Installing Windows on my MacBook for the first time...

[rikadik]

I've had my Core Duo MacBook about a year now and I've decided its about time I got Windows on here. The main reason I'm doing this is because the BBC are about to launch an on-demand TV service which is Windows-only, and Channel 4 already have an on-demand TV service which is Windows-only. I also want to be able to play a few games, but just few classic oldies.

OS X will still be my main OS but I'd like to be able to browse the internet, use Live Messenger, use Office software, install a the on-demand TV programs, install a few old games and access my iTunes Library from Windows.

I'm planning on using BootCamp and am going to upgrade from my 60GB hard drive to a 120GB one, and I have a few questions which I'd sincerely appreciate any feedback on!

1. Would it be best to create a third 'Data' partition in which to keep all my documents seperate from the other two partitions, which would just be for the OS and their applications? How would this affect the functionality of either OS?

2. Would it be better just to have on partition for windows and its applications and another for OS X and all my Data?

3. Will I be able to change the size of the partitions once created?

4. How big should the Windows partition be?

Many Thanks!

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: rikadik
I've had my Core Duo MacBook about a year now and I've decided its about time I got Windows on here. The main reason I'm doing this is because the BBC are about to launch an on-demand TV service which is Windows-only, and Channel 4 already have an on-demand TV service which is Windows-only. I also want to be able to play a few games, but just few classic oldies.

OS X will still be my main OS but I'd like to be able to browse the internet, use Live Messenger, use Office software, install a the on-demand TV programs, install a few old games and access my iTunes Library from Windows.

I'm planning on using BootCamp and am going to upgrade from my 60GB hard drive to a 120GB one, and I have a few questions which I'd sincerely appreciate any feedback on!

1. Would it be best to create a third 'Data' partition in which to keep all my documents seperate from the other two partitions, which would just be for the OS and their applications? How would this affect the functionality of either OS?

I don't think that will be necessary. If you grab a copy of MacDrive for Windows, and then get the NTFS-3G MacFUSE installer you can read/write to the other OSes partition. So in OS X you will be able to read/write NTFS, and in Windows you will be able to read/write HFS+.

2. Would it be better just to have on partition for windows and its applications and another for OS X and all my Data?

If I am understanding you correctly, you will split the drive into 2 partitions, one for OS X and its associated apps, and another for Windows and its associated programs. This is the main way to do it, and how I have my drive set up.

3. Will I be able to change the size of the partitions once created?

No, at least not easily and without a high probabilty of corruption.

4. How big should the Windows partition be?

If Windows XP, with Office and some older games... I would say 20GB+. IF Vista with the same progs, give it 30GB+. I have Vista Business on a 30GB partition and still have over 10GB free. I dont have Office installed, but I do have Guild Wars on there along with a couple other games.

Also, how much RAM do you have? If you have 1GB+ then you may be able to run Windows in a Virtual Environment... especially if the games are older they might run in that. You may want to check that out before you partition your drive since the VMWare Fusion RC is free still and works quite well. Also I think that you can run Parallels as a trial to try it out before you have to plunk down the $80, so I would recommend trying both, from what I have seen sometimes one works better than the other for each person.

 

[rikadik]

Thanks for the help, greatly appreciated.

Well I'm using XP most likely as I already have a copy, and a 30GB partition for it is probably suitable as itll leave the rest of the 120GB disk for OS X. I'll look into the MacDrive and MacFUSE options. So these allow me to access data on either partition from either OS? Do they integrate nicely? (i.e. do you just access the other partition via Finder/Explorer as you would normally?)

The Virtual Environment one is something I'll also look into.

 

[TheStu]

Yes, the discs will appear in Finder and Explorer just as if they were that OSes discs. Macdrive is also helpful for hooking a Mac formatted ipod into Windows.

 

[rikadik]

Fantastic. Thanks for being so helpful!

 

[TheStu]

No problem, I've been through the process quite a few times, just about have it down to an automated process... at least it will be once I can find some good slipstream setups for both OS X and Vista.

I've heard that vLite is pretty good for a Vista slipstream, much like how nLite (?) is good for an XP Slipstream, but from what I can find, there isn't anything available for an 10.4.X slipstream. i wouldn't be doing it for updates, but rather for installs and settings management. You may want to check out Kaido's guide for setting up Windows via Bootcamp (just remember that Bootcamp is just there for partitioning, gives you the bootloader and then provides you with the currently darn near perfect drivers... you are not running Windows on top of BootCamp, it just makes installing Windows easier... strictly speaking it isn't even required, it is just helpful).

Kaido's Guide

 

[Kadarin]

I did a 32GB partition on my MacBook Pro (160GB drive), and it'll probably be fine. I also got a copy of Parallels, and run the same bootcamp install in a Parallels VM when I have OSX running and need a Windows app for some reason.

 

[TheStu]

Thats pretty much what I did, except I use VMWare fusion (rudimentary DirectX support, and Unity Support for Vista, h-lls yea!)

 

[rikadik]

Well I'm pleased to say I've successfully installed Windows. I did a run through on my 60GB drive with just a 10GB partition for Windows. Now I've seen how well it works and how easy it is to use, I'm going to go ahead and get a larger hard drive!

 

[Noema]

Originally posted by: TheStu


Also, how much RAM do you have? If you have 1GB+ then you may be able to run Windows in a Virtual Environment... especially if the games are older they might run in that. You may want to check that out before you partition your drive since the VMWare Fusion RC is free still and works quite well. Also I think that you can run Parallels as a trial to try it out before you have to plunk down the $80, so I would recommend trying both, from what I have seen sometimes one works better than the other for each person.

This is a great suggestion. Virtualization is always preferred to dual-booting in my opinion, as long as all the necessary apps run well in the virtualized environment.