Delete partition on external hard drive mac

How to Delete Partition on External Hard Drive Mac

When trying to partition and format various USB hard drives, a number of users have been faced with the issue of how to delete partitions on their external hard drive. This article will guide you through the steps to delete a partition on an external hard drive using your MacBook Pro.

Step 1 (For Mac High Sierra and Later)

If you are using Mac High Sierra or later, you need to do this step; otherwise, you can skip to the next one. You need to disable System Integrity Protection (SIP) if you want to recover files. Restart your computer and press and hold Command-R immediately after it restarts.

Step 2

Select Disk Management. Select your USB drive and right-click on it. Choose Delete Volume and then confirm it. Do this for every partition on your USB drive. All of the partitions on a disk will be deleted, and the space will be labeled as Unallocated.

Creating a Partition

Now you need to create a partition to make the drive usable. You can use Disk Utility or third-party software like Paragon Partition Manager to create a new partition.

Alternative Method for Mac Users

Mac users are used to using the trashcan icon to delete their trash. In this case, you have to select the external drive in Finder and select "Empty" from the context menu.

Using Windows Disk Management Utility

If you are using Windows, you can use the built-in Disk Management utility to delete a partition. Here's how:

1. Click the Start button and type "partition" into the Search field.
2. Click "Create and format hard disk partitions."
3. Wait for the Disk Management utility to detect your hard drive.

Using Erase Option on Mac

On a Mac, you can use the Erase option in the toolbar to delete a partition. Here's how:

1. Go to the toolbar and click on the Erase option.
2. The following pop-up will appear, letting you change its format and file scheme if you want to.
3. Confirm it by clicking on the Erase button and wait as Mac would format the selected partition.

Selecting the Main Partition

To select the main partition, which is the first drive on the list, follow these steps:

1. Select your main partition, which might be called "Macintosh HD."
2. Click Partition.
3. Select the partition you wish to remove from the graph.
4. Click the minus (-) button.
5. Click Apply.

Secure-Erase a Partition or Drive

The Erase button allows you to erase an entire hard disk or partition. You can also choose to only erase its free space. You can use this feature to securely wipe a hard drive.

Recovering Deleted Partitions

If you accidentally delete a partition, you may be able to recover it using Disk Drill software. Here's how:

1. Launch the Disk Drill app.
2. Select the disk to recover deleted Mac OS partition.
3. Follow the prompts to recover your data.

In conclusion, deleting a partition on an external hard drive can be done using various methods. By following these steps, you should be able to delete a partition and make the drive usable again.