How much does Windows use up?

[cad2blender]

I will probably be installing Windows through Boot Camp and wondering what size should I partition the HD for Windows. I will have AutoCad 2007, and Solidworks, and a stripped down verison of Windows. No games, no Word, no Works, no "optional" apps, just Windows XP. I know that the minimum size is 10 GB, how much does Windows use up? And what's all this about Boot Camp expiring? Can somebody shine some light on that? Finally, is the Intel C2D a 64 bit model? or a 32 bit.

Thanks

 

[Kash]

1. A fresh install of Windows will take up a bit under 2GB of space. If you strip out a bunch of components you aren't going to use, you can probably get it down to 1.5GB or less.

2. Apple recommends 10GB so that you can install various applications and have enough space left over for saving files from those programs. I'm not sure of the typical file size that programs like AutoCAD and Solidworks make, but if they're big and you plan on working on several projects, you might want to go with more than 10GB. Of course, if you ever find yourself out of space, you can always run the Boot Camp Assistant and just increase the partition size.

3. Boot Camp is currently in beta and is scheduled to expire once the final version is released with Leopard. However, if you read the EULA, it doesn't technically expire till September 2007, so you don't have to worry about your copy of Windows not booting up once the final version is released.

4. Intel's Core2Duo line of processors is 64-bit, but I believe only the 32-bit version of Windows XP is "officially" supported because Apple does not provide 64-bit drivers for Windows x64. So you could probably install the 64-bit version of Windows, but it'll be a pain to use without proper drivers, especially for the trackpad.

 

[cad2blender]

thanks for that through response. Once Boot Camp expires I can just buy leopard and windows will boot up right? Oh and if I do need to make the partition larger will I lose all of my data in the original partition?

thanks

 

[Kash]

No, Boot Camp is a non-destructive partitioning program. So it'll just expand the Windows partition into the free space of the OS X partition. This way you won't lose any data in the OS X partition.

As for the final version of Boot Camp. I'm pretty sure you can just upgrade the beta version to the final version once it is released. Though to be honest, the only real update the final version will have over the current beta is better Vista support as Windows XP works just peachy right now.

 

[cad2blender]

Ok I bought Windows XP and I am ready to install boot camp. But how do I wether I need a Firmware update? Does it say in the Software Update window?

Thanks

 

[MaDDoG]

Ok I bought Windows XP and I am ready to install boot camp. But how do I wether I need a Firmware update? Does it say in the Software Update window?

Thanks

It will show up as a Mac update same as all the others. Windows will install and it too will then do a search of the internet for updates, fixes, and patches.When you do Windows install, make sure you do custom install, otherwise you will get pretty much everything install even if you don't want them. Of course you can always go into control panel, add/remove Windows components and delete them anyway.

 

[cad2blender]

Ok I have a problem boot camp assistant says that "Verification failed. This disk could be partitioned. Use Disk utility to repair this disk". Should I just repair the disk permisions? or could it be that the disk format is Mac OS Extended (Journaled)?

 

[Kash]

Go ahead and repair the permissions. The partition type has nothing to do with it as it is Boot Camp's job to create a Windows-friendly partition.

 

[cad2blender]

I have repaired th permissions and it still doesn't want to partition the HD. I think I will have to boot from the install CD and repair it from there. How do I do this since I have open firmware enabled.