How to clean install OSX without losing bootcamp?

Use WinClone to clone your Boot Camp partition. Then you can do a clean install of OS X and 're-clone' your intact Boot Camp partition back to your Mac (see the link for further information).

Good luck,

Clinton

No need to use Winclone.

Just use the Recovery HD partition, Command + r at startup, and Erase only the Mcintosh HD partition then reinstall OS X and your programs to that erase partition. The Windows partition won't be touched.

Windows 8 and OS X are both in their own seperate partitions on the boot drive.

Partitions are sections of the physical drive that appear to the hardware as separate volumes, much like a cd appears different than a USB thumb drive.

There are more than Bootcamp and Macintosh HD partitions on the modern Mac boot drive (OS X 10.7 and above), there is also a hidden EFI firmware and RecoveryHD partition which this last one can be booted into to reinstall OS X (from the Internet) back onto the MacintoshHD partition either over itself (doesn't affect user files or most programs) or first erasing all data in the MacHD then reinstalling OS X (deletes all programs and files, leaves a brand new like machine)

Reset your Mac

It's recommended that you use Winclone 3 (runs in OS X) to clone your Bootcamp partition to a external drive as backup, and to restore later, as your issue or problem or a mistake could occur and the entire drive (all partitions) may either need to be replaced or reformatted to solve, this will erase data in ALL partitions.

Now if your OS X partition is not booting, then you have some options depending what your problem is, which you didn't mention why you need to feeel you need to reinstall OS X.

I suggest you go through all my User Tips here, don't forget the second page. Narrow down your issue and chose what you want to do.

https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro?view=documents

Hi ds store,

I am unable to load the Mac partition and would like to find another way of saving the Windows Boot Camp parition while resetting/clean installing. Should I use a Windows-based backup tool? I have a external hard drive that can be read by Macs.

Thanks very much. Your post was very helpful.

Hi, nearly the same situation here, but cant boot into osx el capitan anymore. bootcamp is working and dont want to lose it. Macdrive 9 pro says I need to reformat my disc, but dont want to erase bootcamp. Can access my data via macdrive, but reinstalling windows would be very hard for me as i am blind and windowsinstallation would need sighted assistance. Should i try discrepair utility in recovery hd or better reformat? Thanks in advance, eldormilon