Whats the best way to increase windows partition size so it can hold more games?

[shmutheprophet]

Right now my Windows partition is 20Gb, as it is basically full and I still want to install crysis, cod4, and CS:S, I need more room. Does anyone know the best way to do this?

[JNB]

Unfortunately, it's called delete and do over. You can use WinClone to preserve the current environment and then safely whack the Windows partition and re-establish it to the desired size in Boot Camp Assistant, then restore the WinClone image.

[MacDawg]

Yep, that's about it... a do over

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

[shmutheprophet]

Dang, Thanks. Oh well It's not like I have anything important. Just will need to spend 4 hours re-downloading TF2.

[Radio Monk33]

Just use winclone, it'll save you the trouble of reinstalling Windows as well as games and settings.

Step 1: Download winclone and save the image somewhere, maybe an external HD. (Basically a 1 click process)

Step 2: Delete your windows partition via Bootcamp Assistant.

Step 3: Make a larger partition in Boot Camp Assistant, but choose the option to quit and install the OS later.

Step 4: Use winclone to restore to the new enlarged Windows partition.

Easy!

NB: There may be a problem with disk fragmentation if your drive is near full, this may require a defragging of your hardrive, or for you to simply reinstall your OS from a time machine backup/Carbon Copy Cloner backup, THEN run boot camp assistant. Either way, it's doable.

[JNB]

Keep in mind that the Winclone (http://twocanoes.com/winclone/) process will take quite some time as it resizes the image a few times and drive your fan nuts. Be patient, don't panic, go read a book. It'll be OK.

[Radio Monk33]

Keep in mind that the Winclone (http://twocanoes.com/winclone/) process will take quite some time as it resizes the image a few times and drive your fan nuts. Be patient, don't panic, go read a book. It'll be OK.

As noted, it's a good way to push your system hard! I was running around 90% CPU load and basically maxed out my 4 gigs of RAM. Sweet!

[DARKJ3DI]

i have this problem too. Ive heard of an app called ipartition that supposedly can resize partitions non-destructively but i havnt tried it. can anyone confirm that it works?

[UltraNEO*]

i have this problem too. Ive heard of an app called ipartition that supposedly can resize partitions non-destructively but i havnt tried it. can anyone confirm that it works?



I doubt iPartition will resize your Windows partition because there's a 200MB hidden partition located just before it that store the partition data as created by BootCamp. I reckon deleting the 200MB hidden partition might erase the windows partition completely!! At least make it invisible, unusable and unbootable.

However, their site says otherwise...

Works with Boot Camp *

You can use iPartition on drives that contain Boot Camp volumes; in fact, you can even resize your Windows partitions, and let iPartition take care of reconfiguring the Windows boot process for you.


*supported guest operating systems: Windows XP 32-bit, Windows Vista 32-bit

http://www.coriolis-systems.com/iPartition.php

[Eddyisgreat]

Alternatively you could just make a new partition and format with NTFS (or something, thats what I did).

So now I have a 20 gig "system" partition and a 20 gig "game" partition.

[Cave Man]

iPartition does work, it's just clunky. If you decide to spend the $50 on it, give this (http://www.codeodor.com/index.cfm/2008/5/12/How-to-resize-your-Boot-Camp-partition-on-Mac-OS-X/2236) a read. Personally, if I didn't already have iPartition, I'd use Winclone.

[DARKJ3DI]

thank for the comments about ipartition. I might try using winclone on my boot camp partition in the morning. Oh, and i have tried removing that 128mb of free space between the partition using the gparted live cd. It wouldn't detect the ntfs partition when i hold own the option key so i had to re-install xp :(:(:(

[aerove]

best thing to do is get a external hd and install ur games in it .. [:D] thats what i do :cool:

[Demigod Mac]

best thing to do is get a external hd and install ur games in it .. [:D] thats what i do :cool:

That's what I've done and it's worked well for me. I got a Maxtor Firewire 400 drive and put all the PC games on it.

My Bootcamp partition is fairly small, but I can squeeze a game or two on there for the road whenever I have a trip coming up.

[DARKJ3DI]

I increased my boot camp partition to 32 GB from 15 GB. Thanks Guys! :o

[stainlessliquid]

you can install Macdrive and just put the games on your bigger partition

I never install games on the Windows partition. Its too difficult to predict how much space you will need for them since games can be so huge, you end up wasting too much extra space that doesnt get used or end up with too little.