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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Hiding Windows Boot Camp Partition

switcherG - Apr 19, 2007 - 2:17 pm

Hi,

I recently formatted my MacBook 2.0 Ghz(CD) and made a 10 GB FAT32 Windows XP Home partition, running under BootCamp 1.2. Everything ran fine and dandy. I am also using the same bootcamp partition under Parallels ver. 3188, to run Windows in virtualized mode, on Mac OS X 10.4.9.

Problem - The Problem I have is that the Windows partition (under Bootcamp) shows up on the desktop every time I log into/reboot Mac OS X. I don't want the partition to appear on the desktop every time I log into Mac (which is set as my default OS). But I still would need occasional access to the FAT32 partition, to be able to transfer files etc., under the Mac OS (one of the primary reasons I made it FAT!), maybe through Disk Utility etc, and have the partition visible to Parallels, for further use thereunder.

Solutions tried - I tried the solution using code
under Terminal.app. But It didn't proceed further, because -
1. I didn't have Developer Tools installed
2. I was a bit apprehensive that I might possibly loose either Parallels ability to see the partition or Mac OS's ability to read/write to the partition.

So, I am frankly stumped at this point as to how to proceed further.

Thank you for taking the time to view my problem. Any suggestions as to a solution would be greatly appreciated.

Bye
SwitcherG

DeltaMac - Apr 19, 2007 - 6:17 pm

An easy solution for this:
Go to the Finder menu, and choose preferences.
uncheck the box for Show hard disks on the desktop.

You will not see any hard drive on the desktop unless you want to. You would also always have easy access to that Windows partition from the sidebar of any Finder window. You can modify that in the same Finder preferences/Sidebar tab.

- Dale

switcherG - Apr 19, 2007 - 7:08 pm

Hi Dale,

Thank you for the reply. Yes, this an option, but I want to have access to My Mac HD at all times i.e. on the Desktop. The Windows hard drive is the only one that needs to go!

Bye
G

DeltaMac - Apr 19, 2007 - 9:33 pm

Why do you think you would not have access to the drive? It remains mounted, just not displayed as an icon - and fully accessible.
Click on the Finder icon on your Dock.
Command-click on the title bar of that Finder window to take you up to whatever level you need on the hard drive. OR, just click on the drive's icon in the sidebar - what could be simpler!
Just my opinion, of course. I use 3 external drives and 2 internal volumes with this technique, and no drives visible on the desktop. I like a neat and tidy desktop. Those drive icons just clutter things up...

Certainly simpler than Windows with that strange My Computer, - why so many steps for something that could be simple? Sorry, just a rant.
I don't know if this will help you, but it's just a suggestion. take it or leave it.
You may get more replies if you post on the main forums with this type of question....
- Dale

switcherG - Apr 20, 2007 - 11:08 am

Hi Dale,

Thank you for the quick response. I used the method you described, but before hiding the HD icons, I made an alias of my mac HD on the dektop. So now I have access to only that on the desktop, while windows is hidden. And your suggestions definitely helped!

Bye
G