Bootcamp, sharing data between OSX and XP with 3 partitions - Detailed (Long!) Version

This is how to install bootcamp and end up with one OSX Partition (NFS+), one XP partition (the preferred NTFS system) and one MS-DOS Fat32 Data partition that both operating sytems can read/write to.

If you have already set up bootcamp you will probably have to reformat and start again, these instructions assume that you are going to do a clean/fresh re-install.

If you have not installed bootcamp/xp and are happy with your OSX install then you can skip the first section, you wont lose any of your data.

These instructions ended up being way longer than expected, there is an cut down version for advanced users above.

These are full instructions for users who have no experience of windows or OSX, these are for the MacBook Pro but I'm pretty sure they will be exactly the same for all intel macs.


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Re-installing OSX to original state (skip this if you only have osx and haven't installed bootcamp.)

. Insert OSX Disk 1
. Boot the system, after the 'ding' sound press and hold the "C" key until the Grey Apple logo appears.
. Select your language, on the next 'Welcome to the Mac os X Installer screen click 'Contiune'.
. Select your destination disk, ensure there is only one disk here, if not partition your disk to one partition using Disk Utility (from the top menu)
. If you want to erase your data then select 'Options' - Select 'Erase and Install' - 'Continue'.
. Choose your install options, if you select Customise then you can choose to just install the Base System (without all the bundled software).
. When finished you will be booted into OSx
-------------------------------

. Boot into OSX, install all software and firmware updates. (System Preferences - Software Update)
. Copy/Download Bootcamp
. Double click the .dmg file
. A new window opens, click the BootCampAssistant.pkg file.
. Select Destitation - Next - Continue
. If you have not created the Apple Drivers CD for Windows XP then go to HDISK/Applications/Utilites/Bootcamp Assistant, Create the CD, BUT DO NOT CONTINUE AND PARTITION YOUR DISK, exit from BootCamp Assistant

! DO NOT PARTITION YOUR DISK HERE USING BOOTCAMP ASSISTANT!

We then create the 3 partitions:

. Goto HDISK/Applications/Utilites/Terminal
. type 'diskutil list'
. Press enter

You should see something like this:

Last login: Wed May 17 10:35:23 on console
Welcome to Darwin!
rich-greens-computer:~ richgreen$ diskutil list
/dev/disk0
#: type name size identifier
0: GUID_partition_scheme *93.2 GB disk0
1: EFI 200.0 MB disk0s1
2: Apple_HFS HD 92.8 GB disk0s2
/dev/disk3
#: type name size identifier
0: Apple_partition_scheme *144.7 MB disk3
1: Apple_partition_map 31.5 KB disk3s1
2: Apple_Driver_ATAPI 4.0 KB disk3s2
3: Apple_HFS Boot Camp Assistant 144.6 MB disk3s3

Note the name of /dev/disk0 volume 2 (it will more than likely be disk0s2 as here)

Then type the following :

sudo diskutil resizeVolume disk0s2 21G "HFS+" Data 50G "MS-DOS FAT32" XP 21G


NOTE: you have to adjust the above line to suit your system, the numbers must add up to the size of your disk (not exactly though) I have the 100G disk, it works out to be 92.8Gb.
I have set aside 21G for OSX, 50G for the shared data named "Data" and 21G for XP named "XP"

To get this to all work you have to first format the shared volume to be a format that windows doesn't recognise, hence the "HFS+" volume, trust me.

Press enter

You should see a screen like this:

****************
We trust you have received the usual lecture from the local System
Administrator. It usually boils down to these three things:

#1) Respect the privacy of others.
#2) Think before you type.
#3) With great power comes great responsibility.

Password:
****************
enter your password (or leave it blank for no password) press enter

You should see the following:

Started resizing on disk disk0s2 HD
Verifying
Resizing Volume
Adjusting Partitions

Finished resizing on disk disk0s2 HD
You will need to manually reformat your new partitions.
WARNING: You must now reboot!

Eject the osx disk and insert the Windows XP one (before you do this ensure you have the serial number to hand and its not on the disk!)

Reboot

As it reboots as soon as it 'beeps' hold the "C" key.

Windows install should start

To set up windows press 'Enter'
F8 to agree with license

Select the last partition "D" format this NTFS (quick is fine)

As windows installs it will reboot.

Just after it reboots and you here the 'beep' hold the option key down (the alt key next to the left apple one)

You should see two hard disks icons and one CD icon, select the CD one.

Windows continues to install

When finished you should be booted into windows, you can now install the drivers from the CD you created earlier, or skip it and do it later.

After Windows has installed, swap the CD's so OSX Install Disk is back in the drive, to eject the CD in windows, go Start - My Computer. Select the CD and in the left hand menu yo should see 'Eject'

Reboot and hold "C" after the beep to boot into the OSX set up.

Using Disk Utility from the 'Utilities' menu, Select the 'Data' partition (the second one in the list), select "MS-DOS FAT32" from the drop down and click 'Erase'

That's it, phew.