How to reinstall Parallels & Windows on Mac and remove BootCamp.

Hello.

I've been using Parallels Desktop for Mac since I first got my Mac in 2011. The trouble is that I somehow got confused about how to install it on my Mac back then, and I think I ended up with a sort of hybrid installation that involves using BootCamp. (I mistakenly thought I needed BootCamp to install Windows under Parallels.)

The snag is that the BootCamp partition is currently occupying 92GB of space on my hard drive, and I'm fairly sure that Windows doesn't need anywhere near that, and so I'm looking at the possibility of getting shut of the BootCamp partition entirely to free-up Mac space.

If I copy all my Windows documents onto a USB or something, is it feasible to do away with the BootCamp partition altogether, and then reinstall Windows and/or Parallels and then paste back into Windows the documents I copied to USB? (I do still have my Windows installation CD and Windows Program CDs etc.)

And, if it is possible, is there any chance of an idiot's guide on how to do it please?

 

Hello @Billymac231 , In this case you can directly import Boot Camp Windows into Parallels by following the steps provided at http://kb.parallels.com/123314 once you import your Boot Camp, you can directly remove the Boot camp partition from the hard disk.
Thanks

 

Hi Alfena, thanks for that.

Actually I had in mind a sort of 'clean install' of Windows rather than having the one I've got, but nevertheless I followed your link to the KB article to import what I've got.

And... I fell at the first hurdle.

I launched Parallels as instructed and chose File>New... from the menu bar, but 'Use Windows from BootCamp' doesn't appear. What I get is this:- (See uploaded screen-shot). So I don't know where to go from there.

 

Hello @Billymac231 , If the option to Use Windows from Boot Camp is not present then please follow the steps provided below
1.Choose Install Windows or another OS from DVD or image file, and then click Continue
2.On the next page, click Locate Manually
3.On the next page, check the Continue without a source box and click Continue
4.Once an empty virtual machine is created, go to Actions > shutdown to stop the virtual machine
5.Open the Parallels Desktop Control Center. Then right-click (Ctrl-click) on the Boot Camp virtual machine and choose Import Boot Camp.
6.Click Import , Locate where you want to store Windows and your data, and then click Choose. Wait until your Windows and all your data are imported from the Boot Camp physical partition into a virtual machine with a virtual hard disk.
7.Once your Boot Camp is imported, you can delete the original Boot Camp Windows installation.
Thanks

 

Hello again Alfena,

Thanks very much for that, and I did follow the instructions as best I could, although there were some differences between your stages and what I was seeing on my screen.

However, when I reached Stage 6 it became apparent that importing from BootCamp isn't going to work for me, I'm afraid. It requires 50GB of space, but I only have about 20GB free. Having such a small amount free was why I wanted to remove the 92GB BootCamp partition in the first place, so I'm in a sort of Catch-22 here.

I guess I will have to live with it; hopefully I will be getting a new Mac soon anyway. Thanks again.

 

Hello @Billymac231 , glad to know that you are getting a new Mac. please reach us for further assistance.
Thanks