Resize Time Machine Partition

[stadidas]

Hi all,

I have a 500GB external hard drive which is partitioned for Time Machine and a seperate data area. I have bought another drive for extra storage space, and would like to re-partition my 500GB drive so that Time Machine has the whole drive. So basically I need to delete the data partition and resize the Time Machine partition to use the whole drive. I did look at iPartition but apparently it doesn't work with Leopard.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[JNB]

I may be wrong, but IIRC your external is formatted with a GUID Partition Table, Leopard should be able to resize it on the fly. I'm away from my external right now so I can't verify that, but I'm sure some will chime in to verify or correct me.

 

[stadidas]

Disk Utility doesn't seem to let me change the partition sizes. It only allows me to reformat by the looks of things.

 

[JNB]

Is this how you're trying to do it?

 

[stadidas]

Yes, that's how I'm doing it. However, the map scheme is Master Boot Record.
As it looks like I can't resize the partition, if I copy the Time Machine folder to somewhere else, re-format the drive, set it as the time machine drive, and copy the time machine folder back, will this work?

 

[JNB]

Yes, that's how I'm doing it. However, the map scheme is Master Boot Record.
As it looks like I can't resize the partition, if I copy the Time Machine folder to somewhere else, re-format the drive, set it as the time machine drive, and copy the time machine folder back, will this work?

I'll be honest, I have no idea if that would work. In fact, a number of forum members have claimed that a full restore via TM doesn't work as expected. I also am unaware of how TM manages itself where a copy of the files back & forth is concerned.

 

[theman]

I'm having the same issue, i want to create a new partition on my TM drive, but disk utility will not allow me to resize it by dragging the box... this really sucks that i have 300gb of wasted space....

 

[dels7080]

Has anyone figured this out.

I too have the same problem. External drive of 500GB - TM on partition 1 for 320GB and data partition on partition 2 for 180GB. I deleted partition 2, but cannot resize TM partition 1 (all options are grayed out). Has anyone found a solution to resizing the partition 1 for Time Machine?

 

[sickmacdoc]

Yes, that's how I'm doing it. However, the map scheme is Master Boot Record.
As it looks like I can't resize the partition, if I copy the Time Machine folder to somewhere else, re-format the drive, set it as the time machine drive, and copy the time machine folder back, will this work?

Simply put, Disk Utility cannot resize partitions with a PC's MBR partition map scheme without formatting the entire drive.

Non-destructive partition resizing can only be accomplished using disks that have an Apple partition map scheme- either GUID for Intel based Macs or APM for PowerPC based Macs.

In the first example pic, you will see that if the partition table type is correct, there will be resizing handles on each of the multiple partitions. One limitation of this is that if you wanted to enlarge Partition 1 you would first need to delete Partition 2 (with the "-" just below the map) to free up space (grey block) as shown in the second pic. Similarly, if you wanted to enlarge Partition 2, Partition 3 would have to be deleted, so in truth if you are enlarging partitions, it is only partially non-destructive.

 

[hohohong]

Can you back up from TM to a new Mac?

Say if I sold my old and buy a new mac, can i back up my old mac stuff into the new old using TM?

 

[MWPULSE]

Say if I sold my old and buy a new mac, can i back up my old mac stuff into the new old using TM?

Yup.. You can do a straight copy if i remember correctly. Or you can use Migration Assistant-selecting Time Machine backup

you might wanna be careful of permissions n whatnot, cos i really screwed my mac up, not being able to write to the apps folder n such!

 

[dacreativeguy]

Say if I sold my old and buy a new mac, can i back up my old mac stuff into the new old using TM?

Yes. Just use Migration assistant either during the OS install or from the utilities menu after.

FYI: There is no need to create partitions on a time machine backup drive. Time Machine just creates a folder to save all of your backups. You can copy anything else you want into the same partition where TM lives and it works fine. TM just uses as much space as the disk has left.

If you want to move a time machine archive to another disk, I think SuperDuper will work. I think they have a special setting to clone TM disks which preserves all the info that links it to your computer.

 

[hohohong]

Yes. Just use Migration assistant either during the OS install or from the utilities menu after.

FYI: There is no need to create partitions on a time machine backup drive. Time Machine just creates a folder to save all of your backups. You can copy anything else you want into the same partition where TM lives and it works fine. TM just uses as much space as the disk has left.

If you want to move a time machine archive to another disk, I think SuperDuper will work. I think they have a special setting to clone TM disks which preserves all the info that links it to your computer.

So, if I plug in an ext HD, my Mac will ask me if I wanna format the HD. Should I click yes?

And I can still add other files into that HD where TM is located? No need to partition? But I have one of those WD HD which have some software preinstall in the HD, those will be gone after I format right?

What if I have 2 mac? Then I will need to partition to have 2 TM in the same HD right?

 

[MWPULSE]

So, if I plug in an ext HD, my Mac will ask me if I wanna format the HD. Should I click yes?

And I can still add other files into that HD where TM is located? No need to partition? But I have one of those WD HD which have some software preinstall in the HD, those will be gone after I format right?

What if I have 2 mac? Then I will need to partition to have 2 TM in the same HD right?

if you want to use the software from the ext HD you can install it in the Apps folder. But seeing as you have time machine it would be a bit silly to use the WD backup software you would need to partition the drive into 2 bits to put the TM on the same HD yes..

hope that helps

PTP

 

[JHBrewer]

Simply put, Disk Utility cannot resize partitions with a PC's MBR partition map scheme without formatting the entire drive.

Non-destructive partition resizing can only be accomplished using disks that have an Apple partition map scheme- either GUID for Intel based Macs or APM for PowerPC based Macs.

<snip>

Gosh, what a great stroke of genius by Apple! "Do it our way or we'll wipe your disk!" A maneuver worthy of the Dark Lord himself! I'm sure they will never compromise this wonderful "feature" by providing a more industry-compatible repartitioning tool; that would encourage vict... er, clients... to believe that other options are not heretical.