Installing bootcamp on Macbook without reformatting HDD or Mac OS disc

[stval]

Not sure if there is a solution, but I might as well ask. I've managed to lose the OS disc that came with my Macbook. I know that I can install bootcamp without it by downloading the drivers to run it, but I have to reformat my hard drive first to partition it first, which I can't really do because I won't be able to reinstall OSX. Is there anyway of making a partition for bootcamp without reformatting the drive, or perhaps of getting a replacement OS disc, which'd pretty much solve everything.

Thanks

 

[simsaladimbamba]

1. You can contact Apple and ask for replacement disks, they should cost less than 30 USD.

2. If your Mac came with Mac OS X 10.6.2 and earlier, you could buy the Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Upgrade DVD for 29 USD.

3. If you have an external HDD handy, and which is properly formatted*, you can clone your Mac OS X partition to it, boot from it, and erase the internal HDD properly* and then clone the OS back, thus your data is in one continuous block and you shall be able to create a Boot Camp partition for Windows.

*

How to format a new HDD/SSD to install Mac OS X or make a bootable copy onto​

 

[stval]

Thanks. I have a time machine backup of my hard drive, will that work?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Thanks. I have a time machine backup of my hard drive, will that work?

No, as you need the installation disk to restore from a TM backup, and a TM backup is not bootable like a clone would be. If there is enough storage capacity left on the TM HDD you could use that HDD to clone the OS to, but be careful with the CCC settings.

 

[stval]

So, what I need to do is clone the HDD onto the external, bootup from that one, reformat the internal HDD, then restore the clone onto that one?

The external I've got is connected via USB, will it work?
Sorry, I'm not as computer savvy as the rest of my generation.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

So, what I need to do is clone the HDD onto the external, bootup from that one, reformat the internal HDD, then restore the clone onto that one?

Yep.

The external I've got is connected via USB, will it work?

Yep.