Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

What size partition do you use for Windows - why?

C

CST

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 14, 2008
55
0
I just got my new Mac Pro set up and am going to install Vista via Bootcamp. I'm just wondering what size partition people use. I'm thinking 60 GB on a 320 GB drive. I would only use it sparingly. Mostly for a select few programs that I may still need to use on a PC.

I haven't used Vista yet so I still need to find out what version is right for me. I think 60 should be sufficient though. If you can talk me down from there that'd be nice too. I really don't want to use any space for it but I know I'll need it at some point.

Thanks.
 
Depends on how many programs and stuff you'll put on there. 15GB for a naked Vista install is a minimum. Plus all the updates and such add 5GB, plus any apps you install if you're doing bootcamp.

Again, depends on what you're doing. M$ says 40GB minimum. I'd go 60GB at a minimum, especially if you plan on using it for work or play.

Have you looked at CrossOver Mac? You don't even need to install windows to run apps: http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/
 
Be careful. It seems that Vista corrupted the MBR on my second drive. I can't install Vista and I can't use OSX to repair it, since it fails every time. I'm trying a few other things now but it's pretty annoying.
 
I'd like to try it, but with all the big $$ donations made to other applications I don't think they'll get to Crysis before I've finished it on the PC, and Playstation3.
 
ajx22 said:
There are only a select few programs that CrossOver will allow to run.

Be sure to ensure that the specific program you need to run is included in that list.

~ Aloha ~
Click to expand...

Good tip, I'll check that out. I'm thinking I'm going to at least try boot camp for the experience.
 
Yeah, I'm putting XP in bootcamp so I can use parallels for those lovely web apps that require IE 6 or 7+... I'd play an FPS or two, but I'm not really willing to shutdown and start in winblows. That's what interests me about CrossOver Mac. I think you can download/try/use for free... too tired to check right now though.. lol
 
eyecool said:
Depends on how many programs and stuff you'll put on there. 15GB for a naked Vista install is a minimum. Plus all the updates and such add 5GB, plus any apps you install if you're doing Boot Camp.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I run Vista Ultimate. I also have The Orange Box installed. 27GB partition; I have two gigs left over. It's the full Orange Box. Vista doesn't really need 40 or even 15 GB to install. Before I got The Orange Box, I ran Vista in 12 gigs and XP in 10.

It's amazing how adaptable the OS is when you force it to install in a smaller space.
 
Tallest Skil said:
Yeah, I run Vista Ultimate. I also have The Orange Box installed. 27GB partition; I have two gigs left over. It's the full Orange Box. Vista doesn't really need 40 or even 15 GB to install. Before I got The Orange Box, I ran Vista in 12 gigs and XP in 10.

It's amazing how adaptable the OS is when you force it to install in a smaller space.
Click to expand...

Excellent to see someone running The Orange Box. That's the first app I'm installing into my Bootcamp partition.

How's it working out for you? Are you glad you went with Vista instead of XP? Also - are you using the Mighty Mouse with The Orange Box? :)
 
Well, truth be told... I'm still on our family iMac (the one in my sig).:eek:
I'll be getting my Mac Pro for college in due course, but The Orange Box is the only reason I use Boot Camp at all. I couldn't pass up Portal, and now that I've played the Half-Life series, I NEED HL2: E3.:p The Orange Box runs very well, especially since my graphics card is an X1600. I haven't tried any antialiasing or that... other thing... but I can run all of the other settings on all the games at their highest settings with no slowdown. Wait... except HL2: E2, I turn... something... down a little to give me a better framerate... Tanj in this memory...

I've never run TOB on XP, but I did run XP before Vista. I don't know... I guess I'm going with Vista for DX10, as the only reason I even have it at all is gaming; and when I get my BD/HD-DVD combo drive, to play movies of that nature... (On a side note, does anyone know definitively if the Plextor PX-B920SA is coming out in America? I can only find it on the European site)

I'm sure that on my Mac Pro, decked out with two 8800 GT and running TOB at 3840x1200 with everything turned all the way up-even 8xAA and 16x... the other thing... it'll be beautiful. Until then, I sit here on my pitiful 17" screen and Gmod to my heart's content.

And yes, I'm using a Mighty Mouse. I know nothing else, would it be better if I used a different mouse? I don't have any problems with it... The only other mice I have are the Apple Pro Mouse from our iMac DV and the Apple Desktop Bus II Mouse from my LC 575. I use that with my iBook; it's fun!
 
I use office apps daily for business use but it is in an "auto resized" VMware Fusion partition/image file.
Works a treat as I dont have to give the total space over to windows to start off with.
 
20GB for Windows XP Pro.

I've managed to cut my dependance of most the programs from my Windows days and there are only a couple of things I still can't get for the Mac, so 20GB is plenty big enough.
 
Windows partition and Time Machine

I ordered my mac pro this week, so he will be here in 1 or 2 weeks.

I will have 4 drives with the mac pro raid card and RAID 1+0.

Is it right, that I have to use a external drive for Time Machine and the Windows partition?

Can I use one hard disk and split this drive. For example the external drive is 500 GB and I use 250 GB for Windows and 250 GB for Time Machine?

How much space should I use for Time Machine?
 
CST said:
Nice, what are you on? You used RAID right? I don't know if I've seen a 1.5 drive yet.
Click to expand...

I think he meant all together :)
I run XP via Parallel but not through boot camp for one lousy app I have to use and it makes me sick every time I start it up :mad:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back