Can bootcamp use a pre-existing windows 2nd drive?

Joined
Apr 7, 2008
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Points
1
On Leopard using 2008 mac pro with leopard on a single hard drive, can I place a 2nd hard drive with a pre existing windows vista partition (from a windows computer) on it and get it to be accessible in bootcamp? If so can it be NTFS or does it have to be Fat32.

Also, regardless of the above, can the bootcamp windows installation drive have more tha one partition that windows uses? for instance I would have 1 drive for Leopard with a single partition; one drive for windows with multiple partitions (one for windows as c:; one for windows programs, and one for windows games all accesible to the windows booting environment)

And lastly, can fusion be made to work with this new "bootcamp" window installation once it is already functional in bootcamp?

Thanks.
 
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
6,879
Reaction score
191
Points
63
Location
Tucson, AZ
Your Mac's Specs
Way... way too many specs to list.
Even if it can, assuming drastic hardware changes windows probably will not load successfully.
 
OP
xgman
Joined
Apr 7, 2008
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Could use the vista repair boot disk in that case I guess.
 
OP
xgman
Joined
Apr 7, 2008
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Well booting a separate vista 32 hard drive with 3 existing windows partitions formated in NTFS into safe mode from bootcamp resulted in a few driver auto updates and a reboot and then a perfectly working vista drive complete with a separate swap file parttion. It was actually considerably easier than swaping motherboards in a normal windows box. I was actually quite amazed at how easitly it worked and without any crashes whatsoever
 
Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Looking for an update...

Hey xgman,

I hope your are still in these forums. I'm getting my MBP tomorrow and I wanted to know how your got boot camp to recognize the pre-existing install on the external? I have the same situation and I wanted some pre-advice.

randalltrini


Well booting a separate vista 32 hard drive with 3 existing windows partitions formated in NTFS into safe mode from bootcamp resulted in a few driver auto updates and a reboot and then a perfectly working vista drive complete with a separate swap file parttion. It was actually considerably easier than swaping motherboards in a normal windows box. I was actually quite amazed at how easitly it worked and without any crashes whatsoever
 
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
25,564
Reaction score
486
Points
83
Location
Blue Mountains NSW Australia
Your Mac's Specs
Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
Have not seen any posts by him in what - four years or so?

Try PM, cursor over name, click and choose Personal Message.
 
Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Will try that

Thanks harry. I had clicked on his username and saw he last posted in 2010 so I had hoped he was just lurking. I will try to PM him.

R

Have not seen any posts by him in what - four years or so?

Try PM, cursor over name, click and choose Personal Message.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top