Reinstalling OSX – What happens to my boot camp install?

[hamsterburger]

I have recently been having problems with OSX. It has gotten so bad that I can’t even boot into OSX anymore. My Windows 7 bootcamp install works perfectly though.

I’d like to reinstall OSX. What will happen to my windows install? Will reinstalling OSX somehow damage my Windows partition?

Thanks

 

[balamw]

Will reinstalling OSX somehow damage my Windows partition?

Not if you install it to the HFS+ partition on your HDD.

I'd boot from the install CD. Run Disk Utility from the Utilities menu, and erase the contents of the HFS+ (Mac) partition. (clean slate).

Then return to the installer and select the newly erased drive as the target of the install.

EDIT: To be safe, make sure you back up your Windows partition anyhow. You can use Winclone for this easily.

B

 

[hamsterburger]

Ok, thanks for that info. I dont really have any files that need backing up om the windows partition, but it would have been a major hassle to have to reinstall boot camp and all the programs.

 

[balamw]

Ok, thanks for that info. I dont really have any files that need backing up om the windows partition, but it would have been a major hassle to have to reinstall boot camp and all the programs.

Better safe than sorry! A quick backup will allow you for a quick recovery when (not if) things go wrong.

B

 

[SolRayz]

It will do nothing to your bootcamp partition. You should be fine.

 

[lucifiel]

I don't think the OP can use Winclone given that OS X isn't working.

A windows side back up will have to suffice.

 

[balamw]

If the OP has an external drive (which they should anyhow to store the winclone image) they can install OS X to that, boot from it and use winclone that way before re-installing on the internal drive.

B