Boot camp basics - partitions and parrallels

[plymman]

Hi, I've read quite a lot of posts on this but am totally new to osx, boot camp etc...and easily confused! I want to be able to boot into both osx and win 7 and i'd also like to be able to run win7 apps from within osx. Do I need to do a boot camp installation (for dual boot), and a parrallels/fusion install (to run apps within osx) to achieve this or will one method allow me to do both? I want to create a 200gb partition for windows and want to be able to see windows files from osx.

 

[MacDawg]

For what you want... you should run Bootcamp first and do your install
Then install Fusion or Parallels to read your Bootcamp partition

This allows you to boot natively into either OSX or Windows
And also allows you to run Windows virtually in OSX

Booting Windows on a Mac

 

[plymman]

Perfect, that's what I thought but I couldn't be sure. I'll do my boot camp thing tonight! Cheers

 

[NJRonbo]

I am new at this as well.

Been running Windows 7 under Parallels.

Want to additionally do Bootcamp. Have questions:

1. Where do I get the bootcamp software from.
Is it easy to install?

2. Here is the biggie: Can I run the same copy of
Windows 7 that I have running on Parallels? I take
it that it's going to be a separate install but I am
worried that Windows 7 is going to say I am using
their software on different machines.

Finally....

3. In Bootcamp, can I run everything perfectly
as I would in Windows? Really, I need it for HD
movie editing with either Pinnacle or Vegas software.

Thanks

 

[balamw]

1. Where do I get the bootcamp software from.
Is it easy to install?

Part of OS X.

Read. http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/Boot_Camp_Install-Setup_10.6.pdf

2. Here is the biggie: Can I run the same copy of Windows 7 that I have running on Parallels? I take it that it's going to be a separate install but I am
worried that Windows 7 is going to say I am using their software on different machines.

That's why MacDawg gave the install order he did. Boot Camp first, then tell Parallels/VMWare/Virtualbox to use that. This ends up being seen as a single activation due to some magic by some additional software installed by Parallels/VMWare/Virtualbox that makes it be seen as two hardware configurations on a single machine.

If you are using a retail/retail upgrade version of Windows, the worst case is that you will have to call microsoft to re-activate after you install fresh in Boot Camp. If you are using an OEM/System Builder's license you may not be able to install your license in Boot Camp as required to share a license.

NOTE: You can use W7 for up to 120 days without a license. If your need is short term, just do that. Install from your disc, but do not enter a product key and remember to extend your license before it expires.

3. In Bootcamp, can I run everything perfectly as I would in Windows? Really, I need it for HD movie editing with either Pinnacle or Vegas software.

In Boot Camp you are running Windows natively so things will run just as well as the would on a "PC" with similar hardware specs.

 

[NJRonbo]

This is what I am going to do....

I am going to format my Macbook. Just start
from scratch.

I'll do the bootcamp install first and then Parallels.

I'll follow MacDawg's link.

So, I am guessing, that by the time I install
Parallels the Windows installed on that VM will
recognize the key from the bootcamp.

Just so I understand...I will be installing Windows
twice...yes?

 

[sushi]

Just so I understand...I will be installing Windows
twice...yes?

Only once using this method.

First you install Windows onto the Bootcamp partition. Once you are done installing Windows and updates, then reboot into the Mac side and install VMware Fusion or Parallels. During installation either program will ask where you get your Windows image. At that point direct VMware Fusion or Parallels to your bootcamp partition.

 

[NJRonbo]

That's beautiful! Will format my Macbook Pro shortly.

 

[sushi]

^ How did it work? Are we happy?

 

[NJRonbo]

Yes! Yes! Yes!

A co-worker complained he could not get it
to work and had to reformat his computer.

..but here is the thing. If you try and do it
without reading the instructions you are bound
to have problems.

The trick is, after installing bootcamp and
Windows you have to eject the Windows disc
and put the Snow Leopard disc back in to
install additional drivers that takes about
5-10 minutes.

Afterwards, Bootcamp worked perfectly.
I then installed Parallels. When you start up
Parallels for the first time there are three
options. I took the chance and just started
the VM machine and it automatically found
the bootcamp Windows install.

The only gripe I have is there really isn't
a quick menu to select which operating
system you want to boot to. In OS X you
have to go into UTILITIES to set it. What
I do is just press the OPTION key during
bootup and it gives me a choice.

I am sure you guys have found other tricks.

But, WOW, it works perfectly. I can't
believe I am running Windows 7 natively
on a Mac computer -- though it's not my
operating system of choice.

Thank you so much for your help. Really.

 

[balamw]

I am sure you guys have found other tricks.

Check out rEFIt if you want more control of the boot process.

http://refit.sf.net.

B

 

[sushi]

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Glad to hear that all is working fine for you.

The only gripe I have is there really isn't a quick menu to select which operating system you want to boot to. In OS X you have to go into UTILITIES to set it. What I do is just press the OPTION key during bootup and it gives me a choice.

Something you might consider is to determine which place you will be in more often, Mac or Windows. Let's say Windows for discussion sake. Then you set the Startup Disc to Windows (Bootcamp partition). Now when you boot or restart you will go into Windows.

If you need to boot into the Mac side, you merely hold down the OPTION key during boot up to select the Mac side.

For me, this works well based upon my user needs. YMMV.

You can also explore rEFIt if you want more control as was mentioned above by balamw.

Thank you so much for your help. Really.

We appreciate your feedback as well.

Again, very glad to hear you got it working.

 

[NJRonbo]

Well, I installed rEFIT
but have no idea what it does.

So far I see nothing different.

Will try to look at documentation.

 

[balamw]

Will try to look at documentation.

I did say check it out, not install it. .

(e.g. set the timeout to 0 in the conf file and it will sit at the menu during boot waiting for you to pick an OS to boot.)

B

 

[NJRonbo]

balam,

Where is the config file? I don't even remember
a program icon being installed in Applications.

(I have my laptop off right now so I can't double
check but I am pretty sure I am correct).

I did use the OPTION key during boot and the
rEFIT menu did come up then. However, I would
like the rEFIT menu to come up automatically
every time I boot the computer.

Thanks for all the help.

..and while you are at it.

Having a tough time clicking within bootcamp Windows 7.

As is, it does not support my trackpad. I have to click
on a file a half dozen times before it is recognized.

Don't even know how to right click.

What's the best way to configure the Macbook Pro trackpad
to work fluently with Win 7?

 

[balamw]

Where is the config file? I don't even remember a program icon being installed in Applications.

I don't know as I'm not a rEFIt user myself. Maybe someone else can help. All I know is that they have one.

EDIT: http://refit.sourceforge.net/doc/c3s3_config.html

Starting with version 0.6, rEFIt has a configuration file. It must be in the same folder as “refit.efi” and must be named “refit.conf”. An example file with comments for each option is provided with the binary distribution.

You can probably find it with Spotlight.

What's the best way to configure the Macbook Pro trackpad
to work fluently with Win 7?

The latest drivers made it a lot better than before. Have you run Apple Software Update to make sure you have them. I turn off tap to click and dedicate the lower right corner to right click myself and it works OK. Not as clean as in OS X, but well enough.Also, I had a switch go. bad in my trackpad (the left one) they had to replace it, for a while there it felt like you describe, first on Windows then on OS X to the point I couldn't click on anything unless I did it in the lower right, which was (of course) set to right click.

B

 

[NJRonbo]

rEFIT is working well on my Mac. It was just
a matter of a reboot and now the menu
appears.

Had no idea that once you install bootcamp
that via Snow Leopard Mac software upgrade
will install new drivers.

Will do a new driver search and hope that
I can get better control of my trackpad under
Windows.

Thanks so much for your help.

 

[balamw]

Had no idea that once you install bootcamp that via Snow Leopard Mac software upgrade will install new drivers.

Apple Software Update is run from within Windows to get the new drivers...

B

 

[NJRonbo]

Where can I access those updates in Windows?

All I see is Windows and no shell to indicate it is working
in an Apple environment.

Thanks

 

[balamw]

Where can I access those updates in Windows?

All I see is Windows and no shell to indicate it is working
in an Apple environment.

Thanks

If you installed the drivers from the OS X install disc you should have a Boot Camp icon in your system tray (lower right) and at least an "Apple Software Update" icon in the Start menu.

If you don't have those, install the drivers from the install disc first.

B

 

[NJRonbo]

balamw,

Thank you.

I did install the drivers off the SL disc during
the initial bootcam setup.

I will look for that icon next time I boot into
Windows.

 

[Darrell*]

How do I get Parallels to "read my Bootcamp partition"?

For what you want... you should run Bootcamp first and do your install
Then install Fusion or Parallels to read your Bootcamp partition

This allows you to boot natively into either OSX or Windows
And also allows you to run Windows virtually in OSX

Booting Windows on a Mac

How do I get Parallels to "read my Bootcamp partition"? In Parallels when creating a vm, I'm given the choice of either choosing a physical CD/DVD, or choosing a specific single file path, not the entire Bootcamp drive. What obvious step am I overlooking? Many thanks.

 

[Darrell*]

Answering my own question

Hey Darrell*: Try clicking 'Skip Detection'; 'Continue'; then 'Custom'; then 'Continue' again and voila - "Boot Camp Partition" shows up as an option when creating a new vm. That'll solve your problem.