How to Delete Hidden Partitions on MBP HDD...

[neowillendit]

Wut up Mac Peeps, pretty advanced Mac user and I just can't figure out how to delete the hidden partitions that Windows 7 creates. I've installed Windows 7 twice on this HDD with Leopard v.10.5.8 on it and now I have 2 small partitions at 200MB each. This means 4 partitions (1 for Leopard, 1 for Windows 7, and 2 hidden partitions). They don't show up in Disk Utility and I tried removing the entire BootCamp partition, then re-installing Leopard just so that I could configure the HDD to "One Single Partition" with Disk Utility on the Leopard Disc while re-installing and THAT didn't work for the hidden partitions either......couldn't believe it...

I'm hoping I don't have to use a Windows DOS Boot Disc to format or something...not sure if they work on MBPs but I would try...I could also use Seagate HDD Tools but I'm trying to keep this simple...**(hopes Apple thought of this)**

Please help friends...

 

[neowillendit]

Wut up Mac Peeps, pretty advanced Mac user and I just can't figure out how to delete the hidden partitions that Windows 7 creates. I've installed Windows 7 twice on this HDD with Leopard v.10.5.8 on it and now I have 2 small partitions at 200MB each. This means 4 partitions (1 for Leopard, 1 for Windows 7, and 2 hidden partitions). They don't show up in Disk Utility and I tried removing the entire BootCamp partition, then re-installing Leopard just so that I could configure the HDD to "One Single Partition" with Disk Utility on the Leopard Disc while re-installing and THAT didn't work for the hidden partitions either......couldn't believe it...

I'm hoping I don't have to use a Windows DOS Boot Disc to format or something...not sure if they work on MBPs but I would try...I could also use Seagate HDD Tools but I'm trying to keep this simple...**(hopes Apple thought of this)**

Please help friends...

Come on guys, I know someone knows this...


EDIT: I should add that I know where the 200MB partitions came from and what they are used for...problem is that when I attempt to re-install Windows 7 RTM, it won't allow me to delete the older 200MB partitions.

Thank you friends...

 

[rockstarjoe]

Do you mean the 200 MB EFI Partition that is created when the disk is formatted as a GUID partition table? You have more than one?

 

[neowillendit]

Do you mean the 200 MB EFI Partition that is created when the disk is formatted as a GUID partition table? You have more than one?

Yes, right now I have two of them because I've installed Windows 7 on my MacBook Pro twice now...apparently the Windows Insaller doesn't delete the old partitions...

 

[rockstarjoe]

So if I understand you correctly, you have 4 partions:

1) Mac OS X partition
2) Corresponding 200 MB EFI partition for Mac OS X
3) Windows 7 partition
4) Corresponding 200 MB EFI partition for Windows 7

right?

Sorry but I don't know if you can safely delete the small EFI partitions... the system does not use them for anything but they are a part of the GUID partition standard and I'm worried that by removing them you could cause unintended problems... But I am not an expert so maybe someone else could chime in?

 

[neowillendit]

So if I understand you correctly, you have 4 partions:

1) Mac OS X partition
2) Corresponding 200 MB EFI partition for Mac OS X
3) Windows 7 partition
4) Corresponding 200 MB EFI partition for Windows 7

right?

Sorry but I don't know if you can safely delete the small EFI partitions... the system does not use them for anything but they are a part of the GUID partition standard and I'm worried that by removing them you could cause unintended problems... But I am not an expert so maybe someone else could chime in?

I'll take your warning and not mess with them then, thank you "Rockstarjoe"