backwards osx on windows 7..... my stupidity

Mohan1337 · Nov 9, 2009

Alright the other day i decided to format my mac and go strictly windows 7...... now i am regretting the decision and would like to reinstall osx onto my unibody mac book pro. I have tried using the windows disc management tool to partition my hdd and format the partition to fat32, but when i try to install os x (booting off the disc) i can see the fat32 partition but can not format it to Journaled.... please advise. I need windows for school but need osx for my laptop to last more than 45 min on battery please help.

Thanks-
Mohan

macalex · Nov 9, 2009

From what I can understand, you need OSX to be installed in the primary partition of the HDD for it to boot up. I am not very technical, but if you can change the disk priority, probably can be done.

I guess what you can do is clone your windows partition with HDclone or any other cloning software into an external drive, reinstall mac osx on the internal drive, repartition using bootcamp and then clone the windows partition back into the bootcamp partition. I know you can do it with HDclone but not sure if it will work with others.

Mohan1337 · Nov 9, 2009

macalex said:
From what I can understand, you need OSX to be installed in the primary partition of the HDD for it to boot up. I am not very technical, but if you can change the disk priority, probably can be done.

I guess what you can do is clone your windows partition with HDclone or any other cloning software into an external drive, reinstall mac osx on the internal drive, repartition using bootcamp and then clone the windows partition back into the bootcamp partition. I know you can do it with HDclone but not sure if it will work with others.

Im not trying to make it my primary boot os. I just want to install it so i cant choose to boot os x if i need to use it. I really hope there is an easier way to do this because im way to lazy to go through all that.....

Kash · Nov 9, 2009

Are you saying that when you start the OS X setup, Disk Utility won't let you format and change the file system to Mac OS Extended (Journaled)?

Mohan1337 · Nov 9, 2009

Yes!

Kash said:
Are you saying that when you start the OS X setup, Disk Utility won't let you format and change the file system to Mac OS Extended (Journaled)?

Yes exactly.... and i don't understand why :Angry-Tongue:

-
Mohan

Kash · Nov 9, 2009

How exactly have you gone about formatting? Did you simply select the existing partition and try to format it as Mac OS Extended? Did you try erasing all partitions and then creating a new one on the drive?

Mohan1337 · Nov 9, 2009

Kash said:
How exactly have you gone about formatting? Did you simply select the existing partition and try to format it as Mac OS Extended? Did you try erasing all partitions and then creating a new one on the drive?

Yes i just selected my fat32 partition and tried to format it to Mac OS Extended. It will not allow me to format it into Mac OS Ext.. Im trying to format from the booting off of the install discs.

Kash · Nov 9, 2009

So you're just selecting the partition and are trying to change the file format? That's not gonna work. You have to delete the FAT32 partition and then create a new Mac OS Extended partition.

Mohan1337 · Nov 9, 2009

Kash said:
So you're just selecting the partition and are trying to change the file format? That's not gonna work. You have to delete the FAT32 partition and then create a new Mac OS Extended partition.

can i do this without deleting my windows partition?

HiWhatsUpNothin · Nov 11, 2009

I would recommend backing up your windows partition on an external hd if your doing this anyway.

But you should be able to just delete the fat32 partition and then add a new partition formatted in the mac os extended (journaled) format. If it wont let you add another partition delete the whole thing format it as mac os extended (journaled) install osX then make another bootcamp partition and put your windows backup on the bootcamp partition.

That make sense? haha

Mohan1337 · Nov 11, 2009

Yes. Thank you very much

Kash · Nov 11, 2009

Mohan1337 said:
can i do this without deleting my windows partition?

Based on what you've said, it looks like you're gonna have to wipe it clean and start fresh