Resolved Late iMac 2006 Partition

[dilap]

Recently I upgraded my RAM to 3gb on a late iMac 2006 2.0GHz, then installed lion on another partition in case anything went wrong. The process went fine, but when going to resize the partition it does not work. It shows as free space and there is no way to drag a corner to resize it. I have booted into recovery and have the same problem. I even tried to press the 1 partition button and then reinstall lion but I get 'can't unmount disk'. I have used terminal to do it but get 'disk already unmounted. I have also put OS X Recovery on a USB Stick and get the same as inbuilt recovery. My only over option would be to create a partition filling the gap (so I have one 50gb and one 110gb) install lion on that one and hope I can then delete the other one, or at least have double the space.

 

[Weaselboy]

Can you take a screenshot of what Disk Utility looks like so we can see?

Is the one you are trying to resize on the bottom? If it is, you won't be able to resize the lower one.

 

[dilap]

Can you take a screenshot of what Disk Utility looks like so we can see?

Is the one you are trying to resize on the bottom? If it is, you won't be able to resize the lower one.

Will attach a screenshot in a second. Yes it is on the bottom, why can't I?

I would like my full hard drive space of 160GB minus the space the operating system needs so about 150GB

 

[Weaselboy]

Will attach a screenshot in a second. Yes it is on the bottom, why can't I?

Look at this to see how partitions are resized. They are resized by that grabber at the lower left and by moving the bottom up and down. With the partition on the bottom, there is nowhere to move that grabber to resize.

Post up the screenshot and tell me what size you want where and I'll try and explain how to get there.

 

[dilap]

Look at this to see how partitions are resized. They are resized by that grabber at the lower left and by moving the bottom up and down. With the partition on the bottom, there is nowhere to move that grabber to resize.

Post up the screenshot and tell me what size you want where and I'll try and explain how to get there.

Put up a screenshot

 

[Weaselboy]

Put up a screenshot

If you go to the erase tab can you format that free space up top?

Do this from that recovery screen you are in.

Then once you get the top formatted (say call it Macintosh HD), go to the restore tab. Now drag the Lion partition into the source field and Macintosh HD into the destination then restore. That will clone the Lion volume to the new volume on top.

Now reboot and hold the option key at startup and select Macintosh HD to boot from. Make sure it works and all the data made the trip. If things look good, start Disk Util and you will then be able to remove the Lion volume and resize Macintosh HD however you want. Then add back whatever you want at the bottom.

 

[dilap]

If you go to the erase tab can you format that free space up top?

Do this from that recovery screen you are in.

Then once you get the top formatted (say call it Macintosh HD), go to the restore tab. Now drag the Lion partition into the source field and Macintosh HD into the destination then restore. That will clone the Lion volume to the new volume on top.

Now reboot and hold the option key at startup and select Macintosh HD to boot from. Make sure it works and all the data made the trip. If things look good, start Disk Util and you will then be able to remove the Lion volume and resize Macintosh HD however you want. Then add back whatever you want at the bottom.

Thanks! Trying. The instructions now and will let you know how it works!

EDIT: In disk utility, in says cannot unmount disk.... AGAIN!

 

[dilap]

If you go to the erase tab can you format that free space up top?

Do this from that recovery screen you are in.

Then once you get the top formatted (say call it Macintosh HD), go to the restore tab. Now drag the Lion partition into the source field and Macintosh HD into the destination then restore. That will clone the Lion volume to the new volume on top.

Now reboot and hold the option key at startup and select Macintosh HD to boot from. Make sure it works and all the data made the trip. If things look good, start Disk Util and you will then be able to remove the Lion volume and resize Macintosh HD however you want. Then add back whatever you want at the bottom.

Hi when I try it says can't unmount disk, no matter what drive.

 

[Weaselboy]

Hi when I try it says can't unmount disk, no matter what drive.

Okay... I've been messing around with this on a USB key here and I believe figured it out.

Go back to this screen and click the plus at the lower left and it will add a partition to the top and you can apply and that will format it. Then you can do the restore operation I described earlier to move Lion up top.

 

[dilap]

Okay... I've been messing around with this on a USB key here and I believe figured it out.

Go back to this screen and click the plus at the lower left and it will add a partition to the top and you can apply and that will format it. Then you can do the restore operation I described earlier to move Lion up top.

Unfortunately it is the same problem "can't unmount disk". Unless you ar not talking about disk title in recovery mode.

 

[Weaselboy]

Unfortunately it is the same problem "can't unmount disk". Unless you ar not talking about disk title in recovery mode.

Try it from recovery. I think the problem is it can't modify the partition tables while booted to that Lion volume. You may need to use this utility and 1GB or larger USB key to make a recovery key you can option boot from to get off that main disk so you can manipulate the partitions.

 

[dilap]

Try it from recovery. I think the problem is it can't modify the partition tables while booted to that Lion volume. You may need to use this utility and 1GB or larger USB key to make a recovery key you can option boot from to get off that main disk so you can manipulate the partitions.

Can't unmount disk appears in recovery mode not normal. I have tried the usb stick method

 

[dilap]

Try it from recovery. I think the problem is it can't modify the partition tables while booted to that Lion volume. You may need to use this utility and 1GB or larger USB key to make a recovery key you can option boot from to get off that main disk so you can manipulate the partitions.

any other ideas

 

[Weaselboy]

any other ideas

If you booted to a USB key and still can't do anything with that, I am kind of out of ideas short of just erasing the entire drive.

 

[dilap]

If you booted to a USB key and still can't do anything with that, I am kind of out of ideas short of just erasing the entire drive.

Thanks for your help. Exactly I can't do that without installing lion onto a usb using another Mac, booting up from that and then erasing the hard drive. Fingers crossed.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:
I'm referring to the image you posted in post #3 above.
Looks to me like there's a partition withOUT an OS on it "above" the "OS X Lion" partition, is this correct?

Can you disconnect the USB drive, and then BOOT FROM the OS X Lion partition as described above?

If so, here's what I would try.

First, if you don't already have it, download CarbonCopyCloner. It's FREE to download, and FREE to use for 30 days. Make sure you put it on the "OS X Lion" partition.

Next, boot from the OS X Lion partition as shown above.

Next, copy anything you wish to save from the "upper partition" to another drive.

Next, re-initialize the "upper" partition.

Next, use CCC to clone the contents of "OS X Lion" to the upper partition. When the clone is complete, rename the upper partition in the finder to something you will recognize at bootup.

Now, reboot with the option key held down to bring up the startup manager. Pick the newly-renamed partition that you just "cloned to".

Can the Mac now boot from the upper partition?

If so, open Disk Utility and examine things. If you now see TWO bootable partitions (upper and lower), ERASE the lower partition.

When this is finished, you will now have your bootable copy of Lion on the upper partition, and the lower one will be "erased and empty" -- i.e., no data.

Now, re-open Disk Utility and choose the partition tab.

Can you now re-size the upper partition?
Can you delete the lower partition?

This is only what I would try -- no promise of success.

If none of this works, time to back up the drive with CCC to another drive, then reboot from an external source, and nuke and rebuild the internal drive...

 

[dilap]

OP:
I'm referring to the image you posted in post #3 above.
Looks to me like there's a partition withOUT an OS on it "above" the "OS X Lion" partition, is this correct?

Can you disconnect the USB drive, and then BOOT FROM the OS X Lion partition as described above?

If so, here's what I would try.

First, if you don't already have it, download CarbonCopyCloner. It's FREE to download, and FREE to use for 30 days. Make sure you put it on the "OS X Lion" partition.

Next, boot from the OS X Lion partition as shown above.

Next, copy anything you wish to save from the "upper partition" to another drive.

Next, re-initialize the "upper" partition.

Next, use CCC to clone the contents of "OS X Lion" to the upper partition. When the clone is complete, rename the upper partition in the finder to something you will recognize at bootup.

Now, reboot with the option key held down to bring up the startup manager. Pick the newly-renamed partition that you just "cloned to".

Can the Mac now boot from the upper partition?

If so, open Disk Utility and examine things. If you now see TWO bootable partitions (upper and lower), ERASE the lower partition.

When this is finished, you will now have your bootable copy of Lion on the upper partition, and the lower one will be "erased and empty" -- i.e., no data.

Now, re-open Disk Utility and choose the partition tab.

Can you now re-size the upper partition?
Can you delete the lower partition?

This is only what I would try -- no promise of success.

If none of this works, time to back up the drive with CCC to another drive, then reboot from an external source, and nuke and rebuild the internal drive...

Thanks for the reply.there is a partition without an os on it. I can boot to OS X lion but can you explain some things? Like how to re-initialise and what the "upper partition" is?

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote above:
[[ I can boot to OS X lion but can you explain some things? Like how to re-initialise and what the "upper partition" is? ]]

When you are booted to the OS X Lion partition, what other drive icons do you see on your desktop?

Take a screenshot and post it.

 

[dilap]

OP wrote above:
[[ I can boot to OS X lion but can you explain some things? Like how to re-initialise and what the "upper partition" is? ]]

When you are booted to the OS X Lion partition, what other drive icons do you see on your desktop?

Take a screenshot and post it.

Hi, I managed to do the CCC thing. Now when I try to resize the top partition, it does it, and says "Partition Complete" but it remains the same and when I try to delete "OS X Lion", I get can't unmount disk. Please help!!

 

[dilap]

Anyone help! Please! Thanks

 

[dilap]

SUCCESS!!!! After fiddling with permissions for volumes, adding and then removing a partition, I have 159GB ( I had to sacrifice 700mb, or it wouldn't partition!!)