How to resize an already created Boot Camp. 3 ways

How to resize an already created Boot Camp. 3 ways.

How to resize an already created Boot Camp. 3 ways

Also how to backup Windows in Boot Camp and access Windows partition data in Boot Camp through OS X.

Many Mac owners install a Windows operating system in one form or another.

Some people need it to run modern computer games, but most use the platform for special, narrowly focused programs that OS X (or already macOS) doesn’t have.

That’s what it’s for. Training ground – A special software product from apple to help you install Windows XP Service Pack 2 Home or Professional, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 on your Mac.

It not only creates a virtual space, but allows you to run an entire operating system.

With Boot Camp you can:

• Create a separate partition on the hard drive to install Windows by “chewing” some HFS+ space;
• Installs Windows with all necessary drivers for the hardware;
• Select the required operating system (OS X and Windows) when restarting the computer.

Like any other apple software product, Boot Camp has a number of limitations. And here it is simple: no one is happy with someone else’s environment.

And here are the main Boot Camp problems:

• Lack of built-in ability to resize already created Boot Camp partitions;
• Do not back up partition data from not the most stable Windows through OS X;
• Closed access to data from one operating system to another and vice versa.
• And each of the problems that have arisen can be solved by third-party software.

We have not only highlighted three key ways to resize Boot Camp partitionsbut you’ve also pointed out a couple of utilities that are helpful in getting comfortable with the setup.

Note! Almost all of the software presented here was previously distributed completely free of charge. However, even today the developers require you to pay for it.

1. Managing Boot Camp partition size using Camptune X

Previously resizing Windows and OS X partitions in Boot Camp was a time-consuming task that Apple itself considered impossible without actually reinstalling it.

And the need for this is very common.

But with Camptune-X Increasing or reducing the size of operating system partitions in Boot Camp is greatly simplified. The utility takes a few minutes to change the memory size; you don’t even have to restart your computer.

Nuances of using Camptune X:

• The normal slider is used to resize partitions;
• If the Boot Camp partitions are not found, you have to go to the help menu and change the search options to the suggested ones;
• During memory reallocation, Boot Camp partitions are checked for errors, which you will be prompted to fix with separate software.

More information about Camptune X can be found on the official Paragon website.

2. Resize Boot Camp partition with Windows using Winclone

A slower way to resize Boot Camp partitions is with the utility winclone. It can be used to save all Windows data to an external drive so that you can restore it later.

This is done by using a combination of the tools built into the operating system and third-party software.

Sequence of operations when resizing partitions with Winclone:

• Clone a Windows partition in Boot Camp via Winclone to external media;
• Delete the Windows partition in Boot Camp using the standard “Disk Utility”;
• Create a Windows partition in Boot Camp of the desired size using “Boot Camp Assistant”;
• After creating the partition, it refuses to install Windows;
• Restore a Windows image to a new Boot Camp partition using Winclone.

You can find more information about Winclone on the Twocanoes official website.

3. Adjust the size of Boot Camp partitions using iPartition

Another easy way to change Boot Camp partitions is the app iPartition.

It does not require uninstalling Windows and creating a new Boot Camp partition of the required size. And it works perfectly with HFS, HFS+, FAT and NTFS file systems.

Tips for working with iPartition:

• To change the size of the partitions on your Mac, you just have to drag the corresponding slider;
• iPartition doesn’t work with Fusion Drive and File Vault 2 – better not even try;
• The program does not work with the Drobo blocks – attempting to change them will cause data loss.

You can find more information about iPartition on the official Coriolis Systems website.

Bonus 1. Backup a Windows partition via OS X in Boot Camp with Hard Disk Manager

The main problem with online backups lies in the file system: Time Machine does not support NTFS, which Windows “clings to”.

Given the susceptibility of the operating system to viruses and numerous other problems, the probability of data loss is quite high.

However, in this case Paragon offers a special utility that has been developed in recent years – hard disk manager. The interesting thing is that it works at the sector level, so it provides maximum speed.

When using Hard Disk Manager, you should pay attention to:

• Boot Camp settings are searched for in automatic or manual mode;
• You have to manually specify the location of the backups separately;
• The utility allows you to set up a scheduler for regular and automatic backups;
• Multiple backups created by the utility can be combined into one for faster data recovery;
• The utility can be used to transfer a Boot Camp Windows image from one Mac to another.

More information about Hard Disk Manager can be found on the official Paragon website.

Bonus 2. Full cross-platform data access with file system drivers

OS X does not see Windows OS data in Boot Camp and vice versa. File system incompatibility is the most annoying limitation of this software.

Many people use cloud storage for these needs, but in this case they cause much more inconvenience than real benefits.

That’s why Paragon has developed two simple drivers: one adds support for HFS+ on Windowsand the second teaches OS X to work with NTFS. With them, everyone will have high-speed access to read and write any file, regardless of the partition it resides on.

More information about HFS+ for Windows and NTFS for Mac can be found on the official Paragon website.

There is always some kind of solution.

The relative openness of the operating system OS X (macOS) allows bypass almost all apple restrictions – thanks to third-party software developers. In addition, you can greatly simplify the operation of the system and eliminate its shortcomings.

And what is most interesting, despite the general ease of use of OS X, some of the nuances for the inexperienced user can be a real surprise.

Be sure to also check out our other Mac tips:

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