Reclaim unallocated space?

[Dinkhart]

I install ubuntu on a 24GB partition on my MB Air running Sierra the other day. I've since erased the partition (from within ubuntu) but Disk Utility no longer recognizes the partition. Basically the 24GB is useless to me, I believe the term is unallocated, and I'd like to add it back to my main Macintosh HD. From what I've read I should wipe the entire disk clean, reinstall macOS, and restore all my files from Time Machine. I'm willing to do this but would rather take an easier route. Is there a faster way to accomplish this?

 

[chown33]

Please post the output of this Terminal command:

diskutil list

The 'diskutil' command can merge partitions, but only if they're adjacent.

If you want to explore what diskutil can do on your own, then read its man page (man diskutil in Terminal, or search terms: diskutil man page).

I recommend backups before trying diskutil actions that write to disk.

 

[Dinkhart]

Last login: Tue Feb 28 17:51:19 on ttys000

9801a7e1b1ad:~ johnlawson$ diskutil list

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *251.0 GB disk0

1: Apple_CoreStorage Macintosh HD 226.0 GB disk0s2

2: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3


/dev/disk1 (internal, virtual):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: Macintosh HD +225.6 GB disk1

Logical Volume on disk0s2

FC52376F-F33B-4C93-A7C5-9FF3B092D316

Unencrypted

 

[KALLT]

Was that partition located before or after the Macintosh HD partition?

 

[chown33]

Please post the output of this command:

diskutil cs list

Also see here:
http://apple.stackexchange.com/ques...-corestorage-logical-volume-from-the-terminal

 

[Dinkhart]

I believe it was located before Macintosh HD.
9801a7e1b1ad:~ johnlawson$ diskutil cs list

CoreStorage logical volume groups (1 found)

|

+-- Logical Volume Group B622DCC5-9C67-49B1-A826-E351938598F0

=========================================================

Name: Macintosh HD

Status: Online

Size: 225987010560 B (226.0 GB)

Free Space: 8921088 B (8.9 MB)

|

+-< Physical Volume BC95023F-0D60-4E52-99A9-DDA585D07CAE

| ----------------------------------------------------

| Index: 0

| Disk: disk0s2

| Status: Online

| Size: 225987010560 B (226.0 GB)

|

+-> Logical Volume Family B595433E-E96D-47A9-BE03-16BA86A54E48

----------------------------------------------------------

Encryption Type: None

|

+-> Logical Volume FC52376F-F33B-4C93-A7C5-9FF3B092D316

---------------------------------------------------

Disk: disk1

Status: Online

Size (Total): 225625767936 B (225.6 GB)

Revertible: Yes (no decryption required)

LV Name: Macintosh HD

Volume Name: Macintosh HD

Content Hint: Apple_HFS

 

[KALLT]

In that case you are best advised to reformat the disk.

You don't need to reinstall macOS, just boot from the Time Machine disk, reformat the Macintosh disk and restore a snapshot directly.

 

[Dinkhart]

I haven't set Time Machine up yet...I do have an external disk lying around, however. I'm concerned that I won't be able to back up Macintosh HD because of the partition problems. This is my plan, please critique it if there are shortcomings:

1. Back up Macintosh HD - not the entire disk, just the macOS partition - to my external drive.
2. Boot from Time Machine.
3. Reformat the disk.
4. Restore the partition backed up to my drive.