Help with HD partitioning

[Wie Gehts]

Hi.

I just ordered a 500gb hd to replace the 80gb in my macbook. I wanted to partition it so I can have a clone of my present hd.... plus a second large partition for a future install of snow leopard...and finally I'd like to leave a bit of a partition for the possibility of a windows install.

If I do put windows on at some point, my main use would be fairly slight....some light usage of hardware midi synth editors that aren't available on mac and maybe some other light musical use.

So I'd like to know is whats the install size of vista, or 7...and maybe how much 'breathing' room it may need above and beyond.

Also, being that I want to partition all this before a possible future install and have it ready.....how do you partition a hd so that one (or more) partitions are HFS+ for OSX and then *whatever* it is that windows uses in another partition?

I understand that leopard comes with bootcamp and I would assume it guides you through the process? Is there maybe a particular file format for windows that is better to use than another....like this fat32 thing or whathaveyou (I have no idea) LOL

Thanks for any enlightenment

 

[oculus42]

Ntfs

Give yourself at least 20 GB for Windows, probably 40 GB if you can spare it.

Windows prefers/requires NTFS for file systems these days. Mac OS X can read them by default but cannot write to them. For that you can get MacFUSE and the NTFS-3g driver. If you install MacFUSE, you can format drives NTFS as well, but you can just leave unpartitioned space at the end of the drive.

I'm guessing Boot Camp will still cope with multiple bootable Mac partitions, but I've never tried it. Boot Camp should let you partition space for Windows, and the Windows install process will let you format it properly.

 

[Wie Gehts]

Thanks...

my head is still in the pre OSX way of things so I get confused by what OSX disk utility is capable of....like once I partition a certain way, can I go back another time and maybe change some partitions without having to wipe the whole disc again...things like that

but..getting back to what I'm doing... so I was thinking if I do 120gb for my clone, 320-40gb for a leopard system+apps...that'll leave me with 40-60 for a windows partition + apps then.

BUT..is it OK if I just go ahead and partition my drive 3 ways.....all Mac formatted....and then be able to re-format that last 40-60gb partition with this NTFS when the time comes to install windows without disturbing my other 2 Mac system partitions?