raymondfromwakefield

Q: forming windows partition on iMac

I have used Disc utilities to form a new partition on my hard drive. It was all one partition and is 4 TB in size. I wanted a small windows partition to be able to use some other software. I managed to split the partition and it is now 3.95TB for the iMac and the other partition is 50Gm and is formatted as MS_DOS (FAT). How can I use this partition to give me windows or do I have to use bootcamp and after the partitioning reinstall my os system and then install windows.

Thanks for any help even you confirm that it cannot be done the way I am trying.

Motion 4, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jan 8, 2016 2:26 PM

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Q: forming windows partition on iMac

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  • by Loner T,Helpful

    Loner T Loner T Jan 9, 2016 12:20 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield
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    Jan 9, 2016 12:20 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield

    1. What year/model is your Mac?

    2. What is the version of Windows you want to install?

    3. You want to use BCA to create a Windows partition. Manual partitioning will only work with specific versions of Windows on specific Mac models after Late 2013.

    4. What is the version of OS X on your Mac?

  • by raymondfromwakefield,Helpful

    raymondfromwakefield raymondfromwakefield Jan 9, 2016 8:02 AM in response to Loner T
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    Jan 9, 2016 8:02 AM in response to Loner T

    My iMac is a late 2009 and the version of windows is Home premium 7 . I have just updated to El Capitan. Am I right in thinking that if I use bootcamp it will delete everything on the hard drive in the process and therefore I will have to restore from time machine. I do have a large external drive which has been in use as a Time Machine for some time. Would it be better to do one complete time machine back up to help reinstall. Thanks for the time you gave to reply.

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Jan 9, 2016 5:47 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield
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    Jan 9, 2016 5:47 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield

    Bootcamp will not erase your hard-drive, unless you want it to. Normally, it partitions your disk to allow Windows to be installed.

     

    Can I suggest you start at How to install Windows using Boot Camp - Apple Support ?

     

    The following links should also help.

     

    https://help.apple.com/bootcamp/assistant/6.0/

    https://help.apple.com/bootcamp/controlpanel/5.1/

  • by raymondfromwakefield,

    raymondfromwakefield raymondfromwakefield Jan 9, 2016 6:34 AM in response to Loner T
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    Jan 9, 2016 6:34 AM in response to Loner T

    Hi

    Thanks for your reply but when I open Bootcamp assistant i get the following message

    The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition.

    The startup disc must be formatted as a single Mac OS Extended (journaled) volume or already partitioned by Boot Camp Assistant for installing windows.

     

    My drive shows that the partition map is a  GUID Partition Map and has a capacity of 4TB

    Under this the main drive shows a capacity of 4TB

    INFO shows it to be OS X Extended journaled and bootable. It has partition number 2

    This was why at one stage I was trying to partition manually but I have put all that back to how it was.

    Still Grateful of any help or else  I fear I am into the time consuming task of a complete reinstall.  Ta

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Jan 9, 2016 7:12 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield
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    Jan 9, 2016 7:12 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield

    OSX will not have any issues dealing with a 4TB disk, but the BC Assistant and the Windows installer will have problems.

     

    Your 2009 Mac supports Windows only in legacy BIOS/MBR mode. This imposes severe limitations when it comes to handling disks larger than 2TB, because such MBRs use 32-bit numbers. On drives larger than 2TB, you have the following options,

     

    1. Install OSX on an external USB Flash drive and boot from it and install Windows on the internal drive first, which uses the first 2TB (or smaller - based on your requirements), and then install OS X in the remainder of disk space.

     

    2. Use command-line diskutil commands, to create a Fusion-drive look-alike (called CoreStorage) and partition it in such a way that you have windows wishing the first 2TB of the disk. This is what Apple uses on Fusion drives larger than 2TB.

     

    3. Backup OS X using Time Machine, erase your internal disk, split it into a FAT and JHFS+ file system, with FAT being first, and restore OS X from backup on the second part of the internal disk.

     

    There are other variants of the same basic methods. Please choose one to proceed further, and we can get started.

  • by raymondfromwakefield,

    raymondfromwakefield raymondfromwakefield Jan 9, 2016 8:44 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield
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    Jan 9, 2016 8:44 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield

    Hi Again, Really appreciate the time you are giving to help me. I am going to do a full backup of my computer using time machine and then try the 3 rd option. I only need to use windows as I mark on line and the examination board does not support apple. In the past I have used 32GB for the windows instal as I don't intend to load any software except their online marking programme. The full backup is going to take 1.1TB so it will take some time. Thanks again and further advice will be appreciated.

     

    Ray willis

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Jan 9, 2016 9:57 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield
    Level 7 (24,307 points)
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    Jan 9, 2016 9:57 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield

    Post back when you start with option 3. We can address issues as the arise.

  • by raymondfromwakefield,

    raymondfromwakefield raymondfromwakefield Jan 10, 2016 6:25 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield
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    Jan 10, 2016 6:25 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield

    I have started a complete new backup to a time machine desk. It is half way through a 1.2 TB backup which will probably take the rest of the day. Once I erase  the drive as suggested ( but the windows will only be 50 GB in size) will I still have access to disc utility in order to split the partition as you suggest?

     

    Thanks

  • by raymondfromwakefield,

    raymondfromwakefield raymondfromwakefield Jan 10, 2016 12:47 PM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 10, 2016 12:47 PM in response to Loner T

    HI,

    My time machine backup has completed. Just to make sure of the next step.... If I use disc utilities to erase my internal disc, how do I start my iMac again to be able to partition the drive and will it be okay to make the windows partition only 50 GB as I only need the use of windows for one particular piece of software and don't intend to use it for anything else.

     

    Cheers  Ray

  • by raymondfromwakefield,

    raymondfromwakefield raymondfromwakefield Jan 12, 2016 11:22 AM in response to Loner T
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    Jan 12, 2016 11:22 AM in response to Loner T

    HI, I now have a complete backup and am trying to copy a image of my install disk onto a flash drive. When I boot from this will it give me the option to erase the drive and make the partitions you suggest.

    many Thanks   ray

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Jan 12, 2016 2:28 PM in response to raymondfromwakefield
    Level 7 (24,307 points)
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    Jan 12, 2016 2:28 PM in response to raymondfromwakefield

    Please see Boot Camp: Remove Windows from your Mac to remove Windows. Do not use Disk Utility.

     

    Once it has been removed, use Step 3 to recreate your FAT partition and restore OSX and install Windows on the smaller FAT Partition.

  • by raymondfromwakefield,

    raymondfromwakefield raymondfromwakefield Jan 13, 2016 1:55 AM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 13, 2016 1:55 AM in response to Loner T

    Hi,

    Sorry but I don't understand your last reply. I do not have windows on my iMac but I am trying to install it in a small partition simply to use one piece of software which has no support for OS X. I have now created a bootable usb disk for El Capitan, but still struggle to see how I can erase the full internal hard drive. All software is up to date and I have a full backup. Thanks

  • by Loner T,Solvedanswer

    Loner T Loner T Jan 13, 2016 4:14 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield
    Level 7 (24,307 points)
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    Jan 13, 2016 4:14 AM in response to raymondfromwakefield

    You now have a Time Machine backup.

     

    1. Re-Boot into Internet Recovery using Command+Opt+R - OS X: About OS X Recovery - Apple Support .

    2. In Recovery Console, use Disk Utility and erase your entire internal drive.

    3. Split the disk into two partitions. The first one should be FAT and choose a size (recommendations is about 60GB+) that you want for Windows. The second partition will Mac OSX Extended (Journaled).

    4. Restore your TM Backup to the second partition created in step 3.

    5. Boot from this OSX installation on the internal disk. Verify that it works properly and your files are in place.

    6. Burn your Windows ISO file to a physical DVD, if necessary - OS X El Capitan: Burn CDs and DVDs .

    7. Boot from this DVD and install Windows in the FAT partition from step 3.

  • by raymondfromwakefield,

    raymondfromwakefield raymondfromwakefield Jan 13, 2016 5:29 AM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 13, 2016 5:29 AM in response to Loner T

    TThanks for all your help.  Restoring from backup onto 2 Nd disc at moment. Cheers. Ray

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