MacOS – How to add additional partitions to Windows under bootcamp

bootcampmacospartitionwindows

I have a MBP on which running OS X 10.8.4. Recently using bootcamp I installed Windows 7 on it to use some windows specific software. I wanted to have 3 different partitions in windows, where OS and apps are installed on 1 and my data remains on other 2.

However, due to some restrictions with bootcamp, I wasn't able to create partitions before installing windows (bootcamp require single partition in Mac OS X to setup windows).

Then, I installed windows first and tried to create partition via Disk Utility and then lost my windows installation. Later based on a post on apple discussions, I was able to repair boot partition for windows and get it up, but its no longer showing my mac hd and other 2 partition which I created.

So wondering, if there is any safe way to make those 2 partitions available in my windows OS along with HFS+ drive, which was being shown earlier but later no longer accessible in windows. (I even tried re-installing bootcamp drivers with no luck).

Best Answer

Your problem is likely related to your partitioning method. When you edit a Windows 7 partition with Disk Utility it will let you do it but it doesnt work very well and will likely cause a lot of problems.

Your best option would be to back up your partitions data to another drive and then re-create the bootcamp partition using BootCamp assistant as you did before. But when it comes to partitioning the Windows 7 Partitions only use Windows disk management tool (Can be found by right clicking on computer and going to Manage->Storage->Disk Management.

Windows 7 for adjusting Windows 7 partition (NTFS) Disk Utility for adjust any OSX (HFS partitions)