2-3 Question about Bootcamp/ Windows.

[markus29ohm]

Hi, i have question, maybe for Mac Gurus, because I am Newbie,

Last time I install Windows 10 with Bootcamp and I resize it (sadly) under windows, so all data I ve lost at this.

So the question are:

- I will install Windows 7 or 10 with bootcamp (2.Partiton) on SSD - so I should make time by time backup from the whole Disk, can I do this with Time Machine? it must be a 100% sure way, so if HDD will crash I won't lost my data again Where is the way to do that?

- I hear theres a way to install Windows10 to EFI Partition and work parallel MacOS and Windows on 1 HDD, is that the better (best) way (also this could solve the Backup problem? - should this can taken after that with Time Machine??) Anybody have experience on that?

- Do anybody prefer me to stay on windows 7 as the parallel Windows on my Machine or its Windows 10 also good way?

Thanks a lot, sorry for the maybe little bad English

 

[D.T.]

Right, you can't use any of the OEM disk utilities (in either OS) to resize OSX<>Bootcamp, if you do, you'll lose the ability to boot. That being said, I believe even if you do, you can still access (read only of course) the now funked up Bootcamp partition from OSX if you need to retrieve files.

OK, if you have done this, there is hope, if you search around, there are some methods for restoring your Bootcamp using Gdisk (which you'll need to download, it's a free/opensource command line disk utility). The specifics of the process you'll have to find, but even if you're not particularly technical, it's easy to follow. I'd also caution you that any time you're modifying partition structures, boot sectors, etc., it's potentially dangerous.

Timemachine won't backup your BC partition, you'll need a different solution (cloud based backup on the Windows side, 3rd party HFS+ write drivers so you can store your user files on the OSX side, etc.)

If you install Windows 10 using Bootcamp, then yes, you can also create a VM instance from that same installation using Parallels. It's kind of handy for quick access when you don't want to fire up the whole machine - though recently when I've been in Windows, I've been less in my VM and more in the "native" Bootcamp for various reasons. Keep in mind the VM file (won't be the entire machine like a regular Parallels VM where it's the config and VHD)

Windows 10 is much better than 7, that's a touch subjective, if you're just running 7 in a VM and it handles what you want to do, you could just stick with that - don't know your Use Case.

Finally, in the future, if you do find yourself with a BC partition that needs resizing, I'm using this utility and it works terrific:

https://www.paragon-software.com/home/camptune/

 

[markus29ohm]

Thanks a lot for you detail reply. I don't want use VM, may Mac Pro also to old. Only in some cases I will try it to use it with VM.

You say of course right, I'll also need a 3. Partition for Data Sharing between Mac and Windows (BC), so this I should prepare before install BC-Windows already and create all Partition first there. I must look.

So an important question where, if it possible, to install Windows on EFI Partition directly, so BC not needed.

If everyone has experience on that, please tell me about it and how you do with boot loader or links how to do?
Also must know how to backup this system after finished install completely!? Possible with Time Machine to do
the whole backup.

Thanks very much. So maybe a Windows-VErsion choose Windows10, must thinking about it