Computer literacy, help and repair

Installing windows 7 on macbook air. How to install Windows on Mac? Step-by-step instruction

The operating systems of Microsoft and Apple occupy the leading places in terms of distribution in the world. At the same time, the share of Windows is 82.5%, and macOS - 12.5%. With this ratio, there is nothing surprising in the fact that corporate software is developed mainly for Microsoft products. As an example, we can take the 1C Enterprise platform, which does not have a desktop version for macOS. Installing Windows on Mac as a second OS helps to solve this problem.

Tasks that require the use of a second operating system on a Macbook, are different. Depending on which programs you intend to use, you can choose one of the available options:

  • installing an OS on a dedicated partition hard drive using the built-in Bootcamp utility. In this case, the user, having booted into Windows, can fully use all the hardware resources of the laptop. Suitable for work with resource-intensive applications;
  • use of virtualization technologies. Parallels Desktop offers the most convenient option. Using Coherence Mode Windows programs can be used without rebooting directly in the macOS environment. In full screen mode, the user can switch between the two operating systems as between different desktops. Hardware resources in this case are limited by the user independently.

Consider how to install and use Windows in both versions.

Boot Camp Assistant

Users who have had to install two operating systems know that Windows does not tolerate "competitors" by overwriting their boot sector. Even two different operating systems from Microsoft do not get along well with each other, fighting for boot priority. Apple solved this problem in an original way by introducing the Boot Camp utility into the system. It comes standard with both iMac and MacBook Air, Rro and Retina 12-inch models.

  1. Before we start installing Windows, let's check that our Mac meets the hardware requirements. Click on the apple logo in the menu bar and open the information about the computer. We look at the model and year of manufacture indicated in the screenshot.

  1. We go to the technical support page. For example, let's check the possibility of installing Windows 10.

  1. Open the list and check the match. Our model falls into the group marked in the screenshot as “later”, released in 2016.

  1. We launch Finder, find the "Utilities" folder in the programs and open it. The Boot Camp Assistant we need is marked with a box. Before you run it, make sure that the system is updated to the latest build of High Sierra and the latest versions of other Apple software are installed. For the correct operation of the utility, this is a necessary condition.

  1. The first window is informational. Make sure your MacBook is connected to the mains following the instructions.

  1. We indicate the location of the ISO file with the Windows distribution received from the Microsoft website. By clicking on the point indicated by the arrow between the partitions of the hard disk, we set the desired size. After completing the preparation, click the "Install" button.

  1. The system automatically loads the necessary hardware drivers. Some MacBooks may require a flash drive to store support software. For older Pro models equipped with a DVD drive, the distribution ISO file must be burned to a disc. Installing Windows on them from a clean image is not supported and you cannot do without external media.

  1. After completing the preparatory operations, macOS will ask for confirmation in order to break HDD into sections.

  1. The computer will restart and run the standard Windows installer. Further actions are no different from installing this OS on a regular PC. The last step is to activate the Boot Camp wizard. All the drivers necessary for the operation of the second system are contained in one package that was loaded before partitioning the disk. As a result of the operations performed on the MacBook, a BootCamp partition was created, on which Windows will “live”.

Switching between the two operating systems is done by rebooting while holding down the Option ⌥ key. At startup, the computer will display a selection menu. By moving the pointer in the form of an arrow, we select the system that we will use.

If you have gotten used to gesture control in macOS, it's time to think about the mouse. It is impossible to work without it on a MacBook in Windows. With all the tricks of Microsoft, the system does not support even a fifth of the trackpad's capabilities.

Removing the BootCamp Partition

When the need to use a second operating system is no longer necessary, the BootCamp partition, along with Windows, can be deleted. The operation is fast and does not require a reboot.

Mac OS Extended

The file system used by Apple prior to macOS High Sierra is called HFS+ or Mac OS Extended. If your Mac is using a regular hard drive, it hasn't changed since the update.

  1. Launch Boot Camp Assistant and skip the first information window. At the stage of selecting actions, we check that the checkmark is only in the place marked with an arrow. Click "Continue".

  1. The system shows the new disk partitioning scheme. As you can see, the BootCamp section is no longer on it. Click on the "Restore" button.

  1. We confirm our desire to change the partition scheme by entering a password.

  1. The operation is accompanied by the appearance of a bar with a progress indicator. After a few minutes, you will see the following window.

The disk again consists of one partition and there are no traces of the presence of Windows on it.

APFS

After upgrading to macOS High Sierra on Macs using SSD storage, file system changes to AFPS. This FS is better optimized for SSDs and is the default on all new Apple computers. However, if you try to delete the Windows partition in the way described above, the user will receive an error. The system will refer to the impossibility of performing the operation, since the boot volume is formatted in a file system other than HFS+.

  1. Open the Boot Camp neighbor in the Utilities folder.

  1. In the navigation pane, select the volume that hosts Windows. Press the "Delete" button marked with an arrow.

  1. We confirm the choice made.

  1. After successful completion of the operation, close the informational message.

  1. Press the button marked with a checkmark. Using the “-” sign indicated by the arrow, delete the extra BootCamp and “*” sections.

  1. The disk layout should take the following form. Click the "Apply" button.

  1. As you can see in the screenshot, the operation was completed successfully. We managed to remove the Windows partition and return the SSD to its original state.

Parallels Desktop is the best virtualization solution for macOS. With it, you can install any Windows version or Linux and use the required software that only works on those operating systems.

  1. Since we have already downloaded the ISO image for installation on Boot Camp, we select the marked item in the wizard.

  1. Specify the distribution location manually or let the program find it automatically.

  1. Enter the existing Windows digital license key.

  1. By default, the application offers us optimization for using office programs.

  1. At this stage, put a tick in the area indicated by the arrow to manually set the parameters of the virtual machine.

  1. Here we can configure the allocation of disk space, memory, use of network resources and peripherals. The specified parameters must not be lower than the minimum requirements for a PC by Microsoft. For example, for RAM this value is 2 GB. After the preliminary setup is completed, the Windows OS installer will start.

  1. After completing the necessary installation steps, you get a second operating system on your Mac in the form of a virtual machine. The buttons marked in the left corner of the window are responsible for the operating mode. The green one expands Windows to full screen mode and it will look like a regular desktop, taking up a separate workspace. Blue activates full compatibility mode. In him Windows applications can be opened directly on the Mac desktop.

  1. If you no longer need to use a VM, you can easily remove it from the Parallels Control Center by selecting the appropriate item from the context menu.

  1. Files can be left for later use or completely deleted in the trash.

Using the built-in snapshot function, you can test any software on a VM without worrying about the integrity of the system. You can return it to its original state in several movements.

Finally

As you can see, installing Windows on a MacBook as a second system is an easy task. The choice of use case depends only on the needs software in hardware resources f[.

Video instruction

The videos below will help you better understand the intricacies of installing and using Windows OC on Mac computers.

After the presentation of the Windows operating system in its seventh and then tenth variations, many owners of "apple" devices wished to install it on the iMac. The easiest way to do this is to use the Boot Camp software. The application allows you to install a new operating system from "windows" as a second system.

Apple has also released drivers for quick installation of new applications. They do not cause difficulties in handling and even beginners cope with installation.

However, there are users who cannot perform this operation in any way. Something happens to them all the time - the keys do not function, there is no sound and other interference. This article will walk you through the basic steps to install Windows on your iMac. How to carry out the process as comfortably as possible - read below.

Before moving on to the main topic of the conversation, let's find out why one OS is better than another. And in general, is it worth jumping from one solution to another? Look at the differences and make the right decision for yourself.

  • Apple's design is second to none. And you can hardly argue with this statement. The company spends on development appearance as much time and money as for the “stuffing” of devices. Details are treated with due attention. By the way, the hardware also looks neat, although no one sees it.

But Microsoft isn't far behind either... There's been a revolution with the Surface Studio all-in-one. It looks as cool as any computer from the "apple" company. By the way, the tablets and laptops of this company are very spectacular in terms of design. In addition, devices under Windows are created by many manufacturers. Many products with this operating system look strange or have an outdated design, but good options can also be found.

1 Mac gadgets are more expensive. And a lot. Even if another Windows laptop has similar functionality and features, the price difference will be very significant. Windows fans have nicknamed this phenomenon the "apple" tax. The exception is anomalous variants. For example, there are super expensive Surface Books or hyped products for gamers. The average solution will cost the buyer an average of $500. In comparison, the most budget laptop from the Air line costs at least $1,000. At the same time, quite a decent PC - the device can be bought for $ 300. Here the decision is up to a specific user, or rather, his financial capabilities. 2 For gamers, Windows is much more comfortable. Game lovers will choose Windows, if only because it is easier to customize. Serious gamers are constantly disassembling - assembling their devices to replace video cards and processors, adding RAM. Of course, they will not be satisfied with the black boxes of the Mac. Even super cool MacBooks will become obsolete in a couple of years, and you can’t just insert additional RAM into them. Many more toys on the Mac are not installed. This problem dates back to the 1990s and is still relevant today. When Jobs left Atari, he probably lost interest in games. But in vain! 3 Mac support is better (of course, if it exists in principle in your region). If your device is out of order, you can always go to an Apple store near your home. The specialist will diagnose and repair it. And if the problem is minor, the repair will be completely free. But again, everything depends on the presence of such a point in your city. If it is absent, you will have to break your head or run. With a PC, everything is easier in this regard. Something lends itself to self-repair, the other can be entrusted to a familiar programmer. And if that did not help, spare parts are available in any store. In major cities, there are official Microsoft stores with services. So the residents of megacities are lucky in this regard. There are still few such points, but the company is actively developing in this direction. 4 Catching a virus on a Mac is harder. Devices on this operating system (including, due to their high price) is much smaller, so hackers are not so interested in creating spies and viruses for them. Although in last years such "specialists" are increasingly pressed, and they become more attentive to narrower areas. Therefore, the "apple" company is also on the alert and is taking steps to get ahead of the scammers. Every year, new security systems are introduced into iOS gadgets. 5 Operating systems look completely different. This immediately catches the eye. Windows 10 combined the comfort and friendliness of the 7 with the message of the 8 touchscreen. And this venture was a success. It is possible to jump between tablet and normal desktop options. And the latter looks familiar - with the start element at the bottom. The tablet also shows a list of software.

So, most likely, you have decided. Now let's take a look at the steps of installing Windows on an iMac.

Preparing to install Windows 7 on iMac

Of course, this is not only about the seven, but also about any other version of this operating system - Windows 10 and others. Windows installation 7 or Windows 10 is a serious operation that requires setting up the device on which it will be installed.

And first, let's find out why the owner of an iOS device needs to install Windows 10. Especially considering that the developer deliberately left the "windows". There can be many reasons, for example:

  • Not every program that is installed on a PC has an equivalent for Mac. A typical example is "1C: Enterprise".
  • If the "apple" gadget was just bought, you can get confused in its functions. Here everything is completely different. And the second operating system will return the user to the familiar environment and will not let him get confused until he gets used to the Mac.

For the operation, you will need the required distribution kit (a variant of the version that you decided to install). You also need a disc with iMac OS X. Checking free disk space is a mandatory step in preliminary preparation. It must be at least 10 GB. Finally, the most important thing is Boot Camp.

Attention! PC installation is not possible for every model. So, nothing will work with iMac 17 and 20 inches. These are outdated products from 2006. With more modern products, problems should not arise. If your model is unknown, check the information on the Apple resource online.

Installing Windows 10 on iMac

From the instructions below, you will learn how to install Windows on an "apple" operating system. The installed PC is implemented in iMac through Boot Camp - a set of software. This solution will be required when creating a partition for Windows and rebooting the installation system. Drivers will provide the functionality of the operating system and its interaction with the hardware component of the computer. It would be nice to automatically "refresh" the drivers.

Before installation, we update the operating system itself. To this end, on the Apple resource on the network, we go to the updates section. In addition, we form a backup in order to be able to recover data in case of loss.

  • Launch the Boot Camp Assistant.
  • Click on the continuation element and select the hard drive size for the "fresh" OS. To do this, we drag the partition between the names of operating systems.
  • We perform the breakdown into sections using the corresponding element. We are waiting for the operation to complete and emerge on the BootCamp table with the selected volume.
  • We insert the disk with the PC distribution kit and click on the installation start.
  • We are waiting for the reboot to complete and select the previously specified disk for installation.
  • Click on disk properties.
  • Let's move on to formatting.
  • We observe the installation itself - at this step the process will start. Here you will need to select the language and other options.

Note that after the appearance of the second OS on the device, various kinds of problems often pop up. And the most common of them concerns sound. To correct the situation, you need a disk with OS X. You need to place it in the drive and click on the item next in the pop-up window. The software is asked to accept the terms of the contracts, which is what needs to be done. Upon completion of the installation, you need to click on the button to end the action (Finish).

Another reboot should follow, after which you can be sure that there are two operating systems on your iMac. Do not be too lazy before the operation to think seriously and weigh all the advantages and disadvantages of such a decision. If you take hasty steps, you can lose personal information and content. And in the worst case - to damage the "native" operating system. The objective arguments at the beginning of the article will help you make the right decision.

Recently, Apple released new version 13-inch MacBook Air. Contrary to the usual difference of a year, the new product was released only six months later, however, the changes in it are small: a slightly more powerful processor, and that's all. Reviewers decided on a desperate experiment - to install an operating room Windows system on MacBook Air. Find out more about the results below.

The default configuration of the new MacBook Air 13 is a 1.4GHz Intel Core i5-4260U processor instead of a 1.3GHz Intel Core i5-4250U processor from the six-month-old model. This gives a very small increase in performance, you can only notice it in benchmarks, however, the new product is offered to customers for the same money, and the previous model is cheaper. It is difficult to find adequate competitors for the MacBook Air. Models that are more or less comparable in price, as a rule, have lower performance (despite the higher clock speed, the Intel Core i5-4200U itself is less productive than the i5-4250U/4260U).

On the other hand, you can find Windows laptops similar in size and performance, but they will cost much more - it will be a completely different price category, and some characteristics will be noticeably better (screen resolution, for example), which is not always justified in such laptops.

And, moreover, it is impossible to find a Windows laptop that would last as long on battery power as a MacBook Air. This is due, among other things, to the energy efficiency of the OS X operating system.

How to Install Windows on a MacBook Air

It is very difficult to install the OS X operating system on a regular Windows PC, and even then it is not a fact that everything will work. In most cases, the so-called "Hackintosh" is used - a special assembly of OS X, which, after performing special rituals "with dances and tambourines", is able to run on a regular PC. However, if the user is lucky with motherboard, then after flashing the BIOS and replacing the bootloader, you can even install the official distribution of OS X, which will even receive regular updates from Apple server. Some, however, also call this method a hackintosh.

But to put Windows on any Mac is easier than a steamed turnip. No more difficult than installing Windows on any "regular" computer, maybe a little longer. The easiest way to install Windows on a Mac is using the Boot Camp Assistant utility built into OS X, which will help you partition the disk, configure the bootloader, and prepare a bootable USB flash drive with drivers and a distribution image (or without it, if you have a DVD at hand).

Note that even if you prefer virtualization when installing several operating systems on your computer, this is not a problem in OS X either: Parallels Desktop, the most popular virtual machine for Mac, allows you to work with Windows installed in Boot Camp and does not require additional manipulations: that is, you can use Windows and in virtualization mode and booting into it separately. But in this article, we will only work with Boot Camp.

So, we stock up on an external USB-DVD drive, an image of 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium, and an 8-gigabyte flash drive. Now it's up to the small - we start Boot Camp.

First, the utility will ask what we are actually going to do. The top checkbox: “Create a Windows installation disk or newer” can be immediately removed - we don’t need this, because. disc already exists (DVD). We press "Next".

Since we have already inserted a USB flash drive, Boot Camp suggests using it to save drivers and other useful utilities that will come in handy when working in Windows. The next step is disk partitioning.

Usually, disk partitioning programs are quite complicated for beginners, but everything is elementary here - you don’t have to do anything with your hands. Unless, pull the slider, choosing how much space on the built-in drive will be allocated for OS X, and how much for Windows. We have chosen the "Divide into equal parts" option.

Basically, that's all. After clicking the "Install" button, Boot Camp will start preparing the USB flash drive. At this time, you can go to drink tea, after connecting the USB-DVD drive and inserting the Windows distribution kit into it. Boot Camp will work for about half an hour, it all depends on how much you have to download from the Internet. Remember the checkmark in the first step: "Download the latest Windows support software from Apple"? This is what it is. It was possible to turn it off, but we prefer the freshest. After Boot Camp finishes, the computer will restart and Windows installation will begin according to the usual scenario. Choose a country, a keyboard, lean back, enter a product code, lean back again, and so on. Unless, you have to manually format the newly created partition (it will be called BOOTCAMP) in NTFS. But Windows will warn you about it.

When Windows installs and finally boots up, it will install the same Windows support software from Apple that it includes.

In total, Windows 7 was installed through Boot Camp for a little over an hour with minimal user involvement. Even a child can handle it.

Run Windows on MacBook Air

Windows 7 feels great on the latest MacBook Air.

This is not surprising - the "hardware" of poppies is quite common.

To help the mac driver, who has just left the friendly and familiar world of OS X and got into Windows - the world is little known to him, and therefore hostile, there is the Boot Camp Control Panel, which is automatically installed just from a USB flash drive. The icon of this application is placed in the tray and you can always call it from there.

The application has three sections: boot volume selection, keyboard settings and touchpad settings.


In the keyboard settings - only the choice of the operating mode of the functional row of keys F1-F12. Unfortunately, there is no key mapping. By default, the Alt / Ctrl control keys correspond to their Windows counterparts, but Cmd turns into a Windows key (respectively, to launch Explorer, for example, you need to press Cmd + E). If you connect an external Windows keyboard, then it will work as it should for a Windows keyboard. As for the layout, the default will be "Russian (Apple)" - completely similar to the standard Russian layout in OS X, but you can also choose just "Russian", and then the button under Esc, to the left of the "1" key, will turn into the letter "Yo ".


There are more options in the trackpad (touchpad) settings. In fact, they allow you to bring the use of the touchpad in Windows as close as possible to OS X - almost all the usual multi-touch gestures will be available.


By the way, the logical disk with OS X (which is formatted in HFS +) is also accessible from Windows. True, read-only. It will not work to delete something from it, as well as create a folder or file.



By the way, formatting will also fail - the system will give an error. But it’s better not to do this anyway - after we tried to format the partition with OS X from under Windows, it “flew” with us and we had to restore OS X through Recovery. In general, this is the only bug we found. Although rather unpleasant.

From OS X, the Windows drive (formatted in NTFS) is also readable, but not writable.

Download and select OS

There is no "traditional" OS selection menu on a Mac. By default, after installing Windows in Boot Camp, the laptop, when rebooted or turned on, will boot into OS X without any issues. If you want to boot into Windows, you need to hold down the Alt button while booting - then the boot partition selection menu will appear. If you didn’t install anything else, then there will be three partitions: recovery (OS X recovery), OS X and Windows. We select the third and boot into Windows.

And since Windows will reboot much more often than OS X, which generally rarely requires a reboot, it makes sense in the Boot Camp utility on Windows to set Windows to boot by default. Even if you very rarely use Microsoft operating systems, believe me, it will be easier this way. After all, you will have to turn off or restart your Mac under OS X even less often.

Performance test

Let's now see what MBA13 is capable of under Windows. First - a performance assessment according to the version of Windows 7 itself.


Everything is quite expected: fast RAM, a fast hard drive (which here, in fact, is not a hard drive, but a solid state drive), although the system was clearly flattered by the processor and graphics for games. But when working, as they say, with office applications, really “everything flies”.

We also ran PC Mark 7. The results are as follows:


Is it a lot or a little? See for yourself: Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 2 Pro with Intel Core i3-4010U scored only 4286 points, and Acer Aspire S7-392-74508G25tws with Intel Core i5-4200U processor - 5048 points.

But we have one more test left. As you know, the MacBook Air 13 is the most “long-playing” of the thinnest laptops today. Under OS X, it works up to 12-13 hours without any "dimming the screen brightness, turning off all wireless interfaces, moving away from the computer for at least 10 steps and try not to breathe." Well, what about Windows? It's easy to check. We arranged the following test: in each OS, we launched a standard browser ( Internet Explorer for Windows and Safari for OS X), opened three pages in the browser: Facebook, Twitter and Vkontakte (so that they were constantly updated), and also launched an MPEG-4 video with Full-HD resolution for cyclic playback and expanded it to full screen. The brightness of the screen, by the way, was set to maximum. In general - harsh conditions and no concessions.

In this mode, the MacBook under OS X worked for 9 hours and 32 minutes. Good result, we approve. Well, what about Windows? Alas, here the situation is not so rosy: 5 hours 11 minutes. In principle, this is not so little compared to the same ultrabooks on Windows, whose manufacturers claim 6-7 hours of work, but in reality they (if you use them approximately as we described above) are discharged after 4-4, 5 o'clock. But still, the difference is almost two times with OS X. This, by the way, once again confirms the energy efficiency of OS X itself.

By the way, at first we wanted to test without launching the video player, but simply open the fourth page in the browser, from YouTube, where we would launch the Full-HD video. In OS X, the MacBook Air 13 worked in this mode for 6 hours and 26 minutes (such a low result is due to the constantly running Flash Player- because of YouTube), and in Windows 7 - five hours, but for some reason in Internet Explorer on YouTube it was impossible to select Full-HD resolution (1080p), only HD (720p), and when using Google Chrome, where there were no problems with Full-HD on YouTube, the laptop generally worked for 4 hours and 15 minutes. We rejected this test - it is hardly possible to trust its results, because conditions were uneven. But, if anything, keep in mind: the Google Chrome browser drains your computer faster than Safari or Internet Explorer.

How to remove Windows from MacBook Air

What to do if Windows on Mac is no longer needed and needs to be removed? Apple has taken care of that too. Boot into OS X, launch Boot Camp Assistant and select Uninstall Windows 7 or later.

That's it, nothing else is needed - the program itself will erase the disk partition that is no longer needed and fill the remaining space with the main partition.

Removing Windows has never been so fast - the whole procedure took less than a minute.

Practice shows that Apple still produces the best laptops in the world. Reliable, powerful, lightweight, energy efficient. But even if the world of Windows doesn't let you go, all is not lost. Apple took care of the user and provided him with an amazing opportunity to use Windows on a Mac, if necessary.

If you have never reinstalled an operating system in your life and, moreover, have not installed several operating systems on one computer, Boot Camp will still not let you get confused. You won't even have time to get scared - a minimum of questions and Boot Camp is already starting to work. Well, if you are a geek with experience, then you will certainly be surprised by the simplicity and ease of the process. Although, it is worth noting that not every geek is able to appreciate the simplicity and ease.

Installing one operating system side by side with another is a standard practice in the computing world. You can install both Mac OS on a Windows computer and vice versa. On our information portal you will find instructions for the computer. The following are detailed steps that will help you get the answer to the question: how to install Windows on a Mac?

Possible ways

To install the OS, you do not need special skills or professional help. Installing Windows 7 or 10 on a Mac is done in the following ways:

  • through ;
  • Parallel Desktop software;
  • the built-in Bootcamp utility.
  • Let's analyze each case in more detail.

Using the emulator

To install Windows on a Macbook in this way, you need to download free utility Virtual Box and install it. After that, follow the steps as instructed:

  • launch Virtualbox;
  • click the "Create" button;
  • select the type and version of the operating system;
  • determine the amount of RAM that will be allocated for the use of the OS through the virtual machine;
  • then click on "Create a new virtual hard disk";
  • select the virtual disk type and volume;
  • then click the "Start" button;
  • after the installation is completed, you can install Windows on Mac and use it.

How to install Windows on Macbook air or pro?

The second method requires the Parallels Desktop utility. After downloading the program on Mac, follow the guide below:

  • run the program;
  • press the File button and select New in the context menu;
  • then click the install item;
  • select the installation source (image with the operating system);
  • click the "Continue" button;
  • in the new window, enter the software activation key;
  • enter the name of the virtual machine and select a location;
  • click "Continue" to start the installation.

You can use both free trial and full version Parallel Desktop. For normal use of the software, the standard version will suffice.

How to install Windows 10 on Mac using Boot Camp?

With the help of BootCamp, Windows will be able to use all Mac resources to the maximum, so this option is considered the most profitable and optimal. AT latest versions Mac OS this program is installed by default. Launch the utility after closing all running applications and open files:

  • check the boxes next to the items "Download the latest software ..." and "Install or remove Windows 7 or later";
  • click the "Continue" button;
  • then select one of the options: make a copy of the support software to disk or save to external media;
  • Next, set the size of the hard drive that will be used for Windows. 20-30GB is sufficient for normal software operation;
  • wait for the files to finish copying, after which the Mac will restart automatically;
  • during the reboot, press the Alt button to open a window with the choice of OS;
  • select the Windows section;
  • now wait for the final installation and adjust the settings.

Now you know how to install windows 7, 8 or 10 on a macbook or imac. All the instructions described are suitable for any OS, starting with the "seven" and newer.

Installation Features

After installation, you may experience compatibility and driver issues. To fix this, you must download the drivers to a USB flash drive in advance, so that you can then install on a clean OS.

Installing Windows-7 on MacBook Pro

InstallationWindows-7 onmacbookPro

First: Why is it needed? Why do you need Windows-7 on a MacBook Pro?

The answer is very simple. I constantly use Microsoft Access, as well as several programs for customs clearance of goods, there are no analogues for Mac OS and are not planned.

This article does not cover general principles Windows installation on Mac. It describes the steps I had to follow on my Early 2008 MacBook Pro Model Number A 1260 to install Windows -7, and includes comments, links, and installation guides for all the necessary components that you will need for successful and high-quality work. on your Mac computer Windows environment.

You can read in detail about the first installation of Windows XP on a Mac in the manual that is included with the sale. If English is difficult for you, then look for information about it on the Internet. There are many useful articles about this in Russian.

However, I will focus your attention on the most common mistake that almost everyone makes who installs Windows on their Mac for the first time, and then cannot understand why the system does not want to start, even if the installation is done from a licensed disk. This error is as follows: During the installation process, Windows prompts you to format the drive on which the installation will be performed. Despite the fact that Boot Camp has already partitioned your MacBook's disk and formatted the desired partition, YOU MUST FORMAT THE PARTITION DURING INSTALLATION! Otherwise, the system will not start under any circumstances!(unless this is your first time installing Windows on your MacBook).

We will now consider exactly the process of installing the Windows-7 operating system on a MacBook Pro using a 32-bit operating system as an example, since practice has shown that 32-bit Windows -7 on a MacBook Pro works faster.

Some of the information for writing this material was taken from this article:

Necessary tools and programs:

1. Installation disk Windows -7.

2. The first disc that came with your MacBook Pro, which contains Boot Camp and drivers for Windows XP. Do not despair that these are old programs and drivers (as was the case in my case), all this will be needed and will work as it should, I promise you.

5. External mouse (preferably).

DO NOT DOWNLOAD! Just waste your time and traffic!

System installation:

Turn on M acBook, insert installation disk with Windows-7, hold down the key "alt" and install the system. There is nothing more to write about here.

Important! Correct driver installation:

Windows -7 installation completed. And what do we see:

The keyboard does not work properly. Apple function keys not working, CD won't eject.

The trackpad does not work properly. Does not work even in right click mode (two fingers on the trackpad and pressing the button does not open the context menu)

Sound doesn't work. Despite the fact that when checking the equipment, the audio playback indicators show that the sound is playing, there is still no sound. A characteristic sign of its absence is the headphone jack illuminated from the inside with red light.

This means that you need to install all the drivers for your MacBook Pro in order for its hardware to work in a Windows-7 environment. There are several secrets here. About them and will now be discussed. So attention:

1. Installing BootCamp:

a) We take the first disk from the MacBook. Directly run setup with this disk fail, an error will appear "The installer encountered an unexpected error while installing this package. The package may not have been installed correctly. Error code 2229".

When you run any of the files from the disk directory: Boot Camp \Drivers \Apple , (for example " AppleMultiTouchTrackPadInstaller"") we get an error "Unable to execute DPInst.exe on the current operating system". The second error occurs due to the Russian interface language. After all, the Russian version of Windows-7 simply does not exist and will not exist. It will be like in Vista just official Russification. That's why:

b) IT IS NECESSARY TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE OF THE INTERFACE TO ENGLISH FOR THE TIME OF INSTALLATION. IT IS NECESSARY TO DO IT, OTHERWISE THE DRIVERS WILL NOT BE INSTALLED!!!

c) Create a new folder on the C:\ drive and copy all the contents of the CD into it. You will have to use an external mouse or keyboard shortcuts (select all); (copy); (insert).

Keep in mind that extracting the Windows -7 installation disk is currently only possible using an external mouse, or by temporarily booting into the Mac.

d) If you haven't downloaded it yet, then download the patched Boot Camp from here: http://www.speedyshare.com/404462147.html . There are three folders in the archive with the Boot Camp LIMO patch. We need three files from it: both files from the folder " AppleBootCamp 2.1”: bootcamp and Boot Camp 64, as well as a file from the folder “ Apple Boot Camp 2.1 32-bitlatencyissue”: KbdMgr. We take these three files and copy them with replacement to the created folder in the Boot Camp \Drivers\Apple directory.

e) MAKE SURE THAT THE INTERFACE LANGUAGE IS SET TO ENGLISH. We launch one of the BootCamp files in accordance with the bitness of the installed system and perform the installation. ATTENTION, IMPORTANT: After installing Boot Camp, before clicking the “finish” button and restarting the system, be sure to replace the KbdMgr file in the directory: C :\Program Files\Boot Camp with the file from the patch!!! (in a 64-bit environment, according to the patch author, this is not necessary).

The first stage has been completed. Now you can reboot. After the reboot, all devices will appear in the device manager. Almost all the missing keyboard and trackpad features will appear. However, not all that we would like. Now you can switch to the Russian interface language. But I wouldn't recommend it just yet. We continue:

2. Installing the updated trackpad driver:

In a Windows environment, click on the trackpad on your MacBook Pro with one finger ( left button mouse) and two fingers (right button) does not cause any reactions. That was the case until recently. Now this problem is solved. An updated Trackpad driver for Windows-XP-Vista has appeared on the Apple website. We will use it and add the missing features. True, you have to conjure a little, but it is even useful. If you haven't downloaded it yet, then download the updated driver here: http://support.apple.com/downloads/Multi_Touch_Trackpad_Update_for_Windows_XP___Vista . Looking ahead a little, I will say that in order to install this updated driver in Windows-7, you will definitely need Universal Extractor. If you haven't downloaded it yet, then download it here: http://www.legroom.net/software/uniextract and install it.

Have you downloaded the driver? Then try to install it, and you will see that either it does not fit your computer (designed for models from the end of 2008), or it does not fit your operating system, so you need to unpack it with the Universal Ex tractor. When installing Universal Ex tractor, select the default language "Russian". After installing Universal Ex tractor, click on the executable file “ AppleMTTUpdate” with the right mouse button and select “UniExtract here”. The executable file will be unpacked into two folders " AppleMultitouchTrackpad" and " AppleMultitouchTrackpad64". Let's remember their location. Now let's go to the Device Manager, open "HID Devices", in which we see "Apple Multitouch" and "Apple Multitouch Mouse".

FOR BOTH update drivers, specifying manually the path to one of the above folders obtained during unpacking in accordance with the system bitness. Drivers are installed in this way without problems. We check that the drivers were installed correctly: In the properties of both devices, the driver must have version 2.1.2.100.

DO NOT TOUCH THE BOOT CAM P SETTINGS YET, BUT BE SURE TO REBOOT FIRST, otherwise not all functions will work.

After starting the system in the control panel, select Boot Camp. (or right-click on the Boot Camp icon in the system tray and select "Control Panel"). Open the appeared tab "Trackpad" and set the desired options. the translation into Russian is not entirely correct there, so I recommend looking into the English version. That's it, now the trackpad responds to touches with one and two fingers, like a click of the left / right mouse button!

3. Installing the Audio Driver (solving problems with sound).

So we don't have sound. The driver is installed, the speaker indicators blink when checking, but there is no sound. For some reason, the headphone jack is illuminated from the inside with a red light.

In order for the sound to appear, you will need an updated version of the Realtek driver, which already understands what Windows-7 is. You need to download it from here: http://www.realtek.com/downloads . On the page that opens, select the link: High Definition Audio Codecs (Software) »

Or a direct link (but it sometimes doesn't work): http://www.realtek.com/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=14&PFid=24&Level=4&Conn=3&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false .

In the window that appears, check the box, agreeing with everything that is offered and click " Next".

On the opened select the desired file vista,Windows-7Driver (32/64bits)driveronly (Executablefile ) and press " GO"in front of one of the sites: Site1, Site2 or Site3 but not opposite express, so as not to enter extra passwords later.

After downloading the specified driver, you just need to install it. And the sound will appear! Reboot.

4. Installing the Video Driver.

Yes, the video card driver is installed and it works. But trust me, its performance is not up to par. Therefore, I strongly recommend installing the latest on this moment Video driver for NVidia graphics card. You need to download it from the manufacturer's website, namely from here: http://www.nvidia.ru/object/geforce_notebook_win7_186.03_whql_ru.html.

Measure performance before installing the driver and after installing it. The difference is obvious:

Now Windows-7 is correctly installed on your MacBook Pro.

Vadim Yurasov.

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