Bootcamp question

[Alcpone]

Hi all,

I hope someone can help me please? I am wanting to put Windows 7 on my iMac, I'm running Lion and obviously it's a Intel based machine, but my question is, when bootcamp does it's stuff and partitions the HD will it do it and leave the mac stuff untouched? I just can't understand how it would partition it without formatting the HD first

Im unsure about the workings of a mac so any informed advice would help me out a lot as I don't want to fuck my OS up as the wife will kill me lol

Cheers

Alcpone

 

[Cybrnook]

Hi all,

I hope someone can help me please? I am wanting to put Windows 7 on my iMac, I'm running Lion and obviously it's a Intel based machine, but my question is, when bootcamp does it's stuff and partitions the HD will it do it and leave the mac stuff untouched? I just can't understand how it would partition it without formatting the HD first

Im unsure about the workings of a mac so any informed advice would help me out a lot as I don't want to fuck my OS up as the wife will kill me lol

Cheers

Alcpone

Yes, all Your MAC data will be untouched. It just carves the new partition from the available free space left on your HDD.

 

[Alcpone]

Yes, all Your MAC data will be untouched. It just carves the new partition from the available free space left on your HDD.

Thanks for the quick reply, i've got myself copy of windows 7 so just need to get cracking, will be able to have FSX rocking tout sweet

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

Yes the newer ability for non-destructive repartioning is obviously nice. There will be a set of Windows drivers on the Lion CD for use on a Bootcamp install so pop it in under Windows after first boot and it should autorun. Should be able to download and install latest GPU driver from ATI or NVidia no prob, as well by the way...

 

[aayman_farzand]

BootCamp is very simple to use. And doesn't hurt your files one bit. Remember to save the driver file properly and install it once you boot into 7.

I removed 7 soon after using it though, I liked the feel of the OSX a lot better, especially because of the system-wide gesture implementation of the track pad.

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

Yeah well dude wants to play some games!

 

[Alcpone]

Yes the newer ability for non-destructive repartioning is obviously nice. There will be a set of Windows drivers on the Lion CD for use on a Bootcamp install so pop it in under Windows after first boot and it should autorun. Should be able to download and install latest GPU driver from ATI or NVidia no prob, as well by the way...

I never got a CD, I've just checked in the box and they aint one there can I get around that?

BootCamp is very simple to use. And doesn't hurt your files one bit. Remember to save the driver file properly and install it once you boot into 7.

I removed 7 soon after using it though, I liked the feel of the OSX a lot better, especially because of the system-wide gesture implementation of the track pad.

I've not got a track pad, can't justify the £70 price tag, the mouse is quite funky though

I only want Win 7 for FSX as x-plane is a pain to get used to and the spec of this machine will run FSX quite nicely (hopefully)

Yeah well dude wants to play some games!

I does indeed sir

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

Well you can get some if not all of the drivers elsewhere I guss (it's just another OEM Intel rig generally) but Apple sure makes it easy by including them on the OS X install dvd.

 

[Alcpone]

Well you can get some if not all of the drivers elsewhere I guss (it's just another OEM Intel rig generally) but Apple sure makes it easy by including them on the OS X install dvd.

Im wondering if they don't include disks anymore and its all on the HD?

I will have a hunt for some drivers, maybe apple has them to download?

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

This is a new retail Mac? It should have come with an OS X installer disc for that model unless they very recently have changed something though I can't imagine what it would be now. And being specific to your Mac it will have the appropriate Windows drivers for that specific hardware on the disc. Apple would not have them available to download anywhere unfortunately...

 

[Cybrnook]

Im wondering if they don't include disks anymore and its all on the HD?

I will have a hunt for some drivers, maybe apple has them to download?

Here you go:

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1443

 

[Alcpone]

This is a new retail Mac? It should have come with an OS X installer disc for that model unless they very recently have changed something though I can't imagine what it would be now. And being specific to your Mac it will have the appropriate Windows drivers for that specific hardware on the disc. Apple would not have them available to download anywhere unfortunately...

Yep it's a new system bought from a shop. I have spoken to Apple and they confirmed my suspicions that it had a recovery partition, which is hidden but I have been sent a link on how to get the recovery data out of that partition and onto a usb stick.

I started bootcamp off before and it has downloaded all the drivers for my system but it wouldn't recognise the iso on my usb stick so going to have to do it off a dvd-r, when I get some

Here you go:

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1443

Cheers I am downloading that now

It's downloaded it as a exe not a dmg file, hmmm.

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

Yeah...it would be an exe as you are supposed to run it under Windows. Nice find if that in fact includes drivers which it sounds like it does.

 

[Cybrnook]

Your process will go:

- Initiate bootcamp prep in MAC (Partition space for windows)
- Should prompt you to insert windows disc and restart (May have to hold Fn button)
- Install windows on the blank partition (leaving other partitions alone) as you would any other system
- Once windows is installed, install the EXE you just downloaded for the Mac hardware and drivers.
-Then install anything else you would normally after windows update and all.


This is coming from memory, but I remember it being easy as pie.


General Help:
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/boot_camp_install-setup_10.7.pdf

 

[Alcpone]

Nice one guys, thanks for all the help, I will keep you informed with how things go

 

[Alcpone]

Ok, I have got as far as choosing which partition to install to in windows setup, it is saying it can't install to the bootcamp partition because it ain't ntfs d
o I format that partition to ntfs at that point? Cheers

 

[Alcpone]

Answered my own question, yes lol.

 

[Alcpone]

So how do I boot back into os x? Lol

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

Uh Option key at boot? That shows you all bootable volumes attached both internal and external; haven't run BC in years so don't remember for sure if can choose OS X that way but probably. IIRC it also installs Startup Disk Control Panel or a Bootcamp Control Panel or something in Windows so look there.

 

[Alcpone]

Might have a problem here, I have all the drivers on my external hd including the bootcamp program and as It's not allowing me to open it and it wants to format it to use it grrrr. I have tried tapping the option key while booting if that's the key with alt on? Not having much luck.

 

[Cybrnook]

I listed it earlier, before powering on your mac, hold the "Fn" (Should be bottom left close to the space bar) button until prompted to select your OS.

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

Uh yeah dude Windows can't read that Mac-formatted disk. It would need to be FAT 32 to be read on both systems. You're gonna have to boot in to OS X and burn the drivers to CD or something.

 

[Alcpone]

Can't boot into os x, won't give me any boot options at all, fn lock and option buttons getting me nothing so not sure, going to have to get the drivers and bootcamp off my sisters laptop tomorrow, not gone at all to plan.

 

[Cybrnook]

Did you follow the install guide I posted for you?

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/boot_camp_install-setup_10.7.pdf

 

[Alcpone]

Yeah mate, I have got it to boot back into os x by using both fn and option key. Got stuff burned to disk and currently installing drivers, where I cocked up was thinking the ext hd would be recognised, I'm not as good as I was with comps anymore and macs are new to me, getting there though, thanks again for help guys.