March 15th - It's time for our Friday Highlights! You can check them out here!
Forum Announcement, Click Here to Read More From EA_Cade.

How to install Windows using Boot Camp - step by step instructions with screenshots.

BluebellFloraBluebellFlora Posts: 7,110 Member
edited September 2014 in The Sims 3 Mac Discussion
I just posted this in mysimBrenda's thread but thought it may help to have a dedicated thread with instructions as more and more Mac users are realising that the game only truly works properly under Windows. Snapdragon has also provided a fantastic link to an external site detailing how to do the installation:

http://macs.about.com/od/bootcamp/ss/Using-Boot-Camp-Assistant-To-Install-Windows-On-Your-Mac.htm

seperator.jpg

You will need a retail copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8 to install into Boot Camp and a blank CD or USB stick (Fat 32 formatted) to save the Support Software onto.


seperator.jpg

Boot Camp partition size:

Lots of people ask this but it's up to you to work out how much space you should give the Boot Camp partition as everyone's games are different. As a general rule go with the following:

Add up the following:

1. Base game requirement size + All EPs and SPs you have + 20Gb for Windows OS

2. The size of your current Sims 3 folder in OS X. This is your user data. To find the size: Documents > Electronic Arts then select The Sims 3 folder, hold down CMD and press i

3. And then add 10Gb on top so the Boot Camp partition isn't full. Or 20Gb/30Gb if you have the space for any future CC/downloads/big save files/EPs/SPs.

4. Want to install CAW? Then add another 5Gb or so.

seperator.jpg

Copying over your user data from OS X:

Snapdragon has posted about what you should and shouldn't copy over, and why, here:

http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/15/579888.page#9358121

You can access your data from the Windows side - no need for an external drive to copy and paste - by going to My Computer > Macintosh HD > Users then navigating to The Sims 3 folder in your Documents folder. You can then copy and paste data or drag it into the relevant folder in Windows.

seperator.jpg

Getting Started:

Make sure any peripheral devices connected to your Mac are unplugged (thanks suepea!)

Applications > Utilities > Boot Camp Assistant

I strongly recommend you print off the Installation & Setup Guide:

1.png

Make sure both boxes are ticked:

2.png

If you already have a Boot Camp partition installed and want to get rid of it and start again you will get this page instead:

6.png

THE most important bit (you can always reopen Boot Camp Assistant and re-download these if you bypass this step by accident) :

3.png

Downloading the Apple support software:

4.png

After it has finished the download it will then ask you how big a partition you want for Windows:

5.png

Chose the partition size and leave it to do it's stuff. When it boots into Windows you will need to reformat the Boot Camp Partition as NTFS as your Mac has formatted it as Fat 32.

After it does what it needs to it will restart into Windows. It is at this point that you install the Package file you burnt to disk or saved onto a USB stick. You do not need to download anything else from anywhere online to get the installation to work properly.

Once installed properly you will see this in a Finder window in OS X:

7.png

And similar under My Computer in Windows. You can read to the Boot Camp partition but not write to it, and vice versa to the Macintosh HD when you are in Windows (great for accessing screenshots you took in game in Windows and editing them in iPhoto).

Hope this helps a bit :)

*04.09.14* adding in the link to Apple's Boot Camp page for further help on installing from ISOs - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1461
apple-signature.png
Post edited by BluebellFlora on

Comments

  • SnapdragonSnapdragon Posts: 955 Member
    edited August 2012
    If I donated an old chewing gum, do you think that this would be enough to make this thread sticky? :lol:
  • mysimBrendamysimBrenda Posts: 1,998 Member
    edited August 2012
    Lol my exact thoughts. This thread should be made into a sticky, again, thank you both for your help.
  • BluebellFloraBluebellFlora Posts: 7,110 Member
    edited August 2012
    Snapdragon wrote:
    If I donated an old chweing gum, do you think that this would be enough to make this thread sticky? :lol:

    :lol: wouldn't that be pointing out an unmentionable flaw though? ;)
    apple-signature.png
  • SnapdragonSnapdragon Posts: 955 Member
    edited August 2012
    Sorry, I'm sure it's a joke but, er, I don't understand it :oops:

    But I understand the strategy. As long as it doesn't stick this thread will have to be kicked with our Bootcamp boots.
  • mysimBrendamysimBrenda Posts: 1,998 Member
    edited August 2012
    I think she means how EA has a tendency to either delete or move her threads. They like to sweep things under the rug.
  • SnapdragonSnapdragon Posts: 955 Member
    edited August 2012
    Ah, I see 8)

    BTW, talking about flaws, I just got a minced mail from EA. I think it's a friends request. At least it seems to be one among all those heaps of html code that got through. If it's from someone reading this thread, sorry, but I don't participate in that aspect of the site. Actually I thought that my profile is hidden, apparently it's not.
  • mysimBrendamysimBrenda Posts: 1,998 Member
    edited August 2012
    The part where the Mac boots into Windows for installation is where I get thrown off. I've reread this tutorial and the link provided over and over again, and it just isn't clicking. I am too afraid to do it again in fear of actually screwing things up even worse and losing everything. I wish someone could do it for me. Lol
  • BluebellFloraBluebellFlora Posts: 7,110 Member
    edited August 2012
    It's been a few weeks since I did one but I'll try and go through the Windows bit step by step:

    1 - After you've partitioned your HD in this step:

    5.png

    just let the Assistant do it's stuff. Your Mac will boot into the Windows partition automatically and start the installation.

    2 - When it's booted into Windows it will complain that it can't find a suitable drive to boot into. This is because your Mac has formatted the Boot Camp partition as Fat32 when it should actually be NTFS for Windows. Follow the instructions on page 6 of the guide that Snapdragon posted:

    http://macs.about.com/od/bootcamp/ss/Using-Boot-Camp-Assistant-To-Install-Windows-On-Your-Mac_6.htm

    Once it's reformatted the Boot Camp partition it will be happy and you can proceed.

    3 - After Windows has finished installing it will restart your Mac again and automatically boot into Windows. You'll notice that it all looks a bit crap graphics wise and your keyboard and mouse probably won't be as responsive as they should be. Now you want to double click on the .package file that you downloaded onto disc or USB stick and let the Apple installer run and do it's stuff. The Mac will restart again, boot into Windows and everything should look normal.

    4 - Your Mac will now be set to automatically boot into Windows instead of the Mac OS each time you restart it. To change that back to Mac OS do the following in OS X:

    System Preferences > System > Startup Disk

    8.png

    Then select the Macintosh HD:

    9.png

    Your Mac will always now boot into OS X unless you tell it otherwise.

    5 - To boot into Windows turn the Mac off. Hold down the Option (Alt) key until you get the grey screen showing 2 or 3 partitions, depending on what version of OS X you are running (3 for Lion and Mountain Lion, 2 for Snow Leopard and Leopard). Double click on the Boot Camp/Windows HD icon and it will then boot into Windows.
    apple-signature.png
  • miklcmiklc Posts: 3,109 Member
    edited August 2012
    Thank you for creating such a concise and easy to follow guide BluebellFlora! I play on a MacBook Pro (2011, Lion) and recently I have been seriously considering adding a partition for Windows purely to play TS3, still not 100% sure whether to or not because for one I am not a fan of Windows and the cost of the OS is not cheap but if it will allow me to play my game as smoothly as it should plus enable me to take in game screenshots than I might have to bite and the bullet and do it. I am increasingly getting concerned that playing this game could damage my MacBook in the long run for example when shutting the game off sometimes it will not close down completely (staying on the black screen) meaning I have to turn my MacBook off without a proper shut down, whenever this happens I do turn it back on then restart it to enable a proper shut down but still this cannot be healthy over long periods of time. It is really ridiculous the lack of support from EA to Mac users!
  • mysimBrendamysimBrenda Posts: 1,998 Member
    edited August 2012
    OMG I got it! Now it all makes sense! Thank you so much for all of the help!
  • mysimBrendamysimBrenda Posts: 1,998 Member
    edited August 2012
    Nevermind figured it out
    Post edited by Unknown User on
  • madstitcher101madstitcher101 Posts: 685 Member
    edited August 2012
    Can you change the size of the partition afterwards? Done all that and I'm just wondering whether the partition will be big enough or not. It's on 20 GB at the moment.
  • SnapdragonSnapdragon Posts: 955 Member
    edited August 2012
    Unfortunately, no, you can't, at least not without the help of third party programs and it is quite complicated. And yes, 20 GB is too small. With all EPs and SPs up to Showtime the Sims 3 alone will take up more than 20 GB. I would say 100 GB at least, My partition is 100 and I only have Windows and the Sims installed and it currently uses 70GB. But I keep a lot of Saves.
  • mysimBrendamysimBrenda Posts: 1,998 Member
    edited August 2012
    Just wanted to report back that the game runs AMAZING on Windows. No lag, no more exception raised error. I don't have the washed-out look, though, it looks the same as it did on my Mac OS but the graphics are sharper. I have all of my saves and CC and it works like a charm.
  • madstitcher101madstitcher101 Posts: 685 Member
    edited August 2012
    I've found out how to do it now. Had to take the partition out and then redo it and install Windows again. I've put it up to 250 GB now so that should be plenty to run the game.
  • BluebellFloraBluebellFlora Posts: 7,110 Member
    edited August 2012
    So pleased it's working for you guys :)
    apple-signature.png
  • miklcmiklc Posts: 3,109 Member
    edited August 2012
    Just wanted to report back that the game runs AMAZING on Windows. No lag, no more exception raised error. I don't have the washed-out look, though, it looks the same as it did on my Mac OS but the graphics are sharper. I have all of my saves and CC and it works like a charm.

    After all the trouble that you have had I am glad to hear that you have got everything working, this is really encouraging. The thing that is putting my off doing this straight away is the cost of Windows itself...really begrudge paying that much for an OS I dislike...the things we will do for our Sims :P
  • BluebellFloraBluebellFlora Posts: 7,110 Member
    edited August 2012
    Don't forget you can use CAW too if you go down the Boot Camp route :)
    apple-signature.png
  • mysimBrendamysimBrenda Posts: 1,998 Member
    edited August 2012
    Some gameplay screenshots in my Windows partition:

    screenshot18zz.th.jpg
    screenshot32v.th.jpg
    screenshot17vev.th.jpg
    screenshot33n.th.jpg
    screenshot31oi.th.jpg
    screenshot29ec.th.jpg
    screenshot28zf.th.jpg
    screenshot21q.th.jpg
    screenshot20r.th.jpg
    screenshot27ib.th.jpg
    screenshot15pl.th.jpg
    screenshot19x.th.jpg
    screenshot23t.th.jpg
    screenshot22hq.th.jpg
    screenshot26id.th.jpg
    screenshot25ub.th.jpg
  • madstitcher101madstitcher101 Posts: 685 Member
    edited August 2012
    How do I switch from Mac to Windows? I can do it the other way but I am a new Mac user and it's still a bit alien to me at the moment.

    Thanks.
  • SnapdragonSnapdragon Posts: 955 Member
    edited August 2012
    When you start your Mac hold down the alt key as soon as you hear that start-up tune. After a while a window should appear with the picture of your two partitions (mine are called Macintosh HD and Windows HD). This allows you to choose from which partition your Mac will boot.
    You cannot switch from MacOs to Windows "on the fly". You will have to restart the Mac everytime.
  • madstitcher101madstitcher101 Posts: 685 Member
    edited August 2012
    Snapdragon wrote:
    When you start your Mac hold down the alt key as soon as you hear that start-up tune. After a while a window should appear with the picture of your two partitions (mine are called Macintosh HD and Windows HD). This allows you to choose from which partition your Mac will boot.
    You cannot switch from MacOs to Windows "on the fly". You will have to restart the Mac everytime.

    Thanks Snapdragon!

    I have one more question. After installing my expansion packs I now have all the icons on the desktop. On my other computer which is just Windows I usually right click and then delete them. But it won't do that on my Mac when in Windows. I don't want to get the desktop all cluttered with icons I don't want.
  • SnapdragonSnapdragon Posts: 955 Member
    edited August 2012
    Are you playing with a pad or a Mac mouse? In the right corner of the task bar there should be a new icon that looks like a grey diamond together with all the shortcuts for network settings, sound settings etc. These are your Bootcamp settings. If you use a Mac device you have to probably enable right-click there first. Apart from these initial settings, Windows on Mac is just like on any other ordinary PC.
    But mind you this is from my memory, as I use a five-button Microsoft mouse for TS3.
  • madstitcher101madstitcher101 Posts: 685 Member
    edited August 2012
    Snapdragon wrote:
    Are you playing with a pad or a Mac mouse? In the right corner of the task bar there should be a new icon that looks like a grey diamond together with all the shortcuts for network settings, sound settings etc. These are your Bootcamp settings. If you use a Mac device you have to probably enable right-click there first. Apart from these initial settings, Windows on Mac is just like on any other ordinary PC.
    But mind you this is from my memory, as I use a five-button Microsoft mouse for TS3.

    Thanks again Snapdragon! I've now done that and got rid of the clutter on the desktop.
  • madstitcher101madstitcher101 Posts: 685 Member
    edited August 2012
    Back again!

    I saved my Sims3 folder off my other computer onto an external drive so do I just place this folder into my documents and I'll get all my saved games, mods etc when I load the game up on my Mac?
Sign In or Register to comment.
Return to top