# Any way to adjust a mac hard disk partition size? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 11, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-adjust-a-mac-hard-disk-partition-size/459673 "2008-08-11T22:40:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-adjust-a-mac-hard-disk-partition-size/459673/1 "2008-08-11T22:40:01Z")
I’m running Leopard and used the BootCamp utility to partition off 10gb and installed Windows XP. I have since realized that I use Windows almost never and in no way need ten gigs, but I could use that on my OS X partition, which I actually use. Is there any way to do that, preferably without needing to reinstall Windows? I know that the Boot Camp Assistant gives me the option to flat-out remove the partition, but I want to keep Windows and would prefer not to need to install it again. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-adjust-a-mac-hard-disk-partition-size/459673/2 "2008-08-11T22:45:17Z")
I think you’ll wind up needing to do two things: shrink the XP partition (relatively easy if it’s FAT32, slightly less so if it’s NTFS), and grow the OS X partition (about which I know nothing). I think Gparted on [System Rescue CD](http://sysresccd.org/Main_Page) will do the former. I dunno about the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-adjust-a-mac-hard-disk-partition-size/459673/3 "2008-08-11T23:01:24Z")
I’m pretty sure gparted will shrink the NTFS partition OK - probably best to defrag first so as to leave mostly empty space in the top part, but gparted seems to be able to cope with it anyway. You will see Windows running a disk check on next boot - gave me a fright at first, but only happens because gparted deliberately marks the volume as ‘dirty’ or something, so as to purposely provoke CHKDSK on bootup. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-adjust-a-mac-hard-disk-partition-size/459673/4 "2008-08-11T23:12:56Z")
That looks promising (the Windows partition is FAT32). Thanks. Tangential question: Why does OS X think that the XP volume was created on 31 December 1979? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-adjust-a-mac-hard-disk-partition-size/459673/5 "2008-08-11T23:19:46Z")
Dunno, but that sounds like the sort of date that might indicate a value that is simply not set at all - or set to zero. Could be that OSX is reading a flag on the partition that Windows doesn’t ever bother touching, even when initially partitioning a drive. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-adjust-a-mac-hard-disk-partition-size/459673/6 "2008-08-11T23:35:33Z")
[QUOTE=NinjaChick] Tangential question: Why does OS X think that the XP volume was created on 31 December 1979? [/QUOTE] Dunno, but I do know that > [@](#): > > It was like the '60s ended the day I sold that car. > > December 31, 1969. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-adjust-a-mac-hard-disk-partition-size/459673/7 "2008-08-12T01:48:19Z")
I work for a company that makes cross-platform software. While there are a variety of products which will do what you are asking (e.g. [iPartition](http://www.coriolis-systems.com/iPartition.php) and [Camp Tune](http://www.paragon-software.com/home/camptune/)), we have found none that work as effectively as starting over. The partition map is changed from the standard and this can mean problems (such as not being able to work with third-party software, e.g. ours). I honestly would not recommend either product I mentioned. Starting from scratch is very time consuming and may not be practical right now - and that’s why these products exist - but note that you may have problems down the line. Plus, you do run the risk of just borking up the whole thing - Camp Tune didn’t work very well for us at all, and we’ve heard many tales of attempting what you are asking just flat out destroying the Mac OS or Windows or both. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-adjust-a-mac-hard-disk-partition-size/459673/8 "2008-08-12T04:25:02Z")
In addition to what **fluiddruid** said, how much space is repartitioning going to give you anyway? You say that the WinXP partition is 10Gb. You’ll need to leave at least a few gig for the Windows install, plus some spare space in case you want to install any more programs, and you should also have a good 20% spare anyway for defragging etc. As far as i can tell, you’ll regain only about 5-6 Gb by doing this. At current storage prices, that’s about a dollar’s worth of hard drive space. If you really need more space for your Mac OS, you’re probably better of buying an external USB/Firewire drive, rather than messing with you primary partitions.