Bootcamp didn't finish -- how can i continue install of windows on new partition?

Please back up OS X, Windows and create a Windows System Restore point to aid in future recovery, if such need ever arises.

I was about the last person in my company to change from XP to Windows 7. My laptop was never available for the upgrade. The IT team won in the end they simple ordered me a new laptop. I was in the market for a person laptop at the time Windows 8 came out but I wanted Windows 7. In the end I found an excellent Apple dealer that would install Windows 7 on a MacBook as part of the deal.

My colleagues and I stared using terminal servers for number crunching on the advice of our software supplier. The servers allowed us to access more memory. The companies IT team were use to the more normal use for servers and had real problems working around the policy for us. I am fairly sure the complicated way they were accessing the disc was slowing things down.

This brings me back to my original question about OS X Recovery. In my student days we had to do an exercise where we entered a small program into memory in binary using a line of switches on the front of the computer and then run the program. The computer didn’t need a disc to run.

I recently I had a disk drive cable failure while I was using my MacBook and it was interesting to see the behaviour. I could click some applications in the dock and they would respond. I suspect these applications were already loaded in memory. All this makes me wonder why OSX Recovery can’t be loaded into memory and then run independently of its disk partition. Clearly it doesn’t because it can’t overwrite its own partition while running. I guess that is modern architecture.

By the way you suggested to PaulBrowning that he should backup Windows. What’s the best way to back up BootCamp. I have WinClone Basic installed and have a clone copy on a separate USB disc drive and I also use the WinClone back up facility on separate partition of the same drive.

IanD1953 wrote:

This brings me back to my original question about OS X Recovery. In my student days we had to do an exercise where we entered a small program into memory in binary using a line of switches on the front of the computer and then run the program. The computer didn’t need a disc to run.

For example an IBM Unit Record machine. The term 'switch' in COBOL originates from the wiring needed to 'switch' modes of operation. I still have a stack of Hollerith cards from my DEC-10 days.

I recently I had a disk drive cable failure while I was using my MacBook and it was interesting to see the behaviour. I could click some applications in the dock and they would respond. I suspect these applications were already loaded in memory. All this makes me wonder why OSX Recovery can’t be loaded into memory and then run independently of its disk partition. Clearly it doesn’t because it can’t overwrite its own partition while running. I guess that is modern architecture.

It can be, and in a lot of cases, it is loaded in Flash cards or EEPROMs. Disks are cheaper. NVRAMs can also be used. The Recovery is no longer a couple of KB/MB. It is now a large program. The OS X Recovery has Safari, Unix Terminal, Disk Utility, Time Machine Recovery code, etc. 650MB is not that much in modern machines. It is a compressed image of a Base OS X system.

Internet Recovery is network boot from a trusted source, and is a very nice use of such functions. Please see OS X Server (Mountain Lion): Creating images for NetInstall, NetRestore, and NetBoot - Apple Support .

By the way you suggested to PaulBrowning that he should backup Windows. What’s the best way to back up BootCamp. I have WinClone Basic installed and have a clone copy on a separate USB disc drive and I also use the WinClone back up facility on separate partition of the same drive.

Winclone backup is restorable as a whole, and can be complemented with a Windows System Restore and File History to be fairly accurate and up to date. Windows System Image Recovery is a bit of a problem, because it wants to erase the entire disk with the assumption that it owns the disk. On a Mac, that is not the case.

Thanks that gives me a better understanding.