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I am running an early 2008 Macintosh running OS X El Capitan. I tried to make a new partition to run Windows 7 off of, but I gave up. Now I can't remove it. I erased the partition in Disk Utility and then went into the thingy above it but the minus arrow isn't letting me click it.
iMac, OS X 10.11
Do you have or know how to create a backup? You will need a spare drive on which to save the backup. You only need to backup your files - that is your entire Home folder - Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Library, Movies, Music, Pictures.
Once you have completed making a backup the remainder is pretty easy:
Install El Capitan or Later from Scratch
If possible, back up your files.
When the above is finished and you have re-booted the computer, and if all seems OK, you can restore your files by copying them from the backup to the corresponding folders on the computer.
Do you have or know how to create a backup? You will need a spare drive on which to save the backup. You only need to backup your files - that is your entire Home folder - Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Library, Movies, Music, Pictures.
Once you have completed making a backup the remainder is pretty easy:
Install El Capitan or Later from Scratch
If possible, back up your files.
When the above is finished and you have re-booted the computer, and if all seems OK, you can restore your files by copying them from the backup to the corresponding folders on the computer.
Yes, the format type does matter. If you are formatting an SSD use APFS. If you are formatting a HDD, then use Mac OS Extended, journaled. Both use GUID as the partition scheme.
The backup can be whatever you prefer. If you already have a Time Machine backup then use it. See How to use Time Machine to back up or restore your Macs. The Time Machine backup drive must be formatted using Mac OS Extended, Journaled. Even if it is an SSD.
Did you use Boot Camp to create the partition? If so, then using Disk Utility to try removing it has altered the boot loader information rendering the partition unremovable. You need to backup your data then reformat the drive as a new single volume as it was before you tried partitioning it. Then reinstall macOS and restore your files. If you want a Windows partition you should use Boot Camp Assistant in the Utilities' folder. Don't allocate so much space to the Windows volume. Be sure to leave enough free space for macOS - 20GBs or 10% of the disk's capacity, whichever is greater.
I used Disk Utility to make the partition and now I can't remove it. Can you give me some detailed instructions on how to do what you just said? Thanks for the speedy reply.
Thank you so much for this!!!! Does it matter what format I use? And can the backup be with time machine instead of just coping the files?
Format the drive as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) with Option GUID. Time Machine can be used as the backup method.
I cannot remove a partition from my Mac
