Can newly available space from deleted partition be tacked onto existing partitions?

[Libertine Lush]

I had 3 partitions on my 1TB external HDD. I just deleted one, freeing up almost 500GB. Can that 500GB be joined with either of the 2 partitions I now have on the HDD?

It appears it won't allow me to do that, only allowing me to create again a new partition from that now empty space. So I'd have to Erase the entire HDD (the 2 existing partitions and the now empty one), and reallocate the space again if I wish to use all memory on the HDD but only have 2 partitions. Is that correct?

Thank you.

 

[Mal]

It can be joined with a contiguous partition, assuming that partition is formatted in HFS+ and you're running at least Leopard. In Disk Utility, from the Partition tab, drag the bottom-right corner of the partition that you want to expand (it has to be the one listed above it on that screen), and then click Apply. Just make sure it says no partitions will be erased and you should be fine.

jW

 

[brijazz]

If you want more advanced partitioning features (ie anything that Disk Utility can't do), check out iPartition. I've used it with good results on a couple of occasions:

http://www.coriolis-systems.com/iPartition.php

 

[Libertine Lush]

It can be joined with a contiguous partition, assuming that partition is formatted in HFS+ and you're running at least Leopard. In Disk Utility, from the Partition tab, drag the bottom-right corner of the partition that you want to expand (it has to be the one listed above it on that screen), and then click Apply.

I'm running Snow Leopard with the external HDD in HFS+, however, trying what you described, it wouldn't let me drag one partition into another.

This is how it looks in Disk Utility: the partition on top is the newly empty space of nearly 500GB. Below it is a partition I have no intention of modifying. And at the bottom is the partition I'd like to enlarge. My understanding of what you're saying is that I should be able to drag the top partition into the one below it, the one I don't wish to change, however it won't let me do even that. I can't drag the partitions to join with any other, above or below it--I tried all three.

If you want more advanced partitioning features (ie anything that Disk Utility can't do), check out iPartition. I've used it with good results on a couple of occasions:

http://www.coriolis-systems.com/iPartition.php

Would you happen to know what the limitations of the demo are or if there's a freeware app that can allow me to resize an existing partition with newly available free space?

Thank you again.

 

[Mal]

I'm running Snow Leopard with the external HDD in HFS+, however, trying what you described, it wouldn't let me drag one partition into another.

This is how it looks in Disk Utility: the partition on top is the newly empty space of nearly 500GB. Below it is a partition I have no intention of modifying. And at the bottom is the partition I'd like to enlarge. My understanding of what you're saying is that I should be able to drag the top partition into the one below it, the one I don't wish to change, however it won't let me do even that. I can't drag the partitions to join with any other, above or below it--I tried all three.

Nope. If the partition you deleted is the first one in the drive structure, you won't be able to reclaim that space and add it to another partition with Disk Utility. As I tried to make very clear, you can only expand a drive downwards into the disk structure, in the way that Disk Utility displays it. I don't know if iPartition would be able to help you, but expect it to take a while if it does, because it will have to move all of the files on the drive into other places.

jW

 

[Libertine Lush]

Nope. If the partition you deleted is the first one in the drive structure, you won't be able to reclaim that space and add it to another partition with Disk Utility.

Alright, thanks. I'll just start anew: Erase the whole external HDD.