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How to format HFS+ partition on XP


azopi
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Hi all.

 

I need to format a primary HFS+ partition of my HD on Windows XP.

I googled it, found several softwares and solution, but none of them could format a single partition.

All of them wanted to repartition and format the entire HD. Any solution? (I want to do it using XP, no way to use Darwin or OSX86 installer)

Thanx in advance.

 

azopi

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macdrive can't do this!!!

just downloaded it to format ONE partition of my HD as HFS+, but MacDrive only allows you to re-partition your complete disk, and I don't want that! (I couldn't even do that because I couldn't select the disc " ... is a critical System Disc"

 

any other suggestions?

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The best thing to do is use these two programs:

 

1.) Partition Magic or other GUI partition program

2.) Diskpart (command line program built into XP)

 

A.) Firstly you need to have 6GB or more of "unallocated" disk space at the very *END* of a drive. The easiest way to do this is by using Partition Magic. Resize the last partition (or only partition) on the drive. The dialogue box for resizing says "Free Space After". Type in 6,000MB or more in order to create "unallocated" space after the partition. The color of the "unallocated" space will be grey when you commit the changes. You're halfway done.

 

B.) Diskpart is a very crude and dangerous program to use if used improperly. You start it from the command line. Hit Start -> Run -> and type in "cmd" to get to prompt. Now type "diskpart"

 

b1.) You now need to select the disk that you created the "unallocated" space on. It is "disk 0", or "disk 1", etc. (Read below for more info)*

 

Type: select disk 0

Type: create partition primary id=af

 

b2.) A new HFS+ partition will have been created using all of the "unallocated" disk space on the drive; you cannot resize this.** The partition is identified now, but it is not formatted and is unusable, so you must use the OSX "Disk Tools" to "erase" the partition (not the disk).

 

 

* Find out what disk has the unallocated space by going to Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Disk Management (Note: You must select "classic" view for Control Panel) If you don't want to take the time, you can have diskpart pull up a partition list for the drive by typing: list partition

 

** If you aren't happy with the disk size, you have to delete the newly created partition in Partition Magic and start over to create a new amount of "unallocated" space.

 

-Hyperblue

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  • 2 years later...
The best thing to do is use these two programs:

 

1.) Partition Magic or other GUI partition program

2.) Diskpart (command line program built into XP)

 

A.) Firstly you need to have 6GB or more of "unallocated" disk space at the very *END* of a drive. The easiest way to do this is by using Partition Magic. Resize the last partition (or only partition) on the drive. The dialogue box for resizing says "Free Space After". Type in 6,000MB or more in order to create "unallocated" space after the partition. The color of the "unallocated" space will be grey when you commit the changes. You're halfway done.

 

B.) Diskpart is a very crude and dangerous program to use if used improperly. You start it from the command line. Hit Start -> Run -> and type in "cmd" to get to prompt. Now type "diskpart"

 

b1.) You now need to select the disk that you created the "unallocated" space on. It is "disk 0", or "disk 1", etc. (Read below for more info)*

 

Type: select disk 0

Type: create partition primary id=af

 

b2.) A new HFS+ partition will have been created using all of the "unallocated" disk space on the drive; you cannot resize this.** The partition is identified now, but it is not formatted and is unusable, so you must use the OSX "Disk Tools" to "erase" the partition (not the disk).

 

 

* Find out what disk has the unallocated space by going to Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Disk Management (Note: You must select "classic" view for Control Panel) If you don't want to take the time, you can have diskpart pull up a partition list for the drive by typing: list partition

 

** If you aren't happy with the disk size, you have to delete the newly created partition in Partition Magic and start over to create a new amount of "unallocated" space.

 

-Hyperblue

 

I used this method and it worked perfectly - Just a warning, I was using the Kalyway 10.5.2 disk, and it requires AT LEAST 6.5GB I would factor more like 7GB in for this.

 

Cheers! and thanks!

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