How to enlarge a APFS container with free space before it? [duplicate]

Question

/dev/disk2 (external, physical):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *1.0 TB     disk2
   1:                        EFI ⁨EFI⁩                     209.7 MB   disk2s1
                    (free space)                         500.1 GB   -
   2:                 Apple_APFS ⁨Container disk3⁩         499.9 GB   disk2s2

/dev/disk3 (synthesized):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      APFS Container Scheme -                      +499.9 GB   disk3
                                 Physical Store disk2s2
   1:                APFS Volume ⁨时间机器⁩                422.9 GB   disk3s2

MacOs version: Big Sur 11.7

CPU: Intel Core i7

MacBook Pro

I have some free space(500.1GB) before the disk2s2, I want to merge the free space into disk2s2. When I run diskutil apfs resizeContainer disk2s2 0 it always say

Started APFS operation
Error: -69743: The new size must be different than the existing size

In Disk Utility.app only show one Partition. disk3s2 is a Time Machine volume that can't move or copy the backup files in this volume.

I accept @Andy Griffiths's answer.

I reformatted the entire physical disk and lost my time machine backups. Copy or move the backups seems not possible to do in a single physical disk.

Answer 1

You cannot extend a container backwards. You will need to create a new container and volume in the free space, copy the data (luckily the free space is the same as the existing container, so you should have no space issue), then erase the older container (currently disk3). Then you can extend the new container to the end of the disk.

See my previous answer to the same issue. https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/444629/221742

Use the addPartition verb to add a new partition that is an APFS container, and create an APFS volume, following the EFI partition disk2s1. Note, the partition specifier here is unique to your example while your external disk is connected as currently. If in doubt, check your layout again.

% diskutil addPartition disk2s1 apfs NewAPFS 0

All this is covered in existing answers, such as the excellent https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/407055/221742

Answer 2

To add space to APFS partition containing the 时间机器⁩ volume, free space would have to occur after this partition. One possible solution would be to move this partition to occur immediately after the EFI partition. This would result in the free space occurring after this partition. You could then use the diskutil apfs resizeContainer disk2s2 0 command.

I do not know if moving (or copying) an APFS partition would mess up a Time Machine backup contained within. I can say, at least two users (including myself) have posted success in moving APFS partitions as documented in question Can't resize APFS container.

Moving an APFS partition probably would require third party tools. Examples are given below.

Possible Third Party Tools

• GNOME Partition Editor (GParted)

  This may require use of a wired keyboard and/or mouse.

  This is a free product. Instructions for creating and using a bootable GParted flash drive is given here. Also, note that Ubuntu Live bootable USB flash drives come the GParted already installed. So another option would be to download Ubuntu Live and use Etcher to create the flash drive.

  Basically, use this product to move the APFS partition containing the 时间机器⁩ volume to occur immediately after the EFI partition. Next, use the diskutil command to add free space created after the APFS holding.

• Paragon Hard Disk Manager for Mac

  To use this would require a purchase. You install this product as an application. Basically, use this product to move the APFS partition containing the 时间机器⁩ volume to occur immediately after the EFI partition.

  Note: Apparently, you can also create Bootable Recovery Media. In your case, I do not think the using Bootable Recovery Media would be necessary.

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I should point out that since the free space shown in your question is larger than the current APFS partition, you could instead do the following as outlined. This would be safer, since the original APFS partition would remain unchanged until a successful copy was achieved.

1. Create an APFS partition identical in size to the current APFS partition. Create the new partition immediately after the EFI partition.
2. Use a third party tool (such as GParted) to copy the original APFS partition to the new APFS partition.
3. Prevent macOS from mounting the original APFS partition by either changing the partition type to something macOS will not mount (such as Linux) or remove the partition from the GUID Partition Table (GPT).
4. Boot to macOS and verify the copy is good.

If everything is OK, then if necessary use the gpt command to remove the old APFS partition. You could then use the diskutil apfs resizeContainer disk2s2 0 command.