Format Mac without losing Windows partition












0















I have a Macbook pro with bootcamp running windows and mac. My Mac OS has become so cluttered that I want to format it. How do I format the mac without losing the windows partition?










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  • 1





    Since boot-camp is on it's own partition of your Hard Drive, you should be able to boot into Recovery, CMD + R at startup and erase your Mac HD partition of OS X and re-install it using recovery - Not going to post this as an answer due to never doing this before - I do know that you can make a full backup of your windows side (using WinClone), wipe partition and reinstall everything

    – Mike Diglio
    Oct 26 '15 at 2:01











  • @MikeDiglio: I haven't done this particular combo either, but I'm pretty certain it'd work. I'd go ahead and post it, but I'll add another suggestion: make a backup of everything you care about first. Mistakes happen when formatting disks, and if you accidentally blow away the Windows partition as well...

    – Gordon Davisson
    Oct 26 '15 at 5:51
















0















I have a Macbook pro with bootcamp running windows and mac. My Mac OS has become so cluttered that I want to format it. How do I format the mac without losing the windows partition?










share|improve this question


















  • 1





    Since boot-camp is on it's own partition of your Hard Drive, you should be able to boot into Recovery, CMD + R at startup and erase your Mac HD partition of OS X and re-install it using recovery - Not going to post this as an answer due to never doing this before - I do know that you can make a full backup of your windows side (using WinClone), wipe partition and reinstall everything

    – Mike Diglio
    Oct 26 '15 at 2:01











  • @MikeDiglio: I haven't done this particular combo either, but I'm pretty certain it'd work. I'd go ahead and post it, but I'll add another suggestion: make a backup of everything you care about first. Mistakes happen when formatting disks, and if you accidentally blow away the Windows partition as well...

    – Gordon Davisson
    Oct 26 '15 at 5:51














0












0








0








I have a Macbook pro with bootcamp running windows and mac. My Mac OS has become so cluttered that I want to format it. How do I format the mac without losing the windows partition?










share|improve this question














I have a Macbook pro with bootcamp running windows and mac. My Mac OS has become so cluttered that I want to format it. How do I format the mac without losing the windows partition?







windows-7 mac boot-camp






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asked Oct 26 '15 at 1:56









JakeJake

111




111








  • 1





    Since boot-camp is on it's own partition of your Hard Drive, you should be able to boot into Recovery, CMD + R at startup and erase your Mac HD partition of OS X and re-install it using recovery - Not going to post this as an answer due to never doing this before - I do know that you can make a full backup of your windows side (using WinClone), wipe partition and reinstall everything

    – Mike Diglio
    Oct 26 '15 at 2:01











  • @MikeDiglio: I haven't done this particular combo either, but I'm pretty certain it'd work. I'd go ahead and post it, but I'll add another suggestion: make a backup of everything you care about first. Mistakes happen when formatting disks, and if you accidentally blow away the Windows partition as well...

    – Gordon Davisson
    Oct 26 '15 at 5:51














  • 1





    Since boot-camp is on it's own partition of your Hard Drive, you should be able to boot into Recovery, CMD + R at startup and erase your Mac HD partition of OS X and re-install it using recovery - Not going to post this as an answer due to never doing this before - I do know that you can make a full backup of your windows side (using WinClone), wipe partition and reinstall everything

    – Mike Diglio
    Oct 26 '15 at 2:01











  • @MikeDiglio: I haven't done this particular combo either, but I'm pretty certain it'd work. I'd go ahead and post it, but I'll add another suggestion: make a backup of everything you care about first. Mistakes happen when formatting disks, and if you accidentally blow away the Windows partition as well...

    – Gordon Davisson
    Oct 26 '15 at 5:51








1




1





Since boot-camp is on it's own partition of your Hard Drive, you should be able to boot into Recovery, CMD + R at startup and erase your Mac HD partition of OS X and re-install it using recovery - Not going to post this as an answer due to never doing this before - I do know that you can make a full backup of your windows side (using WinClone), wipe partition and reinstall everything

– Mike Diglio
Oct 26 '15 at 2:01





Since boot-camp is on it's own partition of your Hard Drive, you should be able to boot into Recovery, CMD + R at startup and erase your Mac HD partition of OS X and re-install it using recovery - Not going to post this as an answer due to never doing this before - I do know that you can make a full backup of your windows side (using WinClone), wipe partition and reinstall everything

– Mike Diglio
Oct 26 '15 at 2:01













@MikeDiglio: I haven't done this particular combo either, but I'm pretty certain it'd work. I'd go ahead and post it, but I'll add another suggestion: make a backup of everything you care about first. Mistakes happen when formatting disks, and if you accidentally blow away the Windows partition as well...

– Gordon Davisson
Oct 26 '15 at 5:51





@MikeDiglio: I haven't done this particular combo either, but I'm pretty certain it'd work. I'd go ahead and post it, but I'll add another suggestion: make a backup of everything you care about first. Mistakes happen when formatting disks, and if you accidentally blow away the Windows partition as well...

– Gordon Davisson
Oct 26 '15 at 5:51










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With Boot Camp being on it's own partition of your Hard Drive, you should be able to boot into Recovery, CMD + R at startup, and erase your Macintosh HD Partition, whilst keeping your Bootcamp partition fully in-tact.



Before doing this however, please ensure you have a full backup of the entire Hard Drive and it's partitions, just in-case there are any issues or data loss. You can create a time-machine of your Mac OS and also use Cloning Software (Such as WinClone) to make a copy of your Bootcamp partition. You can also create a Bootcamp backup inside your partition using the Windows Backup utility.



Once everything is backup, erase your Mac OS partition, and re-install. Once installed, you should be all set and able to freely boot between them again.






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    With Boot Camp being on it's own partition of your Hard Drive, you should be able to boot into Recovery, CMD + R at startup, and erase your Macintosh HD Partition, whilst keeping your Bootcamp partition fully in-tact.



    Before doing this however, please ensure you have a full backup of the entire Hard Drive and it's partitions, just in-case there are any issues or data loss. You can create a time-machine of your Mac OS and also use Cloning Software (Such as WinClone) to make a copy of your Bootcamp partition. You can also create a Bootcamp backup inside your partition using the Windows Backup utility.



    Once everything is backup, erase your Mac OS partition, and re-install. Once installed, you should be all set and able to freely boot between them again.






    share|improve this answer




























      0














      With Boot Camp being on it's own partition of your Hard Drive, you should be able to boot into Recovery, CMD + R at startup, and erase your Macintosh HD Partition, whilst keeping your Bootcamp partition fully in-tact.



      Before doing this however, please ensure you have a full backup of the entire Hard Drive and it's partitions, just in-case there are any issues or data loss. You can create a time-machine of your Mac OS and also use Cloning Software (Such as WinClone) to make a copy of your Bootcamp partition. You can also create a Bootcamp backup inside your partition using the Windows Backup utility.



      Once everything is backup, erase your Mac OS partition, and re-install. Once installed, you should be all set and able to freely boot between them again.






      share|improve this answer


























        0












        0








        0







        With Boot Camp being on it's own partition of your Hard Drive, you should be able to boot into Recovery, CMD + R at startup, and erase your Macintosh HD Partition, whilst keeping your Bootcamp partition fully in-tact.



        Before doing this however, please ensure you have a full backup of the entire Hard Drive and it's partitions, just in-case there are any issues or data loss. You can create a time-machine of your Mac OS and also use Cloning Software (Such as WinClone) to make a copy of your Bootcamp partition. You can also create a Bootcamp backup inside your partition using the Windows Backup utility.



        Once everything is backup, erase your Mac OS partition, and re-install. Once installed, you should be all set and able to freely boot between them again.






        share|improve this answer













        With Boot Camp being on it's own partition of your Hard Drive, you should be able to boot into Recovery, CMD + R at startup, and erase your Macintosh HD Partition, whilst keeping your Bootcamp partition fully in-tact.



        Before doing this however, please ensure you have a full backup of the entire Hard Drive and it's partitions, just in-case there are any issues or data loss. You can create a time-machine of your Mac OS and also use Cloning Software (Such as WinClone) to make a copy of your Bootcamp partition. You can also create a Bootcamp backup inside your partition using the Windows Backup utility.



        Once everything is backup, erase your Mac OS partition, and re-install. Once installed, you should be all set and able to freely boot between them again.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered Oct 26 '15 at 14:18









        Mike DiglioMike Diglio

        99557




        99557






























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