We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a laptop that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs
that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but for some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows.
Tim
We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a laptop that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs
that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but for some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows.
On 10/12/2024 21:11, Tim+ wrote:
We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a laptop
that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs
that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but for >> some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything >> else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in >> the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows. >>
Tim
I know this is stating the obvious so forgive me, it's something I
overlooked when trying to get a PC to run an old version of Win: If you
want to run Win7 the laptop and all its components will have to be older
than the Win8 release date. Put another way Win7 will only run on
hardware which existed at the time, it won't be support hardware which
hadn't been invented.
On 10/12/2024 21:11, Tim+ wrote:
We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a
laptop
that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs
that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but
for
some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything
else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in >> the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows. >>
Tim
I know this is stating the obvious so forgive me, it's something I
overlooked when trying to get a PC to run an old version of Win: If you
want to run Win7 the laptop and all its components will have to be older
than the Win8 release date. Put another way Win7 will only run on
hardware which existed at the time, it won't be support hardware which
hadn't been invented.
We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a laptop that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs
that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but for some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows.
Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a laptop
that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs
that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but for >> some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything >> else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in >> the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows.
You need the drivers for the Apple hardware, which come as part of Boot
Camp. Intel Macs are almost PCs but have various differences.
If you don't care whats on it, I'd:
1. Reinstall MacOS (search 'internet recovery' for the instructions), wiping the drive in the process. Install the latest supported version of MacOS.
2. Run the Boot Camp installer and let it install whatever version of
Windows it wants. You'll likely need to download the appropriate ISO image from Microsoft (or elsewhere). You can let it shrink MacOS to almost nothing.
3. Upgrade within Windows to a later version if you want that. eg if Boot Camp will install Win 7, you can upgrade to Win 8/8.1 or 10. You might be able to upgrade to 11 if you do the hacks to bypass the checks 11 does.
4. If this doesn't work, try going back to step 1 and installing the version of MacOS it shipped with (a different keypress to start Internet Recovery) and try 2+3 again.
I'm not sure if there's a downloadable set of drivers for the 'have driver disc' when running the Win 7 installer, or if the Win 7 installer will even boot on a base Mac. Something to look into.
Theo
Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a laptop
that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs
that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but for >> some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything >> else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in >> the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows.
You need the drivers for the Apple hardware, which come as part of Boot
Camp. Intel Macs are almost PCs but have various differences.
If you don't care whats on it, I'd:
1. Reinstall MacOS (search 'internet recovery' for the instructions), wiping the drive in the process. Install the latest supported version of MacOS.
2. Run the Boot Camp installer and let it install whatever version of
Windows it wants. You'll likely need to download the appropriate ISO image from Microsoft (or elsewhere). You can let it shrink MacOS to almost nothing.
3. Upgrade within Windows to a later version if you want that. eg if Boot Camp will install Win 7, you can upgrade to Win 8/8.1 or 10. You might be able to upgrade to 11 if you do the hacks to bypass the checks 11 does.
4. If this doesn't work, try going back to step 1 and installing the version of MacOS it shipped with (a different keypress to start Internet Recovery) and try 2+3 again.
I'm not sure if there's a downloadable set of drivers for the 'have driver disc' when running the Win 7 installer, or if the Win 7 installer will even boot on a base Mac. Something to look into.
Theo
We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a laptop that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs
that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but for some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows.
Tim
Thanks. It’s my wife’s computer and I don’t normally have anything to do
with MacOS so it’s all a bit bewildering to me. We upgraded it with an SSD a number of years back but for the last year or two it’s refused to do any updates/iOS upgrades, possibly just because the hardware is too old.
Base camp failed when we tried it before with a downloaded copy of Windows but maybe a clean install of the MacOS will fix things.
I might just admit defeat and see if I can find a local man to do it all.
;-)
Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
Thanks. It’s my wife’s computer and I don’t normally have anything to do
with MacOS so it’s all a bit bewildering to me. We upgraded it with an SSD
a number of years back but for the last year or two it’s refused to do any >> updates/iOS upgrades, possibly just because the hardware is too old.
If it originally had a HDD as it sounds like it does then it would be the
Mid 2012, which was the last MBP to take one, or earlier.
Apple doesn't
support those any more, so there are no further updates from Apple. (OCLP is a third party hack to install later MacOS, which works quite well IMX.)
Base camp failed when we tried it before with a downloaded copy of Windows >> but maybe a clean install of the MacOS will fix things.
Did it say anything helpful when it failed?
I might just admit defeat and see if I can find a local man to do it all.
;-)
Or go the virtual machine route as others have suggested - Virtualbox is
open source and works reasonably well. VMWare Fusion is a bit nicer to use and free for personal use, although not sure if the latest versions
will run on an older MacOS (also Broadcom recently bought VMWare and jacked up the commercial prices massively so lots of users are fleeing; doesn't affect you but handy to know :-)
A refurbished Windows laptop might be the simplest option for me. ;-). The thing is, the MacBook Pro is a nice chunky solid machine that is quite aesthetically pleasing compared to a cheap plastic generic Windows laptop
and it seems a shame not to restore it to some usefulness.
I think I’ll have a go at restoring to OS back to original and then look into the options you’ve mentioned.
Thanks again.
Tim
On Tue, 12/10/2024 4:11 PM, Tim+ wrote:
We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a laptop
that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but for some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything
else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows.
Tim
IDK. Wasn't there a change to UEFI from OF (OpenFirmware, Forth language)
for part of the boot sequence ? I find here, there was an orbit of EFI/UEFI, roughly when it was showing up on the PC side. Part of that might overlap with the Intel era.
https://apple.fandom.com/wiki/Extensible_Firmware_Interface
Epoch 2006 32-bit implementation EFI 1.10 standard
2007 32/64 "fat" binary of EFI 1.10
2008 64-bit UEFI 2.0, EFI 1.10
2020 Change to iBoot plus Secure Enclave (less likely to work for foreign un-shimmed media)
The search engines will NOT allow me to ask what OS media
will boot on a MacBook Pro. The religion of the Mac, coerces
the question so every answer becomes "so you could install
the MacOS on that pig". In other words, when you even attempt
to ask a question of the party trick variety, like what happens
if you try to boot the machine off the BeeGees Greatest Hits,
the answer is always "to boot your MacOS install media,
perform ritual sacrifice, then insert your Applw-branded media".
Even the AI on my machine, could feel the subtle "reality distortion
field" and would not answer the question in the spirit of its
crafting. The AI gave me a recipe for booting a MacOS
installer DVD.
Well, I have done kinky things like this. I booted my PowerPC version
of Ubuntu, on my Mac G4 Quad Nostril with PowerPC processor on board.
The last one made did not work, but the second last one worked OK and
I used to use that for "maintenance" activity on the disk drive inside.
But this experience is totally irrelevant to this thread. The epoch problem is the problem. The subtle combination of changing processor families and changing boot processes, gives a number of possible situations the
device might embrace.
Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
Thanks. It’s my wife’s computer and I don’t normally have anything to do
with MacOS so it’s all a bit bewildering to me. We upgraded it with an SSD
a number of years back but for the last year or two it’s refused to do any
updates/iOS upgrades, possibly just because the hardware is too old.
If it originally had a HDD as it sounds like it does then it would be the Mid 2012, which was the last MBP to take one, or earlier.
That sounds about right.
Apple doesn't
support those any more, so there are no further updates from Apple. (OCLP is
a third party hack to install later MacOS, which works quite well IMX.)
Hmm, OCPL looks interesting but possibly a step too complicated for me. My enthusiasm for fighting with computer operating systems died many years ago when I discovered that I can do 99% of what I want to do on my phone or
iPad.
A refurbished Windows laptop might be the simplest option for me. ;-). The thing is, the MacBook Pro is a nice chunky solid machine that is quite aesthetically pleasing compared to a cheap plastic generic Windows laptop
and it seems a shame not to restore it to some usefulness.
I think I’ll have a go at restoring to OS back to original and then look into the options you’ve mentioned.
Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:
On Tue, 12/10/2024 4:11 PM, Tim+ wrote:
We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a laptop
that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs
that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but for >>> some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything
else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in >>> the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows. >>>
Tim
IDK. Wasn't there a change to UEFI from OF (OpenFirmware, Forth language)
for part of the boot sequence ? I find here, there was an orbit of EFI/UEFI, >> roughly when it was showing up on the PC side. Part of that might overlap
with the Intel era.
AFAIAA OpenFirmware was for PowerPC, while EFI was for Intel.
I don't think Apple used OF on Intel.
https://apple.fandom.com/wiki/Extensible_Firmware_Interface
Epoch 2006 32-bit implementation EFI 1.10 standard
2007 32/64 "fat" binary of EFI 1.10
2008 64-bit UEFI 2.0, EFI 1.10
2020 Change to iBoot plus Secure Enclave (less likely to work for foreign un-shimmed media)
There's some sketchiness around booting 64 bit OSes on 32 bit EFI, but if we're going back to the earliest Intel Macs from Early 2006 they didn't support 64 bit anyway (only Merom from Late 2006 onwards).
The search engines will NOT allow me to ask what OS media
will boot on a MacBook Pro. The religion of the Mac, coerces
the question so every answer becomes "so you could install
the MacOS on that pig". In other words, when you even attempt
to ask a question of the party trick variety, like what happens
if you try to boot the machine off the BeeGees Greatest Hits,
the answer is always "to boot your MacOS install media,
perform ritual sacrifice, then insert your Applw-branded media".
Even the AI on my machine, could feel the subtle "reality distortion
field" and would not answer the question in the spirit of its
crafting. The AI gave me a recipe for booting a MacOS
installer DVD.
I think after 2008 it should be possible to boot UEFI-compatible OS media, but if it doesn't have drivers you may find it hard to make progress.
Well, I have done kinky things like this. I booted my PowerPC version
of Ubuntu, on my Mac G4 Quad Nostril with PowerPC processor on board.
The last one made did not work, but the second last one worked OK and
I used to use that for "maintenance" activity on the disk drive inside.
But this experience is totally irrelevant to this thread. The epoch problem >> is the problem. The subtle combination of changing processor families and
changing boot processes, gives a number of possible situations the
device might embrace.
Linux kernels tend to have basic driver support built in, so you can boot installers without troubles. If you're in the 32/64 bit crossover time then 32 bit EFI can be problematic.
Windows historically has been annoying to boot at the best of times (eg couldn't just block-write the .iso to a USB stick, need to go via the Media Creation Tool; Win10 is better at this) so it's more likely to have issues.
Theo
Just tried this today.
Everything was going fine until I had to select the drive for installation.
(As I mentioned before it has an SSD now).
Now it pops up with the error message “This volume is not formatted as APFS” and it doesn’t offer any option to reformat it.
Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a laptop
that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs
that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but for >> some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything >> else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in >> the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows.
You need the drivers for the Apple hardware, which come as part of Boot
Camp. Intel Macs are almost PCs but have various differences.
If you don't care whats on it, I'd:
1. Reinstall MacOS (search 'internet recovery' for the instructions), wiping the drive in the process. Install the latest supported version of MacOS.
Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a laptopYou need the drivers for the Apple hardware, which come as part of Boot
that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs
that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but for >>> some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything
else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in >>> the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows. >>
Camp. Intel Macs are almost PCs but have various differences.
If you don't care whats on it, I'd:
1. Reinstall MacOS (search 'internet recovery' for the instructions), wiping >> the drive in the process. Install the latest supported version of MacOS.
Just tried this today.
Everything was going fine until I had to select the drive for installation.
(As I mentioned before it has an SSD now).
Now it pops up with the error message “This volume is not formatted as APFS” and it doesn’t offer any option to reformat it.
Any suggestions?
Tim
Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a laptopYou need the drivers for the Apple hardware, which come as part of Boot
that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs
that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but for >>> some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything
else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in >>> the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows. >>
Camp. Intel Macs are almost PCs but have various differences.
If you don't care whats on it, I'd:
1. Reinstall MacOS (search 'internet recovery' for the instructions), wiping >> the drive in the process. Install the latest supported version of MacOS.
Just tried this today.
Everything was going fine until I had to select the drive for installation.
(As I mentioned before it has an SSD now).
Now it pops up with the error message “This volume is not formatted as APFS” and it doesn’t offer any option to reformat it.
Any suggestions?
Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
Just tried this today.
Everything was going fine until I had to select the drive for installation. >> (As I mentioned before it has an SSD now).
Now it pops up with the error message “This volume is not formatted as
APFS” and it doesn’t offer any option to reformat it.
That's fixable. Boot into the installer again. When it pops up its welcome splash thingy, look for the menus at the top of the screen. Go to
"Utilities -> Disk Utility"
In DU, select the physical disc (not one of the partitions underneath it). Say you want to Erase, selecting GUID (aka GPT) and 'APFS' (not case-sensitive or encrypted). Let it run.
On 13 Dec 2024 at 17:18:36 GMT, "Tim+" <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
We have an MacBook Pro that is redundant but what we don’t have is a laptop
that runs Windows (which would be handy for a few Windows only programs >>>> that we use.
We tried going down the dual boot route using the inbuilt software but for >>>> some reason it just doesn’t work. We don’t need to keep iOS or anything
else on the computer.
Is there any reason I can’t just try running my Windows 7 install disk in
the CDrom drive? I’m really not interested in later editions of Windows.
You need the drivers for the Apple hardware, which come as part of Boot
Camp. Intel Macs are almost PCs but have various differences.
If you don't care whats on it, I'd:
1. Reinstall MacOS (search 'internet recovery' for the instructions), wiping
the drive in the process. Install the latest supported version of MacOS.
Just tried this today.
Everything was going fine until I had to select the drive for installation. >> (As I mentioned before it has an SSD now).
Now it pops up with the error message “This volume is not formatted as
APFS” and it doesn’t offer any option to reformat it.
Of course it does.
Any suggestions?
Yes. Ignore TNP's bollocks and follow Theo's post. Apple's installers always give you useful utilities such as Terminal and Disk Utility.
Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
Just tried this today.
Everything was going fine until I had to select the drive for installation. >>> (As I mentioned before it has an SSD now).
Now it pops up with the error message “This volume is not formatted as >>> APFS” and it doesn’t offer any option to reformat it.
That's fixable. Boot into the installer again. When it pops up its welcome >> splash thingy, look for the menus at the top of the screen. Go to
"Utilities -> Disk Utility"
In DU, select the physical disc (not one of the partitions underneath it). >> Say you want to Erase, selecting GUID (aka GPT) and 'APFS' (not
case-sensitive or encrypted). Let it run.
Then the installer should find it.
All done and working fine. Maybe give bootcamp another whirl tomorrow and
see how it goes this time.
Thanks for all your help.
Tim
Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
Just tried this today.
Everything was going fine until I had to select the drive for installation. >> (As I mentioned before it has an SSD now).
Now it pops up with the error message “This volume is not formatted as
APFS” and it doesn’t offer any option to reformat it.
That's fixable. Boot into the installer again. When it pops up its welcome splash thingy, look for the menus at the top of the screen. Go to
"Utilities -> Disk Utility"
In DU, select the physical disc (not one of the partitions underneath it). Say you want to Erase, selecting GUID (aka GPT) and 'APFS' (not case-sensitive or encrypted). Let it run.
Then the installer should find it.
There will be some sort of partitioning step.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255085008?sortBy=rank
Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:
There will be some sort of partitioning step.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255085008?sortBy=rank
It doesn't usually show you a partitioning UI, it just asks you how much space you want for Windows and it does the rest.
When in the Windows installer it may ask you which partition to install to, but apparently Boot Camp should handle that for you:
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/102622
I note they don't list pre-2012 Macbook Pros, but that's probably because they don't support installing Windows 10, only Windows 7. It's possible
that something that worked 12+ years ago now doesn't due to changes at Apple or Microsoft's end, but if that happens there may be a workaround.
For example, there are guides like this: https://www.reddit.com/r/windows7/comments/1ax9dfb/full_guide_install_windows_7_on_unsupported_macs/
which seems to me to be overcomplicated (although not all relevant - Tim's Mac doesn't have a T2 chip) but perhaps buried in there are a few key steps that are necessary.
Theo
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