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Playdoe · May 18, 2005, 04:27 AM

I've got and external HD that I've partition previously.
(3) 10 GB and (1) 80 GB. Using Disk Utility, can I partition
the (1) 80 GB without erasing the other (3)?

Thanks.

Randman · May 18, 2005, 04:29 AM

Why do you have partitions at all? Just wondering.

Playdoe · May 18, 2005, 04:34 AM

Originally Posted by Randman

Why do you have partitions at all? Just wondering.

I still use OS9 on occasion.
I back-up Panther HD to a partition on my external HD.

Randman · May 18, 2005, 10:31 AM

Sorry, can't help with your original answer since I don't partition.

Mr. Blur · May 18, 2005, 10:40 AM

I would venture a guess that if you searched the forum using the word "partition" you'd find countless threads about how to do non-destructive partitioning and what tools are available to do it.

jmiddel · May 18, 2005, 08:36 PM

No. DU will erase the entire disk.

Starry Night · May 19, 2005, 09:01 PM

The May 2005 MacWorld mentions iPartition by Coriolis Systems (www.coriolis-systems.com) as a way to partition without erasing, costs $45..........

jmiddel · May 19, 2005, 11:41 PM

Backup before using any partition on the fly app. Backup!!!!!

CharlesS · May 20, 2005, 12:33 AM

^ Agreed.

A safe, non-destructive repartition is somewhat of an oxymoron.

bowwowman · May 20, 2005, 08:28 AM

Agreed........

Do it the RIGHT way.........

back-up all important files, then erase/reformat/restore!

bbales · May 20, 2005, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by jmiddel

Backup before using any partition on the fly app. Backup!!!!!

I have an 80 GB external drive that I wiped last year and partitioned into 3 parts (2 were for ease of doing backups of my existing 20 GB internal drive). Well, now I've replaced the internal and I'd like to have that drive be just an 80 GB drive again. So I've looked at that ipartiion software -- but since I know I'll have to back everything up to be safe, I keep wondering if it would be worth the money. Might just as well backup, and then transfer back into the new expanded quarters.

Oh well... I might give it a try anyway.

CharlesS · May 20, 2005, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by bbales

I have an 80 GB external drive that I wiped last year and partitioned into 3 parts (2 were for ease of doing backups of my existing 20 GB internal drive). Well, now I've replaced the internal and I'd like to have that drive be just an 80 GB drive again. So I've looked at that ipartiion software -- but since I know I'll have to back everything up to be safe, I keep wondering if it would be worth the money. Might just as well backup, and then transfer back into the new expanded quarters.

This is absolutely correct.

You can try to repartition your drive without backing up your data, but if something goes wrong you will be screwed, because non-destructive partitioning is not completely safe. Therefore, there's little point in doing this. Just back up, reformat, and restore.

OreoCookie · May 20, 2005, 03:32 PM

Always back up before partitioning.

romeosc · May 20, 2005, 06:10 PM

Yeah, but back up is not as slow as a complete clone! I keep 3 partitions on a 250 GB Firewire external- 2 small ones for incremental clones of PB drive. Only the latest really needs to be backed up. (and that one is not truley necessary since if partition error occurs, I can clone PB again!

But better safe than sorry!