I edited my last post... Like I said, you may have a easier time resorting from that even if you have to go to each backup time. The route you are going is going to be very painful. Computers don't store files on a hard drive by name, so you are going to have to figure out what they are and rename them all.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Pleae help: Lion recovery erased my hd!!!!!
- Thread starter zjazz
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I edited my last post... Like I said, you may have a easier time resorting from that even if you have to go to each backup time. The route you are going is going to be very painful. Computers don't store files on a hard drive by name, so you are going to have to figure out what they are and rename them all.
i understand
...and will do it but at this point im just trying to be able to mount that missing 1tb so i can use it again....computer wouldn't see this partition so i can not move anything from time machine to it or to use that partition in any way. I already closed my eyes to the data i had there, but how i can mount that 1 tb back ?i understand
You will probably have to delete it and repartition and format it in order to use it. Do this after you try to get any files off you can or unless you decide to use the TM backup.
Yes, but there are utilities that can... Gparted can easily see it.
I just haven't tried booting a Mac with it.
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php
and, it will see it but label it as unknown. If he can see it then windows can remove it.
iPartition might be a solution. It should show all partitions on a device. You should still have a copy of what's on the drive, though, just in case...
Or there's this route:
I feel like I'm opening a can of worms here, but anyway: it can be done using diskutil in a command line (using Terminal). You should still have a copy of what's on the drive, though, just in case I would hate to see you lose the Time Machine partition accidentally.
If what I think happened, happened (the Recovery HD is using the entire 1TB partition), you can use diskutil to delete the "invisible" partition. You should now be able to create a new HFS+ journaled partition in the freespace using Disk Utility, but if the freespace isn't visible there, you can use diskutil.
You can read about using the diskutil command by opening Terminal and typing:
Code:
% [B]man diskutil[/B]For reference, Apple describes how to create a Recovery HD in a new partition (rather than erasing an existing one) in this KB article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4848
After recovering the partition space, if you still want the Recovery HD on the external, then resize the last partition by 1GB and create a new HFS+ journaled partition in the 1GB freespace.
Again, be advised that making changes to a partition table (using either Disk Utility or diskutil) could result in data loss - either by mistake, or if something goes awry during the process.
....... and once you moved them to the second partition (now wiped) they were no longer backup-ed by time machine
. If you can't recover that partition it will all depend on how far you can go back in Time Machine for individual files . Either way it won't be easy and as everyone has said you need to rethink your backup procedures.
I think people would be complaining about an 8GB restriction, but they did put a huge warning in red letters. Can't ask for much more than that.
From this Apple Doc, OS X Lion: About Lion Recovery Disk Assistant
When the Lion Recovery Disk Assistant completes, the new partition will not be visible in the Finder or Disk Utility. To access the external Recovery HD, connect the drive, then restart the computer and hold the Option key. Select Recovery HD from the Startup Manager.
After reading this thread I think I'll just use the USB stick I made myself following instructions posted at Ars. You had to do it before Lion went and deleted its own installer app.
But I won't be downloading this utility. At least not in its present form. I have no interest in making a recovery stick that is only readable by booting to it while holding option. Not good. I need to be able to pop it in, see in disk utility that it is a recovery partition and say "Oh yeah, I shouldn't mess with that." and put it aside and grab another usb stick. Anything that is supposed to be used for rescue should not also be invisible or hidden. Making it hidden is dumb. Very dumb.
And are you really trying to tell me Apple couldn't have included a check to see you are restoring to a huge disk with a lot of data on it and coming back and... I know Mac purists are going to hate me for this... I'm not even sure I should type it... but perhaps it should ask "Are you sure?" Of course all of us who have used Windows over the years are so jaded by being asked are you sure you want to turn the computer on? are you sure you want to turn the computer off? are you sure you want to copy the file? are you sure you want to delete the file? we would probably ignore it in much the same way the OP managed to ignore the red letters. Yikes!
But I won't be downloading this utility. At least not in its present form. I have no interest in making a recovery stick that is only readable by booting to it while holding option.
Not good. I need to be able to pop it in, see in disk utility that it is a recovery partition and say "Oh yeah, I shouldn't mess with that." and put it aside and grab another usb stick. Anything that is supposed to be used for rescue should not also be invisible or hidden. Making it hidden is dumb. Very dumb. And are you really trying to tell me Apple couldn't have included a check to see you are restoring to a huge disk with a lot of data on it and coming back and... I know Mac purists are going to hate me for this... I'm not even sure I should type it... but perhaps it should ask "Are you sure?"
Of course all of us who have used Windows over the years are so jaded by being asked are you sure you want to turn the computer on? are you sure you want to turn the computer off? are you sure you want to copy the file? are you sure you want to delete the file? we would probably ignore it in much the same way the OP managed to ignore the red letters. Yikes!I will post this in big, bold letters so you can hopefully understand it...
YOU DON'T HAVE A BACKUP OF ALL YOUR FILES!
If you copy files from your computer to a single external drive and then delete them to free up space on your machine, you only have 1 copy of the file.
The only way you would have a backup of those files is if they exist in at least 2 locations at the same time. So you would either need to keep them on your computer or put them on a 2nd external drive.
No offense, but you write like you're about 14 years old, so I would imagine you will just have to re-pirate all your lost files and you'll be good to go!
YOU DON'T HAVE A BACKUP OF ALL YOUR FILES!
If you copy files from your computer to a single external drive and then delete them to free up space on your machine, you only have 1 copy of the file.
The only way you would have a backup of those files is if they exist in at least 2 locations at the same time. So you would either need to keep them on your computer or put them on a 2nd external drive.
No offense, but you write like you're about 14 years old, so I would imagine you will just have to re-pirate all your lost files and you'll be good to go!
I will post this in big, bold letters so you can hopefully understand it...
YOU DON'T HAVE A BACKUP OF ALL YOUR FILES!
If you copy files from your computer to a single external drive and then delete them to free up space on your machine, you only have 1 copy of the file.
The only way you would have a backup of those files is if they exist in at least 2 locations at the same time. So you would either need to keep them on your computer or put them on a 2nd external drive.
No offense, but you write like you're about 14 years old, so I would imagine you will just have to re-pirate all your lost files and you'll be good to go!
And I will write back to you, with the same attitude
I DO HAVE A BACKUP
I have everything doubled in my time machine as well. So yes they are in TWO different locations. So instead of having them in three locations my computer, time machine and separate partition, I have (had) in two places...time machine and separate partition...
And your joke is not appreciated about 14 year old and re-pirating the files. I will just answer to you that I hope you will not have the same frustrating situation I have right now....
....... and once you moved them to the second partition (now wiped) they were no longer backup-ed by time machine
Either way it won't be easy and as everyone has said you need to rethink your backup procedures.
Yeah this is the part I don't get. Was your Time Machine backing up both your computer and your manually backed up partition that you dumped files onto? I don't know if this is even possible, but I ask because if it wasn't then I don't see how you say you have a backup.
Once you delete the file off your computer and do a TM backup that file will not exsist on that backup file. Yes it will still exsist on an older backup file, but that backup will keep getting older and older until it's deleted and no longer a backup.
Am I thinking about this correctly?
Also, it's not good to have your files and the time machine backup on the same external drive. If the drive suffers a mechanical failure you lose both.
stevenlangley1
Yes you right, Time Machine was not backing up two drives, it was backing up only my comp HD. Before I erased anything from my comp I ran time machine all the time, so I know all files are there. And you right that file getting older and older and then it's deleted from tm backup...i will think a new strategy to backup so....
another question. I downloaded free version of ipartition, and actually it shows three partitions now, it recognizes my tm, then it recognizes 619mb apple boot partition, and it shows 930gb free space. I'm trying to make a new partition to that 930gb space so i can use it again but for some reason ipartition won't execute anything. is it because it's a free demo version?
Yes you right, Time Machine was not backing up two drives, it was backing up only my comp HD. Before I erased anything from my comp I ran time machine all the time, so I know all files are there. And you right that file getting older and older and then it's deleted from tm backup...i will think a new strategy to backup so....
another question. I downloaded free version of ipartition, and actually it shows three partitions now, it recognizes my tm, then it recognizes 619mb apple boot partition, and it shows 930gb free space. I'm trying to make a new partition to that 930gb space so i can use it again but for some reason ipartition won't execute anything. is it because it's a free demo version?
But I won't be downloading this utility. At least not in its present form. I have no interest in making a recovery stick that is only readable by booting to it while holding option.
Whether it's hidden or not, it's a DMG of a complete partition, and when you restore it to any partition, it will erase what's in it. That's why Apple published the KB with instructions on how to add a new 1GB partition. Unfortunately, there is no further warning after the splash screen. I would guess that's at least one reason for publishing the KB article I linked to earlier.
Interestingly enough, it only seems to work with the USB interface - none of my FW partitions were available. I guess they're making the assumption the user will be installing Recovery HD on a USB stick.
I took an 8GB stick and created two partitions - the second one I specified as 1GB. That turned out to be ~660MB, but sufficient to perform the install. Once completed, the 1GB partition was indeed hidden. I could verify its existence as a 650MB Apple_Boot type partition using the diskutil list command. I still have a 7GB partition available that mounts normally in the Finder - its contents untouched.
thanks everybody for your help.
i downloaded ipartition free version, and finally i can see the free space that disc utility wont recognize. I want to make that free space a partition, but ipartition won't do anything. looks like it does, and then won't execute it. my guess is because it's a demo version? am i right?
i downloaded ipartition free version, and finally i can see the free space that disc utility wont recognize. I want to make that free space a partition, but ipartition won't do anything. looks like it does, and then won't execute it. my guess is because it's a demo version? am i right?
You have got to be joking!!!
Partitioning a drive and using it as "multiple backups" does not actually give you more than 1 copy of the file. If you screw up something with the drive or it fails, your files are gone.
If you keep important and/or irreplaceable files on a single hard drive, as you did, you DO NOT HAVE A BACKUP!
People with actual backups don't end up in your situation.
Calm down ..... No need to argue about "Backups". LOL
But I do agree that having Time Machine run on another partition from the same HD defeats the purpose.
But I do agree that having Time Machine run on another partition from the same HD defeats the purpose.
Just trying to educate the OP or anyone that might not know.
What if I partition my MBP's hard drive and use half of it for Time Machine, do I now have a backup? Of course not!
What if I copy all my pictures to an external and then delete them from my MBP, leaving me with only 1 copy of the files, do I have a backup? Obviously not.
But wait, I partitioned the external and have everything on a Time Machine partition as well. That doesn't mean I have 2 backups because the files still reside on a single hard drive.
Why not make 50 partitions and have 50 backups? Because if the files are on a single drive, it only takes a single failure to lose them.
Hence, not a backup.
I believe that's correct.
Is it freespace, or is it the entire missing 1TB partition with the Recovery HD in it? "freespace" in this context, is space that is not partitioned; as opposed to a partition that has available space.
iPartition should show the partition type as "Apple_Boot" if it's the Recovery HD.