Will this erase Macintosh HD?

[Macsaurus]

I wanted to install Linux into a 15 GB partition. So I made a Boot Camp partition, deleted it in the Linux LiveCD then made a 15GB partition for data and a 1GB partition for cache (as the instructions on the Ubuntu wiki said).

After several hours of trying, I gave up since I somehow messed up and I'm too scared of Linux installing over my Mac OS.

So now I want those 15 GB back, as I have a 160GB HD and 15GB is a sizable portion. In Boot Camp Assistant it says that it can merge it back with Macintosh HD, but I don't want to risk data loss as I messed up with Time Machine when I had my HD replaced after it crashed.

I've attached a screenshot of Boot Camp Assistant.

 

[alust2013]

Nope, that will just erase the small partition you made, and will leave everything in Macintosh HD alone.

 

[Macsaurus]

But the Boot Camp partition was deleted in gparted, then a new one made in gparted. The current partition is not a Boot Camp partition, so I want to make sure I run no risks of data loss.

 

[MacForScience]

But the Boot Camp partition was deleted in gparted, then a new one made in gparted. The current partition is not a Boot Camp partition, so I want to make sure I run no risks of data loss.

Whenever you mess with partitioning drives with data on them there is always a risk of dataloss. You should make a data only backup of your drive then perform the operation.

Cheers

 

[gnasher729]

I wanted to install Linux into a 15 GB partition. So I made a Boot Camp partition, deleted it in the Linux LiveCD then made a 15GB partition for data and a 1GB partition for cache (as the instructions on the Ubuntu wiki said).

After several hours of trying, I gave up since I somehow messed up and I'm too scared of Linux installing over my Mac OS.

So now I want those 15 GB back, as I have a 160GB HD and 15GB is a sizable portion. In Boot Camp Assistant it says that it can merge it back with Macintosh HD, but I don't want to risk data loss as I messed up with Time Machine when I had my HD replaced after it crashed.

I've attached a screenshot of Boot Camp Assistant.

Use Disk Utility. If it says at any point "this will delete all your data", it will delete all your data. If it doesn't say it, your data will stay intact.

And obviously you should use Time Machine to backup your data and be on the safe side. If you mess up your data and have no backup it's your own fault.