Easy Question Regarding Partitioning For WinXP on MBP

[bella92108]

I'm a fairly new mac user and was interested in getting in on the WINXP on mac thing, and as I'm reading through the forums, I don't see this question.

My question is this. Is there a way I can create a second partition without losing everything on the main partition that shipped with this MBP? I would like to try windows on here, but not if it means having to restart all my OSX and apps and what not. I know in windows you can create a second partition now without losing everything... so maybe I'm doing it wrong, I went into disk utility and it denied me because it's my "startup partition"...

Also, on that note, is there an app for mac that will make a ghost copy of EVERYTHING (including installed apps, settings and prefs, etc?) for the mac?

Thanks for your help everyone, I tried to make sure this hasn't been asked, but maybe I just missed it.

Thanks!

 

[calebjohnston]

There's a whole section for Windows on intel macs. Try looking around in there, I'm sure this has been discussed many times.

 

[bella92108]

There's a whole section for Windows on intel macs. Try looking around in there, I'm sure this has been discussed many times.

With the utmost respect, WHY did you bother responding to this post? Your comment was absolutely of no use. If you had read my post you would have seen there were two questions.

If your intention was to be helpful and wanted to post, you would post a link to a forum thread which discussed this topic specifically, not just a general "Windows on Mac" posting. Additionally, you didn't even address my second question.

I think the intention of this posting was simply to be a jerk. You must have read that I have attempted to look around in those sections without success to this specific question, and that I've done my research prior to posting a new thread on here.

 

[stevep]

Use Carbon Copy Cloner http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html to back up to an external drive (It's not a universal binary, but the CCC website says it works under Rosetta). As its name suggests, this will make an exact copy of everything (assuming you choose the option to back up the whole disc.) Don't forget to choose the option to make this copy bootable.
Then partition your drive. This will wipe it completely. I think there is an app that will allow you to partition on-the-fly as it were, but can't remember the name, and they recommend you do a backup first anyway, which makes it a bit pointless. It's not anywhere near as good as Partition Magic for the PC if I remember.
Have a look at the 'Windows on Mac' section of this forum for details on partition sizes and installation procedures - lots of helpful hints. Not having done it myself, I rather get the impression that the whole procedure is still experimental and you need to be pretty competent, so you can get yourself back out of any holes you might dig for yourself. Good luck.

 

[bella92108]

Use Carbon Copy Cloner http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html to back up to an external drive (It's not a universal binary, but the CCC website says it works under Rosetta). As its name suggests, this will make an exact copy of everything (assuming you choose the option to back up the whole disc.) Don't forget to choose the option to make this copy bootable.
Then partition your drive. This will wipe it completely. I think there is an app that will allow you to partition on-the-fly as it were, but can't remember the name, and they recommend you do a backup first anyway, which makes it a bit pointless. It's not anywhere near as good as Partition Magic for the PC if I remember.
Have a look at the 'Windows on Mac' section of this forum for details on partition sizes and installation procedures - lots of helpful hints. Not having done it myself, I rather get the impression that the whole procedure is still experimental and you need to be pretty competent, so you can get yourself back out of any holes you might dig for yourself. Good luck.

THANK YOU, finally, someone with some good advice... so the ghost\backup question answered, now does anyone know anything about apps that will partition without re-doing everything? I want to try the WindowsXP thing but REALLY REALLY don't want to have to re-do my system, I just want to cut a 4 gig section off the main drive and use it to install windows.

Anyone?

 

[joshwest]

There's a whole section for Windows on intel macs. Try looking around in there, I'm sure this has been discussed many times.

bella with the ut most respect, they were being rather nice. ive seen people tear someone a new one in a similar situation. you being a mac rumors newbie be alittle more respectful. not everyone wants to go the extra length to post a link, that you didnt bother using the search option in the first place.

 

[bella92108]

bella with the ut most respect, they were being rather nice. ive seen people tear someone a new one in a similar situation. you being a mac rumors newbie be alittle more respectful. not everyone wants to go the extra length to post a link, that you didnt bother using the search option in the first place.

It's not about newbie or not. I did my due diligence in searching as best I could. I don't think that was disrespectful of me, I think it was of him. If he couldn't say something productive, why say anything at all?

 

[calebjohnston]

Wow, I was definitely being helpful. You have a serious attitude problem -- I pointed you in the exact right direction.