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Created partition via disk utility, deleted it, now stuck with "Free Space" I cannot delete it, not even in recovery boot.

I have tried:


  • Dragging the main partition down (not draggable)
  • Clicking the minus (grayed out)
  • Adding another partition (doesn't make changes)
  • Trying to change the format (doesn't make changes)
  • Verifying disk permissions
  • Repairing disk permissions
  • Verifying the disk
  • Repairing the disk
  • Doing all of the above in recovery mode.


OSX: Yosemite GM 3.0


Early 2011 Macbook Pro, i5 2.3ghz, Intel HD 3000, 320GB Hitachi HDD


Any help?

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Nov 12, 2014 8:31 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Nov 12, 2014 8:49 PM

I'm pretty sure the problem may be because your disk was converted to a core storage volume when you upgraded to Yosemite. What you can do is revert the device back to a normal device so you can then use Disk Utility to modify it. This involves using the Terminal so there is always a risk of damage to the drive, so I would first backup your data to avoid loss.


Boot to your Recovery HD:


Boot Using Command+R keys:


1. Restart the computer.

2. Immediately after the chime press and hold down the

"COMMAND" and the "R" keys together.

3. Release the keys when the Utilities Menu appears.


When the Utilities Menu appears select Terminal from the Utilities menu in the screen's menubar. At the Terminal prompt enter the following:


diskutil list


Press RETURN. You will see a result that may look like the following:


/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *121.3 GB disk0

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 120.5 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

/dev/disk1

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *64.0 GB disk1

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk1s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage 63.2 GB disk1s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk1s3


Look for the entry for your startup volume - usually Macintosh HD. In the above that would be disk0s2. Next enter at the prompt:


diskutil cs revert /dev/disk0s2


Press RETURN.


Quit the Terminal. Select Restart from the Apple menu. Your disk should be returned to normal so you can now extend your OS X volume to take up the unallocated free space.

5 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Nov 12, 2014 8:49 PM in response to cproo

I'm pretty sure the problem may be because your disk was converted to a core storage volume when you upgraded to Yosemite. What you can do is revert the device back to a normal device so you can then use Disk Utility to modify it. This involves using the Terminal so there is always a risk of damage to the drive, so I would first backup your data to avoid loss.


Boot to your Recovery HD:


Boot Using Command+R keys:


1. Restart the computer.

2. Immediately after the chime press and hold down the

"COMMAND" and the "R" keys together.

3. Release the keys when the Utilities Menu appears.


When the Utilities Menu appears select Terminal from the Utilities menu in the screen's menubar. At the Terminal prompt enter the following:


diskutil list


Press RETURN. You will see a result that may look like the following:


/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *121.3 GB disk0

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 120.5 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

/dev/disk1

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *64.0 GB disk1

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk1s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage 63.2 GB disk1s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk1s3


Look for the entry for your startup volume - usually Macintosh HD. In the above that would be disk0s2. Next enter at the prompt:


diskutil cs revert /dev/disk0s2


Press RETURN.


Quit the Terminal. Select Restart from the Apple menu. Your disk should be returned to normal so you can now extend your OS X volume to take up the unallocated free space.

Nov 13, 2014 1:05 PM in response to Kappy

I have tried booting into recovery mode, but I don't have a utilities menu?


I guess I can just boot into single user mode and do it there? Should I also check the disk in SUM with fsck -y? (eh, I'll do it anyways, but without -y, it can't hurt me)


I have experience with mounting/dismounting volumes, because I once bricked my mac (like an idiot) and had to use single user mode (which I found out about from enabling the root user) to copy files from my mac to an external disk.


Thanks. I'll reboot now and see how it goes.

Nov 13, 2014 1:18 PM in response to cproo

I assume you meant you don't have a Recovery HD. If you do this you cannot do it will booted from the same volume. You need to do it while booted from a different volume which is why you needed to use the Recovery HD. But since you don't have one you cannot use single-user mode because it will require use of the same startup volume you would be trying to modify.

Created partition via disk utility, deleted it, now stuck with "Free Space" I cannot delete it, not even in recovery boot.

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