Problems converting HFS volume to APFS

[applCore]

I have a volume that I keep my home on as well as used it for a system backup. I no longer need to have a system backup on this volume and only need my /Users folder...

So I thought I'd just go ahead and convert it today, but I got the following error:
Error: -69546: Conversion to APFS of a macOS system volume is only allowed in the OS Installer Environment

So my question is, what's the proper process to make the conversion tools no longer gripe about this? Do I simply rm all the other folders, etc. and then will the conversion tools understand that they can move forward with conversion to APFS or do I need to change the volumes around somehow on the drive?

 

[oatman13]

I have a volume that I keep my home on as well as used it for a system backup. I no longer need to have a system backup on this volume and only need my /Users folder...

So I thought I'd just go ahead and convert it today, but I got the following error:
Error: -69546: Conversion to APFS of a macOS system volume is only allowed in the OS Installer Environment

So my question is, what's the proper process to make the conversion tools no longer gripe about this? Do I simply rm all the other folders, etc. and then will the conversion tools understand that they can move forward with conversion to APFS or do I need to change the volumes around somehow on the drive?

Delete: The System folder on the root of that volume. You're welcome.

 

[applCore]

Thanks @oatman13 - worked perfectly.

 

[applCore]

So I let that proceed, but now it's been hung on "Updating xx,xxxx symlinks" for hours. Not seeing a way to get past this.

I'm wondering if there is a verbosity control somewhere to find out the true status of a file system conversion? I'm not seeing anything right now that ups the verbosity...

 

[jhend1]

Delete: The System folder on the root of that volume. You're welcome.

Just rename it instead.

 

[haralds]

You can also do conversions of partitions with systems from the Recovery partition.