43:48 localhost OSIESpringboard[336]: Connection to NetworkBrowserAgent became invalid
Sep 18 07:43:48 localhost OSIESpringboard[336]: Folder Manager is being asked to create a folder (docs) while running as uid 0
Sep 18 07:43:48 localhost OSIESpringboard[336]: Folder Manager is being asked to create a folder (docs) while running as uid 0
Sep 18 07:43:48 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:43:48.921 OS X Utilities[336:707] Invalid URL passed to an open/save panel: '(null)'.  Using 'file://localhost/' instead.
Sep 18 07:43:50 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:43:50.845 OS X Utilities[336:707] *** WARNING: -[NSImage compositeToPoint:operation:] is deprecated in MacOSX 10.8 and later. Please use -[NSImage drawAtPoint:fromRect:operation:fraction:] instead.
Sep 18 07:43:50 localhost Unknown[313]: 2018-09-18 07:43:50.845 OS X Utilities[336:707] *** WARNING: -[NSImage compositeToPoint:fromRect:operation:] is deprecated in MacOSX 10.8 and later. Please use -[NSImage drawAtPoint:fromRect:operation:fraction:] instead.
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost OSIESpringboard[336]: Connection to NetworkBrowserAgent became invalid
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost OSIESpringboard[336]: Connection to NetworkBrowserAgent became invalid
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost OSIESpringboard[336]: Connection to NetworkBrowserAgent became invalid
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.1 - Client: coreservicesd, UID: 0, EUID: 0, GID: 0, EGID: 0
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.1 - ODNodeCreateWithNameAndOptions request, SessionID: 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000, Name: /Local/Default, Options: 0x0
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.1 - loading configuration for '/Local' from '/System/Library/OpenDirectory/Configurations/Local.plist'
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: Loaded bundle at path '/System/Library/OpenDirectory/Modules/PlistFile.bundle'
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.1 - unable to find authentication module 'ConfigurationProfiles'
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.1 - unable to find service discovery callback for module 'PlistFile'
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: Registered subnode with name '/Local/Default'
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: Registering for network changes
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: failed to open local node for internal record copy
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.1.2 - Block: nodestate '/Local/Default'
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.1.2, Module: PlistFile - Node is 10.7 or later
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: Registering for power changes
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.1.2 - nodestate - flagging '/Local/Default' online
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.1.2 - Block completed
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: Registering for network power changes
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.1, Node: /Local/Default - node assigned UUID - 80F869F9-4B96-4AF0-B239-8A6DE60A94CF
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.1, Node: /Local/Default - ODNodeCreateWithNameAndOptions completed
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.3 - Client: coreservicesd, UID: 0, EUID: 0, GID: 0, EGID: 0
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.3 - ODQueryCreateWithNode request, NodeID: 80F869F9-4B96-4AF0-B239-8A6DE60A94CF, RecordType(s): dsRecTypeNative:config, Attribute: dsAttrTypeStandard:RecordName, MatchType: EqualTo, Equality: CaseExact, Value(s): SharePoints, Requested Attributes: dsAttributesAll, Max Results: 1
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.3, Node: /Local/Default, Module: PlistFile - client is using a native record type 'config' which is not portable
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.3, Node: /Local/Default, Module: PlistFile - client is using a native record type 'config' which is not portable
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.3, Node: /Local/Default, Module: PlistFile - ODQueryCreateWithNode completed
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.4 - Client: coreservicesd, UID: 0, EUID: 0, GID: 0, EGID: 0
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.4 - ODNodeCreateRecord request, NodeID: 80F869F9-4B96-4AF0-B239-8A6DE60A94CF, RecordType: dsRecTypeNative:config, RecordName: SharePoints, Attributes: <none>
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.4, Node: /Local/Default, Module: PlistFile - client is using a native record type 'config' which is not portable
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.4, Node: /Local/Default, Module: PlistFile - ODNodeCreateRecord completed, delivered 1 result
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.5 - Client: coreservicesd, UID: 0, EUID: 0, GID: 0, EGID: 0
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.5 - ODQueryCreateWithNode request, NodeID: 80F869F9-4B96-4AF0-B239-8A6DE60A94CF, RecordType(s): dsRecTypeNative:config/SharePoints, Attribute: dsAttrTypeStandard:RecordName, MatchType: Any, Equality: CaseExact, Value(s): dsRecordsAll, Requested Attributes: dsAttrTypeStandard:GeneratedUID,dsAttrTypeNative:ftp_guestaccess,dsAttrTypeNative:smb_name,dsAttrTypeNative:sharepoint_account_uuid,dsAttrTypeNative:smb_createmask,dsAttrTypeNative:sharepoint_version,dsAttrTypeStandard:AppleMetaNodeLocation,dsAttrTypeNative:afp_guestaccess,dsAttrTypeNative:afp_shared,dsAttrTypeStandard:RecordType,dsAttrTypeNative:ftp_shared,dsAttrTypeNative:afp_name,dsAttrTypeNative:smb_oplocks,dsAttrTypeNative:afp_use_parent_owner,dsAttrTypeNative:smb_directorymask,dsAttrTypeStandard:RecordName,dsAttrTypeNative:afp_use_parent_privs,dsAttrTypeNative:smb_guestaccess,dsAttrTypeNative:smb_inherit_permissions,dsAttrTypeStandard:AppleMetaRecordName,dsAttrTypeNative:smb_shared,dsAttrTypeNative:directory_path,dsAttrTypeNative:smb_strictlocking,dsAttrTypeNative:sharepoint_group_id,dsAttrTypeNative:ftp_name, Max Results: 2147483647
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.5, Node: /Local/Default, Module: PlistFile - client is using an old record type 'dsRecTypeNative:config/SharePoints' should be using kODRecordTypeSharePoints
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.5, Node: /Local/Default, Module: PlistFile - client is using an old record type 'dsRecTypeNative:config/SharePoints' should be using kODRecordTypeSharePoints
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.5, Node: /Local/Default, Module: PlistFile - flushing record '/private/var/db/dslocal/nodes/Default/config/SharePoints'
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: Module: PlistFile - ___index_record_block_invoke_0: sqlite3_prepare_v2: 21
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: Module: PlistFile - ___index_record_block_invoke_0: sqlite3_prepare_v2: 21
Sep 18 07:44:23 localhost opendirectoryd[101]: 314.5, Node: /Local/Default, Module: PlistFile - ODQueryCreateWithNode completed
Sep 18 07:44:55 localhost OSIESpringboard[336]: Folder Manager is being asked to create a folder (docs) while running as uid 0
Sep 18 07:44:55 localhost OSIESpringboard[336]: Folder Manager is being asked to create a folder (docs) while running as uid 0

I don't even understand why does this macmini from 2012 still use some MBR / GPT hybrid abomination. This macmini 6,1 from late 2012 is an UEFI-compliant device, why does it still need to use MBR for Bootcamp? It should only use GPT table schemes.

If I run gdisk on Windows, I get this for the HDD:

gdisk32 0: -l
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.4


Partition table scan:
  MBR: hybrid
  BSD: not present
  APM: not present
  GPT: present


Found valid GPT with hybrid MBR; using GPT.
Disk 0:: 976773168 sectors, 465.8 GiB
Sector size (logical): 512 bytes
Disk identifier (GUID): B3B0C2C6-CFD7-4C7C-AF1E-80A726C84FB4
Partition table holds up to 128 entries
Main partition table begins at sector 2 and ends at sector 33
First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 976773134
Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries
Total free space is 262165 sectors (128.0 MiB)


Number  Start (sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
   1              40          409639   200.0 MiB   EF00  EFI System Partition
   2          409640       600868375   286.3 GiB   AF00  √
   3       600868376       602137911   619.9 MiB   AB00
   4       602137912       683542527   38.8 GiB    0700  DOS_FAT_32_Untitled_2
   5       683804672       976773119   139.7 GiB   0700  BOOTCAMP

and this for the SSD:

gdisk32 1: -l
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.4


Caution! After loading partitions, the CRC doesn't check out!
Warning! Main partition table CRC mismatch! Loaded backup partition table
instead of main partition table!


Warning! One or more CRCs don't match. You should repair the disk!
Main header: OK
Backup header: OK
Main partition table: ERROR
Backup partition table: OK


Partition table scan:
  MBR: MBR only
  BSD: not present
  APM: not present
  GPT: damaged


Found valid MBR and corrupt GPT. Which do you want to use? (Using the
GPT MAY permit recovery of GPT data.)
 1 - MBR
 2 - GPT
 3 - Create blank GPT


Your answer:

When I listed the SSD drive (the one on which Windows is installed) in the macOS terminal, it specifed that this disk has an FDisk partition scheme with one visible partition and a hidden recovery one (yes, apparently now Windows has a recovery partition too). I suppose this means the SSD has an MBR scheme.

I might have to eventually just back up all the data and reinstall all the systems on each physical disk. And stop installing any updates, because every OS update does nothing but break even more things on these systems that still use hybrid MBR, for some reason. Or just remove macOS and only use one bootable Windows system and remove any hybrid partition scheme.

Disk 1:: 468862128 sectors, 223.6 GiB
Sector size (logical): 512 bytes
Disk identifier (GUID): 224EA4FB-8275-40D7-93F5-A8C2DDB64B8D
Partition table holds up to 128 entries
Main partition table begins at sector 2 and ends at sector 33
First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 468862094
Partitions will be aligned on 2-sector boundaries
Total free space is 468599917 sectors (223.4 GiB)


Number  Start (sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
   1              34          262177   128.0 MiB   0C01  Microsoft reserved ...

High Sierra, on your model, either expects a single drive or a Fusion drive. You have neither. Since your SSD is formatted as a MBR disk, it does not need a Hybrid MBR.

Well, no offence, Loner T, but I took your advice you gave me some time ago, when I posted from another account (to which, in the meantime, I lost the password). I was having issues with the Bootcamp hybrid scheme and at some point you told me, in the long run, it would be better if I installed a secondary internal disk, in order to separate operating systems on different internal disks. You justified your advice based on this argument: OS X only supported up to 4 partitions on a hybrid scheme - OS X, Windows, Recovery and EFI. So if I wanted a 5th partition for data or if I deleted the Recovery partition (which I did, at some point), that would be a non-standard, unsupported configuration, which would be too fragile and liable to break at any update.

So I took that advice, bought an SSD, installed Windows on it and removed Windows from the internal hard disk. I was hoping that, by doing that, I would never again have issues with any future updates. I turned the former Windows partition on the HDD into a data storage and exchange partition. Which is why DOX right now has, oddly enough, a Bootcamp label in the partition scheme, when I run gdisk in the Windows Command Prompt (last quoted line):

gdisk32 0: -l
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.4


Partition table scan:
  MBR: hybrid
  BSD: not present
  APM: not present
  GPT: present


Found valid GPT with hybrid MBR; using GPT.
Disk 0:: 976773168 sectors, 465.8 GiB
Sector size (logical): 512 bytes
Disk identifier (GUID): B3B0C2C6-CFD7-4C7C-AF1E-80A726C84FB4
Partition table holds up to 128 entries
Main partition table begins at sector 2 and ends at sector 33
First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 976773134
Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries
Total free space is 262165 sectors (128.0 MiB)


Number  Start (sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
   1              40          409639   200.0 MiB   EF00  EFI System Partition
   2          409640       600868375   286.3 GiB   AF00  √
   3       600868376       602137911   619.9 MiB   AB00
   4       602137912       683542527   38.8 GiB    0700  DOS_FAT_32_Untitled_2
   5       683804672       976773119   139.7 GiB   0700  BOOTCAMP

Also, why would HSierra only support one internal physical drive, if macmini 6,1 shipped with 2 internal slots for storage drives and has 2 connectors for SATA drives on the motherboard? Why would Apple ship a unit on which 2 drives can be installed, but only support 1?

We should check the MBR on your 500GB disk, to see if the two MS Data partitions are mapped. Run diskutil list and for the 500GB disk (assuming it is shown as diskN), post the output of

sudo fdisk /dev/diskN

➜  ~  diskutil list
/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:     FDisk_partition_scheme                        *240.1 GB   disk0
   1:               Windows_NTFS SSD                     239.2 GB   disk0s1
   2:                       0x27                         900.7 MB   disk0s2

/dev/disk1 (internal, physical):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *500.1 GB   disk1
   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk1s1
   2:                  Apple_HFS HDD                     307.4 GB   disk1s2
   3:                 Apple_Boot                         650.0 MB   disk1s3
   4:       Microsoft Basic Data BOOT                    41.7 GB    disk1s4
   5:       Microsoft Basic Data DOX                     150.0 GB   disk1s5

➜  ~  sudo fdisk /dev/disk1
Password:
fdisk: /dev/disk1: Operation not permitted

-bash-3.2# csrutil status
-bash: csrutil: command not found
-bash-3.2# csrutil disable
-bash: csrutil: command not found
-bash-3.2#

Is this the only way to disable SIP? I'm posting this from Recovery mode.

You do not need to perform major surgery, but we should try and merge DOX and BOOTCAMP to be a single partition and ensure that you have a 4-partition layout instead of 5.

We can do this in two different ways

If you have a backup of macOS and DOX, we can erase the disk, and restore using the standard configuration - EFI, macOS, Recovery HD, DOX, or,

Yes, I want to simplify this disk. I already made an external backup of both the macOS system (on a Time machine partition) and of everything on the DOX partition. I've no problem with deleting them both, or the entire internal hard disk (but not the SSD). The other partition (BOOT) is empty anyway.

However, last time I tried to use Recovery mode to erase only the internal hard disk (not the SSD), Disk Utilities gave me an error and said I can only fix errors on the hard disk if I delete all partitions on all disks (including the SSD). This is not something that I would want, since it would involve reinstalling a great number of professional applications and re-applying licenses on the Windows partition.

OK, I created a disk image for Windows 10 and a system recovery CD.

Booted off the USB macOS install drive and erased the internal hard disk. Can I partition the drive in Disk Utilities now, before restoring from TM or is it a better option to create the DOX partition later? Not sure what difference does this make.

macOS system restored from TM.

DOX partition formatted as FAT32 and is now visible again under Windows 10.

Seems fine on macOS:

➜  ~  diskutil list
/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:     FDisk_partition_scheme                        *240.1 GB   disk0
   1:               Windows_NTFS SSD                     239.2 GB   disk0s1
   2:                       0x27                         900.7 MB   disk0s2


/dev/disk1 (internal, physical):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *500.1 GB   disk1
   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk1s1
   2:                  Apple_HFS HDD                     200.3 GB   disk1s2
   3:                 Apple_Boot                         650.0 MB   disk1s3
   4:       Microsoft Basic Data DOX                     298.9 GB   disk1s4

and Windows:

gdisk32 0: -l

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.4


Partition table scan:
  MBR: protective
  BSD: not present
  APM: not present
  GPT: present


Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT.
Disk 0:: 976773168 sectors, 465.8 GiB
Sector size (logical): 512 bytes
Disk identifier (GUID): B3B0C2C6-CFD7-4C7C-AF1E-80A726C84FB4
Partition table holds up to 128 entries
Main partition table begins at sector 2 and ends at sector 33
First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 976773134
Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries
Total free space is 263933 sectors (128.9 MiB)


Number  Start (sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
   1              40          409639   200.0 MiB   EF00  EFI System Partition
   2          409640       391530999   186.5 GiB   AF00  √
   3       391531000       392800535   619.9 MiB   AB00
   4       392802304       976510975   278.3 GiB   0700

The layout may still have some issue on the SSD, but maybe I can fix that next time I reinstall Windows:

gdisk32 1: -l
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.4


Caution! After loading partitions, the CRC doesn't check out!
Warning! Main partition table CRC mismatch! Loaded backup partition table
instead of main partition table!


Warning! One or more CRCs don't match. You should repair the disk!
Main header: OK
Backup header: OK
Main partition table: ERROR
Backup partition table: OK


Partition table scan:
  MBR: MBR only
  BSD: not present
  APM: not present
  GPT: damaged


Found valid MBR and corrupt GPT. Which do you want to use? (Using the
GPT MAY permit recovery of GPT data.)
 1 - MBR
 2 - GPT
 3 - Create blank GPT

I'm going to format DOX as NTFS, though, because keeping it formatted as FAT32 isn't very useful on the macOS side, since I could not even copy a 2GB+ file on it.

Disk Management in Windows also offers the option to format as ReFS. I think Microsoft disabled this option for all their systems except for Enterprise and Workstation (I use Enterprise). Apparently ReFS is quite good and has some advantages for data storage, but it's not bootable. Does Apple have any plans to support ReFS at some point?

So, the problem from the original post is solved. I managed to recover that disk space for documents on the Windows side, with your help. Thanks.

After trying so many things using the internal disks, an external USB installer was able to bypass all the logical issues on the internal hdd.

However, while I was restoring the system from TM, I noticed that the log reported Recovery mode (from the installer USB drive) couldn't restore the recovery partition from the TM external backup, saying it's not compatible with the machine. There still is a recovery partition on the disk, but not sure what could that mean. It could mean that the recovery partition had files which were older (I posted a screenshot earlier which put the native version of "OS X Utilities" from the old recovery partition at 1.0), so a new one was written instead. Or it could mean the installer allocated disk space for the partition, but maybe didn't restore any files there. I'll try restart in recovery mode again and check if the installer replaced it with a newer version.

Even if there's an issue with the internal disk recovery partition, I will probably still be able to just boot on the USB drive installer and use that instead.

Another issue that might still be there is the fact that the Bootcamp software on the Windows side hasn't been able to update itself for some time. It keeps popping and trying to install an update, but it doesn't really update anything. So, probably at some point in the future, when I decide to reinstall Windows, I will have to rebuild the Bootcamp partition starting from the macOS procedure.

This is fine, though, these aren't major issues and I might find the time to fix them all, at some point.

Yeah, everything is working fine. Booted in both systems and Recovery. The Recovery utilities version is the same, though, it hasn't been updated by reinstalling or updating High Sierra. When I was restoring the hard drive from the TM backup, the log indicated that the TM restoration process tried to update the Recovery partition but it failed, due to an incompatibility between the version found on the TM backup and this machine.

Another weird thing is that all systems report different available start-up/bootable partitions:

- Windows' Bootcamp Control Panel applet reports 3 bootable start-up partitions: HDD (with macOS HS), disk 1 (a Windows partition, no idea which one is this) and SSD (Windows 10). There used to be only 2 start-up disks before this changeover.

- the Recovery utilities report only one bootable start-up disk: SSD (Win10).

- macOS System Preferences report 2 start-up disks: HDD (macOS HS) and SSD (Windows 10) <-- which is how it used to be and the normal state of this layout.

Not sure what would cause the Windows Bootcamp applet to report that extra "disk 1" bootable partition. I formatted the DOX documents partition as ReFS, but ReFS volumes are not bootable and are not supported by Apple either (the ReFS partition is invisible in macOS, while the SSD partition which is NTFS is visible in read-only).

However, when I rebooted from W10 after picking macOS as a start-up disk and hit Cmd-R to enter Recovery, the only choice available for rebooting was W10. I didn't pick anything and just hit the button "Restart" and the "blessing" that was given by Bootcamp from Windows remained valid, so it continued to load macOS HS.

So maybe there are some records both in W10 and in the Recovery mode which are misaligned with what macOS sees as bootable partitions. It doesn't seem to have any negative effect on the systems, though, as long as the list also includes every valid choice. So, I guess only the Recovery mode omission of macOS could be a potential cause for concern, but this can still be bypassed with an external installer drive.

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier              {bootmgr}
device                  partition=D:
description             Windows Boot Manager
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {globalsettings}
default                 {current}
resumeobject            {86c39716-4cd0-11e8-93a5-8853952bd69c}
displayorder            {current}
                        {86ef0975-219f-11e7-9f98-86e442d82bda}
toolsdisplayorder       {memdiag}
timeout                 0


Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {current}
device                  partition=D:
path                    \WINDOWS\system32\winload.exe
description             Windows 10
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence        {bf58cdcd-4cd0-11e8-bdda-cee491fd3b0d}
displaymessageoverride  Recovery
recoveryenabled         Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                partition=D:
systemroot              \WINDOWS
resumeobject            {86c39716-4cd0-11e8-93a5-8853952bd69c}
nx                      OptIn
bootmenupolicy          Standard


Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {86ef0975-219f-11e7-9f98-86e442d82bda}
device                  unknown
path                    \WINDOWS\system32\winload.exe
description             Windows 10
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence        {ff1cf9e0-219f-11e7-9f98-86e442d82bda}
displaymessageoverride  Recovery
recoveryenabled         Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                unknown
systemroot              \WINDOWS
resumeobject            {b8352599-125c-11e8-8992-806e6f6e6963}
nx                      OptIn
bootmenupolicy          Standard

No, not anymore. It has been deleted. Microsoft now offers native support in their new Settings app to remove files from the previous installation.

This is not an issue for me, though, that dummy boot option doesn't do anything. Maybe it got copied or cached from the HDD to the SSD at some point, only as an entry for the boot menu.

DISKPART> list disk


  Disk ###  Status         Size     Free     Dyn  Gpt
  --------  -------------  -------  -------  ---  ---
  Disk 0    Online          465 GB   128 MB        *
  Disk 1    Online          223 GB      0 B


DISKPART> list volume


  Volume ###  Ltr  Label        Fs     Type        Size     Status     Info
  ----------  ---  -----------  -----  ----------  -------  ---------  --------
  Volume 0     C   DOX          ReFS   Partition    278 GB  Healthy
  Volume 1         EFI          FAT32  Partition    200 MB  Healthy    Hidden
  Volume 2     D   SSD          NTFS   Partition    222 GB  Healthy    System