Resolved Resizing a data hdd

[MarkC426]

This has probably been asked multiple times, but my google searches come up with mixed results.

I have a secondary data drive (not system) partitioned into two 500gb partitions.
I need to make one 750, and the other 250.

Does the disk utility in el capitan resize without formatting, by just dragging the slider?

 

[owbp]

You can drag the slider to make your partition bigger or smaller, but you cannot move beginning of your partition. Since the second one, in your case, begins at 500gb you will need to delete it either way (I don't know which one you want to make 250 and which one 750).

 

[MarkC426]

I have one with 350gb of data, and another with about 20gb.
I had a try (but didnt apply) resizing the one with 20 to 250gb, which created an additional new 250gb.
Could I then extend the one with 350(500) to include the blank 250, making 750.

Am currently doing a backup in prep for it.

 

[chabig]

Try anything you want. If your action will result in data loss, Disk Utility will warn you and let you cancel.

 

[saulinpa]

This sometimes turns into a logic puzzle.

This is the quickest way that I know how to do it which is similar to what you described:
1 - Selecting the second partition and click + to add. This will divide it into two 250.
2 - Restore this new partition from the second partition.
3 - Delete the second partition - this will add its free space to the first partition.

 

[MarkC426]

This sometimes turns into a logic puzzle.

This is the quickest way that I know how to do it which is similar to what you described:
1 - Selecting the second partition and click + to add. This will divide it into two 250.
2 - Restore this new partition from the second partition.
3 - Delete the second partition - this will add its free space to the first partition.

Thanks Saulinpa, that is what I discovered.
Initially, I couldn't extend the 500gb, as you say because it is further down the chain (beyond the partition with data on).

I have never used the restore feature.
Does it matter that the data I am restoring is an OS, it's just I know with sd or ccc you have to make the clone bootable.
I use this drive for testing new versions of OSX, before committing.
If not it's no biggie, I can reinstall the bare bones OS.

 

[h9826790]

I did something similar some time ago by using the Gparted Linux Live CD. Very easy to use. Free, fast and reliable.

 

[saulinpa]

DU's Restore is fairly intelligent. There is nothing else to do to make it bootable. If it is a OS partition it also copies the hidden recovery partition.

 

[MarkC426]

This sometimes turns into a logic puzzle.

This is the quickest way that I know how to do it which is similar to what you described:
1 - Selecting the second partition and click + to add. This will divide it into two 250.
2 - Restore this new partition from the second partition.
3 - Delete the second partition - this will add its free space to the first partition.

This worked perfectly
Thanks a lot