Successful setup: OS X Lion + Bootcamp Win7 + Data Partition

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Successful setup: OS X Lion + Bootcamp Win7 + Data Partition Adding a 3rd (or more) partition to OS X Lion & Bootcamp

#1 ernopena_nyc

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Posted 28 August 2011 - 04:06 AM

Successful setup: OS X Lion + Bootcamp Win7 + Data Partition

After many, many hours I think I've finally figured out how to successfully install Mac OS X Lion with Windows 7 on a Bootcamp partition AND an 3rd data partition. Here is a screenshot of my setup on my 13" MacBook Pro:

https://lh4.googleus..._screenshot.png

As you can see, I have my internal 500GB hard drive partitioned the following way:

120GB OS X Lion (system and apps)
316GB workspace partition (user files, projects)
64GB Bootcamp Windows 7 Ultimate

To make this work, I started with the standard procedure of installing OS X Lion on a single Mac OS Ext partition and using Bootcamp Assistant to build the Bootcamp partition for Windows.

Then I did 2 key things:

1. Before installing Windows on the Bootcamp partition, I first went back to Disk Utility, shrunk the OS X Lion partition, and inserted a 3rd partition Workspace_HD for all my user files. Then I restarted and installed Windows 7.

2. After Win 7 Ultimate, the Bootcamp drivers and Office 2010 were installed and activated, I DID NOT make any changes to any partitions. I can put whatever I want on any partition, but I CAN NOT shrink, resize, delete, create, or modify any partition. Any change to the partition tables after Windows is installed will BREAK the Bootcamp partition.

I went thru 3 broken installs of Bootcamp/Win7 to figure this out.

Again, the key to this working is creating your extra partitions AFTER you make the Bootcamp partition but BEFORE you install Windows. And once Windows is installed, you CAN NOT shrink, resize, delete, create, or modify any partition.

I will rebuild my system for a 5th time to fully document the process with screenshots, but this time with 5 partitions: OS X Lion startup, Workspace, custom 20GB OS X Lion recovery partition, 30GB FAT32 shared Mac/Win data partition, and a Bootcamp partition with Windows 7 Ultimate.

Until then, I hope this works for you!! Good Luck!! ;-)[/font]

#2 iWind130290

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Posted 14 September 2011 - 05:19 PM

ernopena_nyc, on 28 August 2011 - 04:06 AM, said:

120GB OS X Lion (system and apps)
316GB workspace partition (user files, projects)
64GB Bootcamp Windows 7 Ultimate

If you plan to create 3th partition after Bootcamp.app work, you don't need to use the Bootcamp.app to install Windows OS. For your "knowledge", Type "diskutil list" in Terminal to find out something that I don't want to say here.. lol.. In my opinion, the best way to create the DATA partition is moving RecoveryHD to an USB. Then do anything thing you want just as what you can do with SnowLeopard. lol..

#3 macnuke

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Posted 14 September 2011 - 05:57 PM

just a note...

having a partition for data...

wasted idea imo... especially if you want to use it for both Win and Mac.

Mac OS partition + bootcamp partition + NTFS for Mac = Win ( and not windows )

my prediction.... you shall run out of room somewhere and need to resize.

#4 iWind130290

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Posted 23 September 2011 - 04:48 AM

macnuke, on 14 September 2011 - 05:57 PM, said:

The DATA partition will help you to save time when you want to do a clean re-install Mac OS. It also provide more and more read&write space for Windows OS. He's talking about the problem when you create DATA partition after installing windows by bootcamp in Lion OS. There's a few bugs. But they're really easy to be passed.. lolllllllll...

This post has been edited by iWind130290: 23 September 2011 - 04:53 AM

#5 macnuke

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Posted 23 September 2011 - 07:15 AM

never having to have had to re-install Mac OS.. i don't know what you mean. why would you re-install it?
it's simple enough to take care of what you have.

and how does that provide more space for Windows OS read/write space?
it's limited to the bootcamp partition.

This post has been edited by macnuke: 23 September 2011 - 07:16 AM

#6 StaufferSchnaufer

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Posted 15 November 2011 - 03:35 AM

macnuke, on 14 September 2011 - 05:57 PM, said:

Hi there macnuke,

I'm interested in what you say here.

I'm on the cusp of upgrading my MacBook Pro with a larger hard drive and will introduce Win7 either via BootCamp or VM or possibly both, not yet decided.

Could you elaborate a bit on what you mean by "Mac OS partition + bootcamp partition + NTFS for Mac = Win" and specifically what type of partition are you describing in 'NTFS for Mac'? In what way does the optimal set-up you advocate differ from that described by ernopena_nyc?

Thanks,

#7 macnuke

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Posted 15 November 2011 - 09:39 AM

one thing that is certain... you WILL outgrow your disk space.

partitioning just makes what you have smaller.

for those without the resources of multiple internal drives...
if Mac OS is your main boot and you use Windows for some light work.
70/30 or 75/25 is the drive partition.

one thing people always forget... both Mac OS and Windows have a folder called "Shared"

use it.
really.
your life just became 98% easier when moving stuff across the OS's.

as far as Bootcamp + VM.... it's great.
use the same scheme as above... and your life becomes 100% easier when moving stuff across the OS's. ( no reboot)

have Mac OS installed..
SECOND step is to run Bootcamp and install your Win 7
THIRD..... install VM and select the Bootcamp partition to use in VM.

no wasted space.
no having to install Windows twice.
both VM and Bootcamp share the same space... so getting to anything regardless of Bootcamp or VM is targeted to the same locations by default.

#8 StaufferSchnaufer

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Posted 02 December 2011 - 10:58 AM

ernopena_nyc, on 28 August 2011 - 04:06 AM, said:

[font="Arial Black"]Successful setup: OS X Lion + Bootcamp Win7 + Data Partition

[size="3"]
I will rebuild my system for a 5th time to fully document the process with screenshots, but this time with 5 partitions: OS X Lion startup, Workspace, custom 20GB OS X Lion recovery partition, 30GB FAT32 shared Mac/Win data partition, and a Bootcamp partition with Windows 7 Ultimate.

Hey there,

Have you implemented this yet and if so, how is this system working out?

I like the idea of a separate data partition but the sentiment on this thread and on other forums too related to Windows / Boot Camp is that this is deemed unnecessary. Your Workspace partition, I take it, is intended to be accessible only by OSX or do you also have software installed on the Windows' side to allow writing to the Workspace disk from within Windows? This though is where the 30GB FAT32 partition comes in presumably...

How do you go about backing up this FAT32 partition by the way?

Regards,

This post has been edited by StaufferSchnaufer: 02 December 2011 - 11:24 AM

#9 macnuke

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Posted 02 December 2011 - 11:19 AM

StaufferSchnaufer, on 02 December 2011 - 10:58 AM, said:

How do you go about backing up this FAT32 partition by the way?

you win the prize on that one.

I am still :blink:

that a person would take a Hard Drive.. especially one as small as what's in a laptop and do any of the above.
backing one disk format is easy.
backing two requires a little creativity.
backing three... especially when they are all on one drive is a nightmare

with VM as good as it is..
and Bootcamp as good as it is.
and most important, the price of hard drives..
the OP is working way way too hard to do something that is so very very simple.

this coming from someone with one Mac that runs.....
Mac OS Tiger, Snow Leopard, Lion, Windows Xp Pro, Win 7 Pro, Win Server 2003, Linux Ubuntu and UNIX ( Solaris )
all either booted to or in VM.
and easily backed up.

#10 StaufferSchnaufer

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Posted 02 December 2011 - 11:56 AM

macnuke, on 02 December 2011 - 11:19 AM, said:

StaufferSchnaufer, on 02 December 2011 - 10:58 AM, said:

How do you go about backing up this FAT32 partition by the way?

you win the prize on that one.

I am still :blink:

Which of these two scenarios would you be more inclined to go with macnuke:

1. Having an NTFS for Mac product on the OSX side and a shared NTFS partition for use by both OSes?

or

2. Sidestep the extra partition and instead also use a HFS for Windows solution on the Win7? Would this twin set of opposing drivers be a recipe for trouble?

What am I overlooking here?

This post has been edited by StaufferSchnaufer: 02 December 2011 - 11:58 AM

#11 macnuke

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Posted 02 December 2011 - 01:25 PM

simplest and easiest to use solution for a one hard drive system.

boot like normal into Mac OS X.
launch Bootcamp Assistant.
partition drive to about 67%/33% ... Mac OS/Windows.
exit and reboot to your Windows install
first.. convert the bootcamp partition to NTFS.
then install Windows.
when it's all completed, remember your restarts require you to hold the <option> key so you can select Bootcamp partition to boot into.
eject the windows disc and insert your Mac OS install disc while still booted into Windows.
open it up and run the installer there as it's your drivers.
then run the Bootcamp updater while you are still in windows.

now once your bootcamp and Windows is functional.. yer almost all set.
now, both Windows and Mac OS have a folder called "Shared"
really... use it for moving stuff back and forth. it's what the OS's see easily and it's there for a reason.
so use it. your iTunes music can go there and be targeted by both systems with means you don't have to duplicate it ( mine is around 47Gigs now so ugh )

I do recommend NTFS for Mac.. it allows the Mac to write to the NTFS partition as well as read it.
if you do not want to bother and save a couple dollars..
again.. use the Shared folder.

if you want to have fast access to something windows only and do not wish to reboot...
install VMware or Parallels on the Mac side and just use the Bootcamp install as your Windows.
so no duplication there.

#12 macnuke

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Posted 02 December 2011 - 01:33 PM

my set up for what it's worth...

boot drive... 100% Mac OS Lion
2nd drive.... Mac OS Snow leopard with 500G Bootcamp w/Win7.
this 2nd drive also has latest VMware on it targeting the Bootcamp partition.
I can access it while booted from drive 1 with no probs and use Win7, Server, Solaris, Ubuntu and Tiger.
3rd drive... misc stuff and scratch disk for applications.
4th drive.. my local backup.

#13 elasticmind

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Posted 21 January 2012 - 11:33 AM

ernopena_nyc, on 28 August 2011 - 04:06 AM, said:

120GB OS X Lion (system and apps)
316GB workspace partition (user files, projects)
64GB Bootcamp Windows 7 Ultimate

Not much success here.
I've done the partitioning the Bootcamp part and before it started installing Windows 7 I went to Disk Utility and shrink the Macintosh HD and created new HFS+ formated partition. BUT when I rebooted and tried to install Windows 7 it says that cannot be installed on GPT partition. I've tried to format it or delete it and create new (under the WIndows 7 installer) - NO SICCESS.

It seems that the creation of the second HFS+ partition changes the boot record or something... and this prevents installing WIndows on the Bootcamp partition.

Am I missing something?

#14 macnuke

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Posted 21 January 2012 - 12:52 PM

elasticmind, on 21 January 2012 - 11:33 AM, said:

ernopena_nyc, on 28 August 2011 - 04:06 AM, said:

120GB OS X Lion (system and apps)
316GB workspace partition (user files, projects)
64GB Bootcamp Windows 7 Ultimate

you will be missing on space with a useless data partition. every time you partition, you lose space.
why people think this MacOS/Bootcamp/Data scheme is good is beyond me.

install Mac OS....
Install Bootcamp with Windows.
install NTFS for Mac.... this is Software. installed in Mac OS which allows reading and writing to an NTFS partition.

having a "Data" partition in no way shape or form .... protects anything... secures anything.... makes it easier... or benefits anything.
that's why you back up your stuff on something besides your physical boot drive. no matter how many partitions is on it.

while the OP's set up is interesting and can be done.. it's a can of hurt for most people for any long term viability.
and if you read the first part of the first sentence.... "After many, many hours....."
my time is worth more than the trouble of this set up..
and this set up is definitely not worth maintaining.
it's a time sink.
if you can afford the time to sink in it..your priorities are different than the majority of humans on this planet.
nothing wrong with that... other than all that time is not very productive for anything else.