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How to Delete GPT Partition or EFI from Mac Hard Disks In Vista or XP

Submitted by Pitumbo on Fri, 04/10/2009 - 23:14.

Using the traditional GUI of Disk Management doesn't give you the option to delete or reformat, so fire up the command line.

type DISKPART to enter the diskpart utility

at the prompt, enter list disk as below

DISKPART> list disk

take a look at the disk you want to reformat, and select it with the appropriate number, for example:

DISKPART> select disk 1

once selected, you can delete the GPT / EPI by the clean command:

DISKPART> clean

once done, you can then proceed to format the disk the traditional way through disk management and selecting FAT32 or NTFS.

[19/11/09 edited per comments below "clean disk" to "clean"]

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Re: How to Delete GPT Partition or EFI from Mac
Submitted by Probationary User on Tue, 08/09/2011 - 09:29.

Hey Thank dude it worked on windows 7 too........!!!!

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Works great!
Submitted by Probationary User on Sun, 07/24/2011 - 00:13.

Thank you very much. Worked perfectly :-)

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How to Delete GPT Partition or EFI from Mac Hard Disks
Submitted by Probationary User on Fri, 05/13/2011 - 13:50.

Thanks!!!

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Re:
Submitted by Probationary User on Sat, 03/05/2011 - 15:06.

Thank you so much for helping me with this. I almost returned my disk until I saw your post.

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Thanks!
Submitted by Probationary User on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 20:37.

If you're still having problems and clean won't work, try clean all, saved my 8 gb drive from osx86 install, thanks!

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thank you..!
Submitted by Probationary User on Mon, 12/06/2010 - 18:53.

thank you..!

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Re: How to Delete GPT Partition or EFI from Mac Hard Disks
Submitted by Probationary User on Sun, 09/26/2010 - 19:25.

Ha, I needed this one!
Thank you, the "clean" command is what did it!

Diskpart would crash if I would delete the volume with the 'delete volume' command.

Much appreciated!

--Maarten

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Re: How to Delete GPT Partition or EFI from Mac Hard Disks
Submitted by Probationary User on Sat, 11/27/2010 - 05:30.

Thanks!!!!! Much needed and appreciated!!!

Rob

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Thanks a lot!
Submitted by Probationary User on Fri, 09/17/2010 - 19:47.

Thanks!

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Re: How to Delete GPT Partition or EFI
Submitted by Probationary User on Wed, 07/21/2010 - 12:07.

Thanks!

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Re:
Submitted by Probationary User on Mon, 07/19/2010 - 01:10.

32GB flash drive saved. your a saint! THAN YOU!

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Re: How to Delete GPT Partition or EFI from Mac
Submitted by Probationary User on Sat, 05/08/2010 - 15:06.

Thanks bro, you solved my problem

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Awsome!
Submitted by Probationary User on Mon, 03/15/2010 - 23:22.

Awsome dude! You're the best!

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Re: How to Delete GPT Partition or EFI from Mac Ha
Submitted by Probationary User on Fri, 12/11/2009 - 11:31.

Cheers fella, saved me having to take my mac apart to put the disk back in there to format it.

Much appreciated

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Re: How to Delete GPT Partition...
Submitted by Probationary User on Wed, 10/14/2009 - 14:36.

Bookmarked for awesomeness! TY!

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Re: Delete GPT Partition or EFI from Mac Hard Disks In Vista
Submitted by Probationary User on Sat, 09/12/2009 - 17:53.

THANKS!!! ... after much searching with little success, this worked like a charm!!

However the following line didn't work for me:
DISKPART> clean disk

Instead I just used:
DISKPART> clean

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Re: Delete GPT Partition or EFI from Mac Hard Disks In Vista
Submitted by Pitumbo on Thu, 11/19/2009 - 20:28.

Thanks guys i will correct the original post.

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Don't type "disk" after clean:
Submitted by Probationary User on Thu, 08/20/2009 - 23:33.

Thanks for the guide! Don't type "disk" after clean:

DISKPART> clean disk

The arguments specified for this command are not valid.
For more information on the command type: HELP CLEAN

DISKPART> clean

DiskPart succeeded in cleaning the disk.

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Re: Don't type "disk" after clean:
Submitted by Pitumbo on Thu, 11/19/2009 - 20:28.

Thanks guys i will correct the original post.

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Re:
Submitted by Probationary User on Sat, 08/15/2009 - 03:30.

Thank you. That solved a problem I was having without having to boot a linux live-cd.

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Re:
Submitted by Pitumbo on Tue, 08/18/2009 - 05:19.

no problem, glad to be of help!

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