Multiple shocking issues with Windows Support

Question

Multiple shocking issues with Windows Support

I just purchased a Mac Mini and immediately split my harddisk into 3 partitions:

1. 100GB as Mac OS Extended

2. 100GB as NTFS (for installing Windows 7)

3. 300GB as FAT32 (for sharing document and media files between 2 OSes)

1. Was shock to discover that Bootcamp cannot function once we split a harddisk into 2 or more partitions! Since my FAT32 partition is already filled with full data, I do not want to transfer 300GB out and back again, so I proceed to install Windows without Bootcamp. I do have WindowSupport drivers downloaded in thumbdrive to install after Windows installation is completed.

2. Was shock to discover that Mac Disk Utility formatted NTFS is not recognized by Windows and I have to reformat it to install Windows 7. Was no longer shock when I also realize that Mac Disk Utility formmatted FAT32 is not recognized by Windows as well. Must I transfer that 300GB of data out and reformat my 3rd partition under Windows again so that both OSes can see this partition???

3. Was shock to discover that my HDMI display is underscan in Windows. All the adjustment for the display is disabled for HDMI connect, so my full screen is much smaller in Windows than in MacOSX. Any solution to overcome this? I tried scan frequency of 50hz, 59hz and 60hz but the display size remain the same. It does not expand to 100%.

4. Was shock to discover that my WiFi that has near 100% signal under MacOSX was very weak in Windows. I checked the setting in Device Manager and it was already at 100% power. Any solution to improve this? I understand that Bluetooth, being on the same frequency of 2.4khz may interfere with the WiFi signal. How can I disable it under Windows without having to completely disable this in Device Manager? There is no bluetooth setup provided in the Control Panel.

5. Trackpad was not working under Windows at all. Do I need to install a separate driver or is it not supported in Windows at all?

Does Apple intentionally sabotage their own Windows drivers to give a flaw impression that MacOSX is superior over Windows??? I know Apple used to do this in the past such as intentionally provide the worst codec for AVI video to give a flaw impression that Quicktime video is superior to Windows Video, despite the fact that Windows Video has far superior codec (Intel Indeo) than Quicktime but was intentionally not supported on Mac.

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Feb 17, 2012 5:08 PM

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Answer 1

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Feb 17, 2012 5:19 PM in response to Boon Hong Wong

Well, next time read the Boot Camp documentation prior to installing, every point is well covered. You didn't mention downloading the Windows Support Software, or installng it. Did you? Without the software most things won't work right.

Read This:

And FYI .... Macs can not format a partition as NTFS, you must have used a 3rd party utility!

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Answer 2

Feb 17, 2012 6:09 PM in response to Boon Hong Wong

Was "shock" you did not read the documentation prior to proceeding. You need the video, audio, network, wifi, and system drivers downloaded and installed during the process. You need a single partition in order to install using Boot Camp Assistant.

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Answer 3

Feb 18, 2012 1:54 AM in response to Csound1

Hi,

I have mentioned quite clearly that I do have Windows Support installed, else these things won't even work at all right? My issue is not that they won't work, but they didn't work quite well under Windows.

Anyone actually encounter these issues and manage to resolve them???

Hi Csound1, if Apple Disk Utility cannot format a partition as NTFS, why is NTFS partition an option that user can configure in it? Maybe Lion now support this? Anyway, both NTFS and FAT32 partition that Lion created cannot be read by Windows. What could be the possible cause?

Hi Bob, I didn't expect BootCamp to be so restrictive and inflexible. If I had knew, I would have use it first before doing partition. I also read that bootcamp will fail if we add a 3rd partition later anyway.

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Answer 4

Feb 18, 2012 4:31 AM in response to Boon Hong Wong

I manage to find some solutions:

2. This is cause by the unsupported 5th primary partition that FAT32 partition is located. Some suggest removing the recovery partition so that the 5th partition become the supported 4th partition. Is there any better solution without having to remove the important recovery partition?

More details can be found here:

http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/22528/macbook-air-lion-windows-7-boot-c amp-shared-partition

3. underscan is a common issue, just need to download the control panel for the display adaptor:

https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/20307/1m/www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/catalyst_11 .8_hotfixes/amd_catalyst_11.8_preview_driver_july_12.exe

More details can be found here:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1219702

http://neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=35067848

4. disable minimum power in device manager

5. Download the unofficial driver here:

http://code.google.com/p/padset/downloads/list

More details can be found here:

http://www.labnol.org/software/apple-magic-trackpad-with-windows/14158/

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2524400?start=15&tstart=0

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Answer 5

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Feb 18, 2012 7:27 AM in response to Boon Hong Wong

Boon Hong Wong wrote:

Hi,

I have mentioned quite clearly that I do have Windows Support installed, else these things won't even work at all right? My issue is not that they won't work, but they didn't work quite well under Windows.

Anyone actually encounter these issues and manage to resolve them???

Hi Csound1, if Apple Disk Utility cannot format a partition as NTFS, why is NTFS partition an option that user can configure in it? Maybe Lion now support this? Anyway, both NTFS and FAT32 partition that Lion created cannot be read by Windows. What could be the possible cause?

Hi Bob, I didn't expect BootCamp to be so restrictive and inflexible. If I had knew, I would have use it first before doing partition. I also read that bootcamp will fail if we add a 3rd partition later anyway.

It is not an option, it never has been, it is another error on your part.

As to the cause, you will find it in any mirror.

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Answer 6

The hatter

Level 9

60,990 points

Feb 18, 2012 7:38 AM in response to Csound1

Sounds like 'stuck in PC-Land" trying to make a Mac behave like one; it is not.

If you want get a Mac Pro (tower) and it can with 4 internal drives jump through hoops. You can just have one hard drive dedicated to Windows and slice it up with partitions, or have one drive for OS and one for data (that is how I do all of mine, same for OS X as well).

But can't teach a new trick until you stop beating a dead horse into ground. Almost 50 yrs ago I first set eyes on a computer and having to re-learn Windows Metro or Mountain Lion (or Ubuntu)?

You are trying to manage an OS the way Linux was decades ago (root, usr, swap, etc).

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Answer 7

Feb 18, 2012 8:28 PM in response to The hatter

Hi,

I have been a Mac user for over 10 years. I have 3 Macs: PowerPC G3, G5 and recently purchased Mac Mini. I love Mac for it's user-friendliness but frustrated with it's inflexibility and many restrictions. The opposite is true for Windows, too much freedom that allow easy corruption.

I just want to have the best of both world, so there is no need for any insult just because I was complaining over the weaknesses of each world. (to be fair, I complain the weaknesses of Windows vs Mac in Microsoft Forums too!)

Since Mac Mini support two harddisks, if I install a second harddisk and format it as FAT32, I should be able to access it on both Windows and MacOSX?

btw, I have vmware Fusion as well. And is trying out OS/2 Warp thru VirtualBox. It run DOS and Windows 3.1 apps too. I enjoy all the strengths of each OSes bring... and hope that there is one OS that has the best of all worlds...

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