Bootcamp Q's

[The Boosh!]

I need to poisen my macbook with windows. I've read up on it all and the process seems fairly easy. I was hoping for some recommendations though.

1) When I partition my drive, whats recommended gig wise? Will 40gb be enough? (I'm installing diaologies & MS Office, maybe a game or two). OSX will remain the system i use the most

2) If i decide to give windows more or less of a partition, can this be adjusted or is it fixed?

3) Can I delete the partition? i.e if I want to go back to how it's set up now, is there an easy way to remove my partition and give back the HDD space to my main operating system?

4) Is it possible to access the windows files (not programmes) when booted in osx? For example if i do some work on excel and save the file, can this be retreived in osx if i need it?

5) If for whatever reason a virus rapes the windows side of my computer, will osx still remain intact?

Thanks

 

[Tom]

40GB? Nah mate. 20GB tops

Yes you can remove the partition and yes you can access windows files from OSX and a virus will only kill the windows partitions.

 

[Rob182]

1.) 40GB is Fine

2.) Its fixed (it can be changed but its not easy!)

3.) Yes, just run bootcamp in OSX and click delete Windows Partition

4.) Yes.

5.) Should not affect OSX (Others to confirm please)

 

[Munson]

One restriction, a slight annoyance at times, is that you won't have write access to files on the OSX partition from within Windows.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Try Parallels, that way you don't have to reboot to get to the good OS.

 

[The Boosh!]

Try Parallels, that way you don't have to reboot to get to the good OS.

Tried, didn't like so un-installed

 

[Rob182]

have you tried VMware?

Its like Parallels.

IMHO i don't like it and prefer Parallels tho!

 

[sn00p]

Always install windows using bootcamp, that way you have the ability to boot it natively for "raw speed" or boot the installation via parallels or vmware for convenience.

 

[The Boosh!]

Has anyone got any ideas where I can get the windows drivers from online?

I'm running bootcamp and it gives me the option to download the windows drivers from the web but it keeps saying "failed".

I've got the option to install them from my osx disc, but i'm not going to have access to my disk for 2 weeks as its back at home. Ideally wanted to get this installed and set up tonight too

 

[Mr Pants]

You could just use Windows vis Bootcamp exclusively and use Dropbox for your files.

Edit in Windows > Add to Drop Box > Open OSX > Open w/ Drop Box

 

[The Boosh!]

^ Sorry but i don't understand

I thought there would be somewhere online i can get the drivers, bang them on a usb stick and bobs my uncle. evidently not.

 

[Adam.]

What didn't you like about Parallels?

VMWare Fusion is also another one that may be worth considering?

 

[The Boosh!]

What didn't you like about Parallels?

VMWare Fusion is also another one that may be worth considering?

Because I want the full speed of windows.

I don't use it often enough to warrant parrallels, but when I do use it i'm doing pretty intensive stuff.

 

[Rob182]

The windows drivers are on OSX install DVD!

 

[Munson]

When I first installed Windows, the downloaded bootcamp drivers would not install. I followed every online tutorial I could, including Apple's own instructions of course, and the drivers would simply NOT install. I tried again in the UK a few weeks later using my OSX disc, and it worked first time. Mental as f**k.

 

[The Boosh!]

OK so I need my disc

SCrewed it up though first time (not reading instructions fTL).

I selected leave file system intact when installing... windows didn't load and disc was stuck in the thing.

So i've got to install windows to get the disc out, re partition my 20gb and do it all again lol

 

[The Boosh!]

well i think i've screwed this up bigtime.

I can't get the disc out

 

[Rob182]

not sure which mac you have but....

power off, hold down the eject button on the keyboard and the power on (keeping button pressed) until dvd is ejected!

 

[The Boosh!]

Sorted it Rob thanks. :approve:

I'm trying to find out if i can use a windows disc with SP1 installed but I don't think I can. Need to find SP 2 from somewhere

 

[Rob182]

What MAC is it?

and what version of windows (i'm guessing Vista?)

 

[The Boosh!]

Macbook unibody aliminium late 2009. Not vista XP

 

[Rob182]

If your started again then you need too.

1. Run Bootcamp Assistants in OSX.

2. Make the Partition as big as you need.

3. Wait until it asks for the Windows DVD and insert it in to the Mac and click continue

4. Mac Book Pro will restart and should load windows setup, install and complete all windows install question

5. When installed you should be able to boot in to OSX or Windows (Windows should be first as you have just installed it)

If and when you want to swap and boot into OSX you can reboot the MBP and hold down the ALT key and it will gave you the option for OSX or Windows!

6. When Windows has loaded put the OSX DVD in and and you should be able to install Bootcamp for Windows (once installed run the updated as there will be updates)

After that you should be fine to swap between the 2!

Sorry for the late reply too. Hope that helps!

 

[The Boosh!]

Yeh thanks rob. I can't get the drivers installed so it looks like i'm going to have to wait a week until I get home to get the osx install disc

 

[Rob182]

I did not know you was not at home!

Should work all ok, infact I just install windows on my MBP 2011 (typing this from within windows) and had no problems!

Again i have tried to download the drivers and they did not work!

 

[The Boosh!]

Yes I tried downloading the bootcamp drivers from the Apple website and putitng them on a pen stick but they wouldn't install

 

[wozzaa]

When you say they wouldn't install. Did you get the message saying that you can not install the drivers on that system?

If that is the case there are ways around it.

 

[The Boosh!]

No I put the bootcamp drivers on a pen drive and booted into windows. When I copied the drivers from the pen drive onto the windows desktop and tried running the programme nothing was happening.

 

[The Boosh!]

I've got it working now .

Quick question though. When i'm in windows I get a bootcamp assistant thing that gives me the option to restart into OSX.

There doesn't appear to be that option in OSX i.e Boot into windows. Is there a utility knocking around? I've had a look but my google skills are obviously inferior.