Limited HD space, but want to game on windows...

[NJPitcher]

So I have 22gb left on my MBP (I only have a 100gb HD), and I have vista ultimate, and I want to install it so i can play games (well, I'm only interested in one game right now, B&W 2, but anyways). I don't think I'll have enough room on my HD if I partition a 15g space - I'd feel too cramped.

Oo, actually, I just thought of this - since I can access my windows partition while running osx, could I put all of my itunes/iphoto on the windows partition, and still have them accessible for itunes/iphoto? They're what takes up the most space.

Anyways, if I can't do that, can I boot windows from an external hd and have it be fast enough to play games?

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

No to all of your questions.
and No to one of your statements. You can look at your windows partition in OS X, and you can copy from it, but you can't write to it, so you couldn't put your iTunes/iPhoto Library on it.

 

[NJPitcher]

Wow, fast response. So I guess my only real option is to get an external and operate itunes/iphoto off of that to free up space on my computer. Ugh.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Wow, fast response. So I guess my only real option is to get an external and operate itunes/iphoto off of that to free up space on my computer. Ugh.

Or get a bigger hard disk. 320GB should be plenty. Has anyone come out with the 500GB that fits in the Macbook/Macbook Pro yet?

 

[NJPitcher]

I didn't know I could upgrade my internal hd - I thought only the macbooks could do it?

 

[iShater]

I use a mini-external drive to store my iTunes library since I ran low on disk space on my powerbook. I don't sync my iPod that often, so it has worked great for me. When I am at home, I connect the external to update podcasts, rip new CDs or buy new music. It is not that bad actually. Much easier and cheaper than upgrading the internal.

Have you considered archiving old files that you don't use to make more room?

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

I didn't know I could upgrade my internal hd - I thought only the macbooks could do it?

you totally can. some people will tell you it voids your warranty but it definitely doesn't. Just search around for a good tutorial on how to do it.

 

[Radio Monk33]

Or get a bigger hard disk. 320GB should be plenty. Has anyone come out with the 500GB that fits in the Macbook/Macbook Pro yet?

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/09/samsungs-500gb-2-5-inch-drive-arrives-alongside-22x-dvd-burner/

500 gigs for laptops. I would love to get one when it gets cheaper..

 

[NJPitcher]

What about heat issues? Also, my friends and I bought a family pack for our leopard upgrades to save money, and I have no idea where the disc is - I guess that means I wouldn't have leopard then, right? I can't somehow transfer it to my new hd I'd assume. I have my tiger discs, but don't know if I'd want to go back...

 

[frazz]

No to all of your questions.
and No to one of your statements. You can look at your windows partition in OS X, and you can copy from it, but you can't write to it, so you couldn't put your iTunes/iPhoto Library on it.

I can write onto my Windows partition, it's no big deal. Try googling "write NTFS boot camp" or something.
I forgot exactly which program I used, but I can just treat the partition like another hard driver, reading and writing from the Mac side.

Maybe it was NTFS-3G or MacFUSE, those seem to be popular google results.

 

[NJPitcher]

Frazz-

Do you have to run the terminal scripts everytime you start up your mac, or once it's done is it permanently read/write? the macfuse/ntfs-3g route requires those terminal commands which could get annoying, but I guess I could just use automater to make my life easier?

 

[JNB]

you totally can. some people will tell you it voids your warranty but it definitely doesn't. Just search around for a good tutorial on how to do it.

The MBP HDD is not considered user-servicable by Apple, so while the OP can successfully replace their own drive and not void the warranty (the no harm-no foul concept), if they break it in the process (or if the new drive was determined to cause a failure), then the warranty is kaput.

 

[NJPitcher]

Yea, don't think I'm going the new internal HD because without the leopard install disc, I'm stuck with Tiger. I think I'm just going to try and free up space (I've already gotten up to 30 free, so I've gained 10gb) and go from there.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

You could also give Vista 10 gigs of space, and install B&W2 on the external drive. Personally I feel that 100gigs is too small in general (as is my 120gig drive!) and would opt to upgrade my internal if I have the funds, but I'm the type of person to rip into things and worry about putting it back together later...

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Yea, don't think I'm going the new internal HD because without the leopard install disc, I'm stuck with Tiger. I think I'm just going to try and free up space (I've already gotten up to 30 free, so I've gained 10gb) and go from there.

you could connect your new drive to your computer, use carbon copy cloner to copy your entire hard disk contents to the new one. After that you put your new hard drive in your computer and start up your computer, no need to reinstall.

 

[frazz]

Frazz-

Do you have to run the terminal scripts everytime you start up your mac, or once it's done is it permanently read/write? the macfuse/ntfs-3g route requires those terminal commands which could get annoying, but I guess I could just use automater to make my life easier?

Nope. I haven't had to do anything since I first set it up. In fact, I've repartitioned my hard drive and reinstalled Windows on multiple occasions without having to redo it.

 

[m1ss1ontomars]

Or get a bigger hard disk. 320GB should be plenty. Has anyone come out with the 500GB that fits in the Macbook/Macbook Pro yet?

Samsung, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Seagate, and possibly WD have all come out with them already, I think.

I was too lazy to do any detailed searching.

EDIT: Also, MacFUSE with NTFS-3g is necessary for NTFS writing on Mac OS X, unless you wanna pay for Paragon NTFS. MacFUSE allows you to make semi-virtual file systems. NTFS-3g allows MacFUSE to allow you to read and write NTFS drives.

 

[minicoop503]

Just put the games on a external drive. It might take a little bit longer to load the game, but once it is, its all stored in ram so you won't lose any fps.