Format Mac without losing Windows partition
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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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
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
add a comment |
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
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
windows-7 mac boot-camp
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
add a comment |
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
add a comment |
1 Answer
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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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1 Answer
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active
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
votes
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oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
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.
add a comment |
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.
add a comment |
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.
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.
answered Oct 26 '15 at 14:18
Mike DiglioMike Diglio
99557
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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