Cannot format linux partiton

A

arturodiaz148

Registered
Hi im new in this forum, I changed because in apple forums they did not answered my questions:mad:, but its ok.

I installed ubuntu linux in my macbook. It worked fine and everything. OS X worked fine too. But then I required more space for OS X so I decided to format the drive so it became OS X only. I could not. I tried disk utility and it told i could not. After that I tried to format the whole drive. My information is already backed up so I wont have any problem with formatting the whole drive, but I cant, I have used disk utility and it did not allowed me to do this. I booted from my leopard installation disc and tried the disk utility and it could not erase it becuase "the hard drive is using resource" something like that. Is there a way I could format the whole drive so it is just like new??? I think I have played too much with my partitions.

The system is a Core 2 duo Macbook, 2gb kingston ram, 120gb hard drive. OS X 10.4.10, ubuntu feisty 7.04

Partiton table
Mac OS Plus with registry(system)----96GB
Linux ext3(ubuntu 7.04)---------------13GB
Linux swap---------------------------------2GB

Thank you
 
If you boot from the Mac OS X installation CD, once you reach the Welcome screen for the installation you can go to the menu and launch Disk Utility. Once Disk Utility comes up, you can select the hard drive at the top of the hierarchy (in other words, the drive itself but not the partitions listed underneath) and have it erase the disk.

This is how I have done it before when I needed to do a fresh installation of OS X on my iMac G5's hard drive.
 
You may have to remove all the partitions first, so - -
Try this:
When you are booted to your restore disk, and have Disk Utility open - click on the drive (as nixgeek said, choose the drive and not one of the partition lines.), then choose the Partition tab. Click Partition scheme, and change to anything else from Current. Format should be MacOS Extended (journaled), and then click the Partition button. If you chose to create 1 partition, then you should be OK in a few seconds. When that is complete, quit the Disk Utility and continue with the install.
 
wow, thats a quick response, thank you. but I already have tried both of your solutions, but the utility disk doesnt let me. The partition cannot be moved. It says that the hard drive resources are busy and when trying to format the linux partiton it tells me that I dont have enough priviledges
 
Seems really unlikely that you are booted to your restore DVD. The response that you mention should only be found while booted to the hard drive. And the Repair Disk button would also be greyed out (not available for you)
If you are booted to the OS X restore DVD, and have Disk Utility running, can you select the hard drive line (different from the partitions that you may have) which shows the drive model number and size?
Can you click on the partition tab?
Can you then choose to change the Volume Scheme (change it to anything other than Current), and press the Partition button?

If this doesn't work for you, can you go to the First Aid tab, and click Repair Disk? Again, Make sure to have the device selected. Come back with what happens...
 
It's possible that the OS X Disk Utility doesn't know what to do with your ext3 partition, so...
You may have to remove that ext3 partition while booted to your Ubuntu installer disk....
I can't help you with how to do that.

In your first post, you said that you are using a Leopard install disk.
There's no way to know what the response is to an unusual format disk with the un-released stuff that is on that disk, and there may be bugs with other types of disk formats....

You should use the original restore DVD that came with your MacBook.
 
yes I will be trying my original restore disk. I was out of home so I did not have them available. Thank you, about ubuntu, I already tried that too. I format from the live CD but it said the same: there is not enough permits. Maybe I will have to make a manual format... Ill take out my magnets!!! xD, just kidding
 
I wouldn't use the Leopard installation disc since it's still beta software and might cause more harm than good. As advised, use the original OS X discs that came with your MacBook to boot up and then launch Disk Utility from the menu. Do not continue the installation process.....just once you see the Welcome screen for the installation, go to the top menu and launch Disk Utility. Once DU launches, then you should be able to wipe out partitions and even the whole drive if necessary. This is how I have done it before.
 
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