How to decrypt external hard drive so it can be re-partitioned

I can't repartition an external hard drive which has been encrypted as a time machine backup drive. So I am trying to remove the encryption. But I can't figure out how to decrypt the drive either. I know it is still encrypted since it requires the password when I mount the drive. I have successfuly erased all data at the partition level. But there is no ERASE tab at root level. When I try to re-partition it shows a greyed out "current" and the only thing I can do is to create a 2nd partition the identical size as the first.
I have tried ejecting and remounting. I have tried 2 different macs. Repair disk shows "it appears to be ok". Any suggestions?

To do this, follow these steps:
1. Open the OS X Terminal utility and run the following command:
diskutil cs list
The output of this command will look like a hierarchical tree. Locate the long alphanumeric code next to the words "Logical Volume Group" (this code is called a "UUID"), and copy this code to the clipboard by highlighting it and then pressing Command-C.
2. Run the following command to destroy the logical volume group, replacing "UUID" with the alphanumeric string from the first command.
diskutil cs delete UUID
When done this will clear the volume and allow it to be formatted and otherwise customized. See the following screenshot for what this should look like (the two commands are underlined in blue:

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To do this, follow these steps:
1. Open the OS X Terminal utility and run the following command:
diskutil cs list
The output of this command will look like a hierarchical tree. Locate the long alphanumeric code next to the words "Logical Volume Group" (this code is called a "UUID"), and copy this code to the clipboard by highlighting it and then pressing Command-C.
2. Run the following command to destroy the logical volume group, replacing "UUID" with the alphanumeric string from the first command.
diskutil cs delete UUID
When done this will clear the volume and allow it to be formatted and otherwise customized. See the following screenshot for what this should look like (the two commands are underlined in blue:

I have copied videos onto an external hard drive. to free memory on my macbook. When I try to delete these I am warned that I will not be able to use this video in existing projects How do I point iMovie to events in my external hard drive so I can pl

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How do I point iMovie to events in my external hard drive so I can play projects which use them?
MacBook, iMovie 9.0.4

Hi
You can do this - by not doing it the way You describe as it will not work.
a. the external hard disk - MUST BE - Mac OS extended (hfs) formatted -
UNIX/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange - will work for most things - BUT NOT FOR VIDEO (iMovie, iDVD or FinalCut doesn't matter)
b. Do not alter or move any folder named
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• iMovie Project's
on DeskTop/Finder - at all
All moving's of Events and Projects must be done within the iMovie Application - then connections will not break.
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How can I partition my external hard drive supporting mac OS in one partition and windows OS in another?

Hello everyone, how can I partition my external hard drive supporting mac OS in one partition and windows OS in another?

OK. Start with:
1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to two (2). Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
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Yes I did get to that part.... I went trough external to retrive itunes folder... When I selected the folder, it said that it was locked, choose another folder... I then went to my external again to my itunes folder and and used command I to see if folder was locked and it wasn't.... it was suggested on another forum to reboot.. which I did and still same problem... All I want to do is link my external hard drive that has my itunes playlist from another Mac to my new one.. and to also use the external as the main source for adding new songs to my playlist...

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iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer [or another drive] - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
do not confuse moving your whole folder and library with moving just media files as in
iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Media folder - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
Quick answer if you let iTunes manage your music: Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its subfolders and files) intact to the other drive. Start iTunes with the option key held down and guide it to the new location of the library.

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Mickey,
Here is your original topic:
Need Help with my External Hard Drive
PV seldom if ever visits this forum as it is for Macs made before 1998.

I have a tried to format my seagate free agent 1TB external hard drive so I can use it, but I keep getting an error message saying it failed. Can n e 1 help me plz

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This article has a link for more information on finding your profile directory: [[Fix the "Could not initialize the application's security component" error message]]. On Windows 7, you can try this (either in a Windows Explorer window address bar or from the start menu search box):
%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
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First, you cannot do this if you have a Boot Camp partition.
Second: Create a new partition.
1. Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
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It would be wise to have a backup of your current system as resizing is not necessarily free of risk for data loss. Your drive must have sufficient contiguous free space for this process to work.
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1. Insert OS X Installer Disc into the optical drive.
2. Restart the computer.
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Does the time capsule work as an external hard drive that you can access from multiple lapttops

I have a mac desktop, a macbook and a pc laptop. I also purchased the time capsule. Will that functional as an external hard drive that I can use to save a share documents between. Trying to figure out the best way to work on documents between devices. new to max and trying to make the full switch but still working with toshiba laptop for a while too.
Any help is appreciated.

Hello jhettenhausen,
Yes, it can function as an external drive for all the devices. As for Windows, you just need to make sure that
it is Windows Professional or XP, as they support mapped network drives. Windows 7 Home Premium doesn't is not capable of mapping network drives. At home, I have a ubuntu laptop, Windows 7 Profesional laptop, and Macbook Pro and they all backup to the Time Capsule 1 TB. Hope this helps!!
Best Regards,
freesparks

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To add to Niel's comment bear in mind that if you have a backup copy on an external HD and later delete the orignals on your Mac HD you will then only have one copy - so no backup.
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I'm not sure if my iPhoto library is being backed up by Time Machine. I am backing up to a LaCie external hard drive. I can open photos that are in folders but not those that are in iPhoto.

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Do a restore from Time Machine. That will tell you.

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Hi guys, hope you can help.
I want to move my whole iTunes library to an external hard drive and then delete it all from my laptop, and from reading around I realise I have to consolidate the library into the iTunes music folder. However, as my internal hard drive on my laptop is completely full, iTunes won't let me do this, saying I don't have enough space. Is getting the libary into the iTunes music folder the only way of getting it onto the external hard drive?
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Over half of my stuff isn't there.
Isn't where? In iTunes or not in the iTunes folder?\>Is it possible to copy the iTunes music folder from my laptop to the external, and consolidate from iTunes directly onto there?
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Hello EucaBlue!
So in Disk Utility, with the external harddrive selected, go to the Partition tab, and then under "Partition Layout:" select 1 Partition.
After than, verify that it is formatting the drive as "Mac OS Extended (Journaled) under "Partition Information"
Also verify that it's using using the GUID Partition Map under the Options button at the lower left of this window.
Then click apply and confirm that you want to format the drive. It will ask you if you're sure, and probably for an Administrator password.
Once your harddrive is formatted properly, you should be able to use Time Machine, or any other Mac backup software.
Happy tinkering!
Paul

I recently just bought a Toshiba 3TB External Hard Drive. I am trying to partition it on my macbook, but it keeps returning and error message. The only thing I have changed is renamed easy drive.

I recently just bought a Toshiba 3TB External Hard Drive. I am trying to partition it on my macbook, but it keeps returning and error message. The only thing I have changed is renamed easy drive.

Your problem is not Boot Camp, in fact, is your optical drive. Win XP requires indeed sp2, but also the internal drive, does not work from external optical drive.
For other possible tricks, please use the appropriate Boot Camp forum, not here. Mac OS X may be installed from both external and internal optical drive and/or internal/external partition of a disk, any disk. Windows is not so generous.

How to decrypt external hard drive so it can be re-partitioned

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