Several questions about USB partitioning and Windows Bootcamp

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Several questions about USB partitioning and Windows Bootcamp

Do I need to partition a USB flash to back up files via Time Machine and also use Windows Bootcamp on the same drive? I’m on a 2015 (iirc) Intel iMac (macOS Montery Version 12.7.6) with a 256 gb USB stick and I am trying to use Bootcamp to run Windows-based games, but I’m slightly worried about losing some photos. Also, would Bootcamp even be able to affect any files on the 1 TB SATA disk that those photos are stored on or am I being a worrywart? Sorry if I’m asking too much in one discussion lol

iMac 27″, macOS 12.7

Posted on Apr 25, 2026 9:45 AM

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Answer 1

Apr 28, 2026 11:49 PM in response to GamingOnA2-0-1-5IntelMac

If I recall correctly, Boot Camp can only act on the machine's internal storage. You could partition any drive six ways from Sunday and put Windows on it, but Boot Camp Assistant isn't the way to go. I'm almost positive there's a hack on the Web that ultimately makes Windows bootable from an external device on Macs.

Nate

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