Using Boot Camp to set up a second OSX partition

dB Cooper · « **on:** 29 Mar 2012, 02:01 pm »

I am taking the plunge to upgrade my 2.26 MacBook to Lion but want to maintain a minimal 10.6 partition to run a couple non-Lion-compatible things. The recommendation I have got from an Apple tech was to use Boot Camp to nondestructively set up the partition, then just install my Snow Kitty in it instead of Windows.

(Originally I thought I was going to need to wipe my disk entirely, then partition it, then reinstall my data from the clone, but this sounds easier.)

Only thing is, I believe Bootcamp formats the partition in a Windoze format, so I believe what I need to do is set up the partition, then reformat it after the fact to HFS+, then I can copy my Snow Lep install into it via Carbon Copy Cloner.

Am I on the right track and are there any suggestions to make this process easier?

I do have a bootable backup of my entire startup disk (none of the above has been done yet) on an external disk, so I think I am well prepared in the event of a problem, but wanted to see if anyone had any input on how to make this go more smoothly.

jrebman · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 Mar 2012, 02:49 pm »

I too am very interested in the best way to bgo about this. I asked a similar question in my thread about using an MBA as a music server, but got no response, so I hope somebody can help out here.

Thanks,

Jim

dB Cooper · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 Mar 2012, 03:36 pm »

I'm pretty sure what I have to do is: 1) Set up the partition using Boot Camp Setup Utility; 2) Format the partition using Disk Utility or Drive Genius; 3) Copy the OSX backup from Carbon Copy Cloner into it. I will report back as to what I find out if nobody chimes in here.

skunark · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 Mar 2012, 03:47 pm »

lots of solutions if you google this but this would be the easiest way:
http://osxdaily.com/2011/03/12/how-to-install-dual-boot-mac-os-x-10-7-lion-and-10-6-snow-leopard/

Bootcamp is to help folks install windows, but you can reformat the new partition with the disk utility.

Personally what I would do is back up your existing drive with time-machine, then install the lion on the new partition, then restore from time machine to restore all of your applications and settings.

You might list out what are the "non-lion-compatible" things, perhaps there are alternatives. It's really a waste of disk space to two copies of lion on the same machine.

skunark · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 Mar 2012, 03:49 pm »

Lion will install the recovery partition which is hidden, so probably best to stick with disk utility.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #5 on:** 29 Mar 2012, 10:58 pm »

I have a clone of my startup drive (not a time machine backup, my clone is bootable which a time machine backup isn't) so feel pretty well prepped.

Know what the alternatives are; just a couple apps I want to hold onto for a bit.

skunark · « **Reply #6 on:** 30 Mar 2012, 12:53 am »

Interesting enough the value of TM and CC have greatly been reduced with the recovery partition and the App Store, about all you need to save is what's in your document directory and that can be duplicated online. The impatient folks will still want TM for a reasonable recovery time. The very impatient will want CC assuming you can swap the HDD or boot from a USB drive, neither is guaranteed.

I am curious to know if the recovery partition appears after the lion install.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 Mar 2012, 12:17 pm »

I don't know that the value of CCC has necessarily been reduced; if a startup disk fails, the recovery partition fails right with it. In that scenario, I could boot from the volume clone on external and keep right on working, even with a borrowed computer. All the recovery partition protects against is software corruption as far as I can tell. I have no need for it, having learned enough about how my computer works to have set up a bootable backup, but it, like Time Machine, is aimed at the don't-wanna-think-about-it crowd.