Hai guise.
So um, I need some advice, and I really didn’t want to open up a thread for this… but I didn’t want to spam the other chit-chat boards with it, either. I’m sure there’s a techie or Mac guru out there who can help me out. 
I’m thinking about installing Windows on my Mac via Boot Camp, for the purpose of being able to use Photoshop on it (I only have PS for Windows), but I’m hesitating because I’m not quite sure how large to make the Windows partition. I have a 1 TB HD, and won’t be using the Windows partition much, but I don’t want to partition it and then decide later that I needed more space. At the same time, I don’t want to partition too much because I’ll need most of this HD space for the video projects I’ll be doing one day.
So, my main question is: what would be a good amount of HD space to partition for me to comfortably run Windows on my Mac?
little chef
How about 500GB for Windows and 500GB for Mac?
I survived with a 150 GB hard drive on my old Windows computer for 6 years (somehow). As long as you don’t install many programs, you should be fine.
It all depends on the balance of Windows and Mac programs you currently own and may get in the future. Most applications are available for both OSes, so unless you play PC games (Games take ages to migrate to Mac, and very few of them do), you can survive without Windows. But just to be safe, maybe a 1/3 Windows and 2/3 Mac should be fine- 1 Terabyte is quite substantial, and 333 GB is even bigger than my MBP’s paltry 150 in total, so consider yourself lucky to have this much room!
Also bear in mind the file formats. I’m not sure if the Mac Geniuses have told you about Fat32 vs NTFS, but here’s a summary:
- if you have partitioned as Fat32, then while in MacOS, you can Read & Write to Windows files
- if you have partitioned as NTFS, then while in MacOS, you can Read only to Window files
- Fat32 is stable at a partition size of 32GB and below and each partition can’t be bigger than that. If you select the default of 32GB or smaller, Bootcamp will automatically select Fat32. If you select a size greater that 32GB, then during the windows setup, you will have the option to select NTFS as the format.
Unless you need write access (meaning “drag and drop” files into Windows without needing a separate external HDD as a go-between), NTFS is the better choice.
NTFS is a newer, more secure and stable file system.
NTFS can store and transfer files bigger than 4 GB, while Fat32 cannot.
I foolishly chose Fat 32 because I figured I needed the ‘drag-and-drop’ capability, but I ended up with a measely 32 GB (in reality 27.58, seeing how most computer manufacturers actually overquote the actual hd space) for my Windows XP and I have only installed one game on it for the past four years I’ve owned this machine. I also have a copy of Sony Vegas (which is only for Windows) but I’m unable to edit videos, again, due to the small hard disk space. 
Thanks so much for the insight, guys. Though I don’t think I’d go to the extreme of partitioning the whole other half of my hard drive to Windows, just because I wouldn’t be using it that much.
And Bryko, I survived with 111 GB on my PC, and I still have 20 GB to spare on it! 
TDIT, I’ve been thinking about formatting it as FAT32, just so I could have the “drag and drop” capability (I’d be using the Windows partition for Photoshop until I can buy a copy formatted for Mac, so having that function would help me bring my pictures right over into Mac), but still toying with the idea. I’ll have to do the math and see, after installing some of my Windows programs and the actual Windows OS, how much HD space I’d need for the Windows partition exactly, and if FAT32 would still be adequate.
It’s not an option at this point, anyway… as the only Windows install discs I have are for XP with SP1 (has to be SP2 or higher), and upgrade discs for Windows 7 (for upgrading your Vista to 7… Boot Camp can only use the actual 7 install DVD, unfortunately). Either I save up money to buy a copy of Windows, or a copy of PS for Mac.
Again thanks so much for your help. I’ll be sure to run back if I have any more questions (which I’m sure I will ).
little chef