Cannot change Hard Drive to GUID

Octavia · 03:12 PM

I am trying to install the Snow Leopard upgrade on my MacBook (Mac OS 10.5 Leopard), and I can't seem to do it because it tells me to change my partition scheme table to GUID. I went into disk utilities and clicked on the "partition" tab, but I can't click on the "options" button. I cannot erase my hard disk either. What could be the problem?

Just in case this is important: I changed my 160GB original HD to one of those WD passport HDs. So now my internal HD is the 500GB WD passport HD.

Help Please! I already backed up my HD onto an external HD using Time Machine, but I cannot erase my internal (WD) HD!

Peace · Oct 4, 2009, 03:05 PM

If you could supply a screenshot of your disk utility open with the HD showing it would help.

tomekinc · Oct 17, 2009, 01:00 PM

I am having this exact same problem. I upgraded to the Seagate 500 GB HD and tried doing some upgrades today to find out my partition scheme is the Apple Partition and not GUID.

I cannot erase or partition, the buttons are greyed out and simply cannot be done. I tried booting from the CD but I cannot because it is the Apple partition sheme.

This is like a catch 22, how do I erase this and reinstall to GUID?

misterredman · Oct 18, 2009, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomekinc

I am having this exact same problem. I upgraded to the Seagate 500 GB HD and tried doing some upgrades today to find out my partition scheme is the Apple Partition and not GUID.

I cannot erase or partition, the buttons are greyed out and simply cannot be done. I tried booting from the CD but I cannot because it is the Apple partition sheme.

This is like a catch 22, how do I erase this and reinstall to GUID?

What cd did you try to boot from? You should be able to boot from the CD no matter what the partition scheme of the HD is.

sys0p · Oct 19, 2009, 09:24 AM

erase all partitions (second next to first aid) on the Harddrive level in diskutility

then recreate a new one should allow you to set the optiones you want

quidoh · Oct 24, 2009, 10:36 AM

I had exactly the same problem. If you have a TimeMachine backup this is what works to change to GUID partition without losing anything.

1. Boot from the Snow Leopard Install DVD by holding the C key while booting
2. Instead of installing Snow Leopard, choose Utilities > Disk Utility from the menu and choose tab Partition.
3. Set 1 or more partitions and choose GUID. This wil erase everything and create new partition(s). You will get everything back later from your Time Machine backup.
4. Now Install Snow Leopard
5. After installing you get to a screen that says "Do You Already Own a Mac?". Choose the option to transfer information from a Time Machine backup (make sure the HD that contains the TM backup is connected). Choose the TM backup and presto, your original files and settings will be put back.

pcs are junk · Oct 24, 2009, 11:12 PM

u cant just go to the partition tab, theres more to it. click on the thing that has selections, like when u click it a list comes up, ok so its called Volume Scheme, the default one should be current, click on that, then if u are just partitioning it for 1 os, or if u are adding snow leopard to another half of ur drive, for upgrading click 1 partition, for both leopard and sl, click 2 partition, then click options, then click the guid thing, then you should be all set.

gr8tfly · Oct 24, 2009, 11:18 PM

As pcs are junk said -

The "Options..." button will be grayed out unless you change the Volume Scheme from Current to a specific number of partitions (probably 1).

Oct 4, 2009, 03:03 PM	#1
Octavia macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2009	Cannot change Hard Drive to GUID I am trying to install the Snow Leopard upgrade on my MacBook (Mac OS 10.5 Leopard), and I can't seem to do it because it tells me to change my partition scheme table to GUID. I went into disk utilities and clicked on the "partition" tab, but I can't click on the "options" button. I cannot erase my hard disk either. What could be the problem? Just in case this is important: I changed my 160GB original HD to one of those WD passport HDs. So now my internal HD is the 500GB WD passport HD. Help Please! I already backed up my HD onto an external HD using Time Machine, but I cannot erase my internal (WD) HD! Last edited by Octavia : Oct 4, 2009 at 03:12 PM.

Oct 24, 2009, 11:18 PM	#8
gr8tfly macrumors 68040 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 119W 34N	As pcs are junk said - The "Options..." button will be grayed out unless you change the Volume Scheme from Current to a specific number of partitions (probably 1). __________________ Macs from 1984 to 17" UB MBP, from Newton to iPhone 3G S⃣ , iPods, and tv.

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Oct 4, 2009, 03:05 PM	#2
Peace macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: On The Home Screen	If you could supply a screenshot of your disk utility open with the HD showing it would help.

Oct 17, 2009, 01:00 PM	#3
tomekinc macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2007	I am having this exact same problem. I upgraded to the Seagate 500 GB HD and tried doing some upgrades today to find out my partition scheme is the Apple Partition and not GUID. I cannot erase or partition, the buttons are greyed out and simply cannot be done. I tried booting from the CD but I cannot because it is the Apple partition sheme. This is like a catch 22, how do I erase this and reinstall to GUID?

Oct 19, 2009, 09:24 AM	#5
sys0p macrumors member Join Date: Feb 2007	erase all partitions (second next to first aid) on the Harddrive level in diskutility then recreate a new one should allow you to set the optiones you want

Oct 24, 2009, 10:36 AM	#6
quidoh macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2009	I had exactly the same problem. If you have a TimeMachine backup this is what works to change to GUID partition without losing anything. 1. Boot from the Snow Leopard Install DVD by holding the C key while booting 2. Instead of installing Snow Leopard, choose Utilities > Disk Utility from the menu and choose tab Partition. 3. Set 1 or more partitions and choose GUID. This wil erase everything and create new partition(s). You will get everything back later from your Time Machine backup. 4. Now Install Snow Leopard 5. After installing you get to a screen that says "Do You Already Own a Mac?". Choose the option to transfer information from a Time Machine backup (make sure the HD that contains the TM backup is connected). Choose the TM backup and presto, your original files and settings will be put back.

Oct 24, 2009, 11:12 PM	#7
pcs are junk macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2009	u cant just go to the partition tab, theres more to it. click on the thing that has selections, like when u click it a list comes up, ok so its called Volume Scheme, the default one should be current, click on that, then if u are just partitioning it for 1 os, or if u are adding snow leopard to another half of ur drive, for upgrading click 1 partition, for both leopard and sl, click 2 partition, then click options, then click the guid thing, then you should be all set.