How do I resize a FileVault 2 encrypted partition?

Question

Running Mac OS X Lion. My current setup is a 250 GB partition, encrypted by FileVault2, for Lion. Old Snow Leopard install is in second half, another 250 GB partition, unencrypted, of the same disk.

The Disk Utility GUI doesn't allow me to delete the Snow Leopard partition due to CoreStorage (FV2) partitions being present on the disk.

Using diskutil cs on the Terminal, I see commands to remove or add CoreStorage volumes, but no way to resize an existing one.

Will I need to decrypt my Lion HD in order to resize it?

Answer 1

Core Storage versus resizing

… Will I need to decrypt my Lion HD in order to resize it? …

For 10.7 (Build 11A511): yes.

Whether a future release of OS X will allow greater flexibility, I don't know.

If you use diskutil to monitor backward conversion —

diskutil coreStorage list

— you may find that the amount converted eventually falls short, just a little, of the amount to be converted, with no further progress.

When you are certain that conversion is as far as possible complete, restart the system.

(AFAIK the logical volume from which the system was started will remain in coreStorage world until close down.)

This answer partly overlaps with an answer under:

• Create new partition on encrypted volume in OS X Lion

Merging partitions, or using free space previously occupied by a deleted partition

After the disk no longer uses Core Storage …

… Old Snow Leopard install is in second half … to delete the Snow Leopard partition …

In this case you might use the mergePartitions verb of diskutil — "… All data on merged partitions other than the first will be lost. …". If you use diskutil in this way, proceed with caution (I once made a mistake that was destructive).

Hint

Whether you use Disk Utility or diskutil, habitually verify all volumes on a disk before and after manipulating its structure. In some cases an apparently routine operation may be followed by a need for minor repair, a need that is not immediately obvious.