Running Windows 7 on the iMac 27

[dimensional]

hi,

I am considering running Windows 7 and OS X on an iMac 27 with a 256GB SSD and 2TB drive.

What is the best way to partition those two drives across both operating systems?

Also, is there some way to switch OSes that uses hibernation (or something like that) rather than simple rebooting so that I don't lose my desktop?

thank you

 

[zaffle]

afaik, the bootcamp drivers allow you to read and write to a HFS+ partition, so there's no need to partition your storage drive, meaning that you only need to partition the SSD. how much you give windows on that drive, however, is entirely down to your usage.

and no, i don't think there's a way to "hibernate" the system.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I got some great feedback to part of what you are asking in the lower part of this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/86/

Nutshell: given the idea that OS X and applications should be stored on the SSD for read (loading) speed, it makes great sense that Windows 7 and Windows applications should also be stored on a Windows partition on the SSD. Then, the regular hard drive is partitioned for both OS X and Windows too, so that it can be your data (regular writing) drive.

Basically, it appears the good strategy is to think of the SSD as the place to write infrequently (which is why OS and programs go there) while the hard drive is the place to write regularly. Then, the SSD is fast reads and the hard drive is where you write. Makes sense to me.

Hellhammer provided some excellent related feedback in that other thread.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

afaik, the bootcamp drivers allow you to read and write to a HFS+ partition, so there's no need to partition your storage drive

How confident are you in this? I completely thought that i would have to partition both the SSD (for the OS) AND the hard drive, resulting in NFTS partitions on both the SSD and the hard drive. I don't know much about boot camp though, so I'd love for someone that knows for sure to chime in on this.