Start: A comparison of installation methods is described in the article.

According to available data on the Internet, installing Windows 7 on a Mac via boot camp is possible with the following modifications:
32 bit version:

- MacBook, Mac mini, Mac Pro built on an Intel processor.

MacBook Pro iMacs released since 2007

64 bit version:

- Mac mini released since mid-2010

iMac (21.5", 27", starting in late 2009)

iMac (21.5", 2010 and later)

MacBook (13" since late 2009)

MacBook Pro (15" and 17" since 2008, 13" since 2009)

Mac Pro since 2008

OS X version must be at least 10.5 Leopard. Those. if you have OS X Mountain Lion, then it will work, because... came out later than OS X 10.5 Leopard.

Preparation:

What you will need:

- Windows 7 disk and an external drive, if the Mac doesn’t have one or the built-in one refuses to read it.
- Important to remember:
- Flash drive and Internet access to download drivers from the apple website.

1) We start by updating OS X by clicking on the apple icon in the upper left corner, then “Software Update”.

2) Before you start installing Windows 7 on a mac via bootcamp, it is recommended to do backup copy data, for example using the built-in Time Machine utility or another method, to avoid loss of information when partitioning the disk.

4) Select 2 checkboxes: “Download support software” in order to usb drive The drivers necessary for correct operation and “Install Windows 7” were copied. Insert the USB flash drive to copy the support software, click next.

Within 10-15 minutes. from the apple website will be copied necessary files and the "WindowsSupport" folder was created, in which the drivers are located. After finishing, remove and remove the flash drive from the mac, if it has autorun, so that when the installation starts, it will boot from the DVD, not the USB.

5) The next step is to set the partition size, the size of which depends on how many programs and games you will use. For example, if your tasks are limited to ordinary office tasks, then 25 GB is enough, but if you would like to play, then 100 GB may not be enough, because... only 1 game can take up more than 15 Gb. The operating system itself takes 10-15 Gb.

Insert installation disk, if there is no optical drive or it does not read the disc, which is not uncommon, connect an external DVD drive and click “Install”.

After partitioning, the device will reboot and the installation of Windows on the mac will automatically begin using boot camp, in about 5-10 minutes. A menu will appear with a choice of language. If you want to interrupt the process and go to OS X, then press "alt" after rebooting and go to the desired environment.

Start:

Important to remember: In order to select the required operating system during startup, hold down the “alt” key immediately after pressing the power button.

6) At the beginning, a window will appear with a choice of language, marking the language used in the next item, click “Full installation”.

We mark the section with the inscription "bootcamp" and click the "next" button, if at the bottom there is the inscription "Windows cannot be installed...", then select the section with the inscription "boot camp" and go to -> "disk setup" -> "format".

7) After installing Windows 7 on a Mac via boot camp, you are prompted to enter your username and computer name.

8) The password field can be left blank; the key is usually located in the product box and is a 25-digit code. This code can be entered after installing Windows 7 on a Mac via boot camp, but no later than within a month.

10) We indicate the preferred network settings, in our case it is " home network" and then the desktop should appear. You may also be asked to select wi-fi network to connect to the Internet, if this window appears, you can skip it.

Settings

Windows installation 7 on mac via boot camp is completed, but there is still some setup left to do, namely installing drivers and boot camp in a new environment so that the video card and other components function without errors and with all the provided functions, this is especially important for the video card so that it can be used at 100% capacity.

11) Windows will boot by default if you do not press the "alt" button at the beginning of boot to select native OS X. After loading, insert our flash drive with drivers, go to the "WindowsSupport" folder, click "setup" and then accept the default settings, itself the process lasts about 7 minutes. Upon completion, you will be prompted to reboot, and then you can begin full use.

12) At the bottom right in the Microsoft environment, the “boot camp” icon will appear, by clicking on it, then “boot camp control panel” you can select the operating system that will automatically load when turned on. You can also make the default selection in OS X in the " System Settings" -> "Boot volume".

Data exchange

13) In Windows, the OS X partition is visible, but you can only read from it, open files, copy, but you won’t be able to write to it, because. file system types differ. OS X also sees the Microsoft partition, but can only read and cannot write. It is, of course, possible to exchange files this way, but it is extremely inconvenient. To record data on one medium, you can use a flash drive with the fat file system or a special utility, such as Paragon. There are 2 applications from Paragon: 1) NTFS for Mac to write and change files on Windows disk from mac and 2) HFS+ for Windows to write data to OS X from Win.

After installing these utilities, you can easily work in different environments without difficulty, changing and editing files, the only drawback is that Paragon is paid, a free analogue existed at the time of writing, but only allowed you to work with NTFS system, and it was called "macfuse".

Microsoft and Apple operating systems occupy the leading places in distribution in the world. At the same time, the share of Windows is 82.5%, and macOS – 12.5%. Given this ratio, it is not surprising 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 solve this problem.

The tasks that require the use of a second operating system on a MacBook vary. Depending on what programs you intend to use, you can choose one of the available options:

• installing the 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 working with resource-intensive applications;
• use of virtualization technologies. The most convenient option is offered by Parallels Desktop. Using Coherence mode Windows programs can be used without reboot directly in the macOS environment. In full screen mode, the user can switch between the two operating systems as if between different desktops. In this case, hardware resources are limited by the user independently.

Let's look at how to install and use Windows in both options.

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 is included in the standard set of software installed on both iMac and MacBook Air, Rro and Retina 12-inch versions.

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

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

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

1. Launch Finder, find the “Utilities” folder in programs and open it. The Boot Camp Assistant we need is marked with a frame. Before you run it, make sure that your system is updated to the latest build of High Sierra and that you have installed current versions other Apple software. For proper operation utilities are a necessary condition.

1. The first window is informational. Following the recommendations, make sure that your MacBook is connected to power.

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

1. The system automatically downloads the necessary hardware drivers. Some MacBooks may require a flash drive to save 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. Once you've completed the preparatory steps, macOS will ask for confirmation to partition HDD into sections.

1. The computer will reboot and launch 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 drivers necessary for the operation of the second system are contained in one package, which was downloaded before partitioning the disk. As a result of the operations performed, a BootCamp partition was created on the MacBook, on which Windows will “live.”

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

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

Removing the BootCamp partition

When there is no longer a need to use a second operating system, 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 the release of macOS High Sierra is called HFS+ or Mac OS Extended. If your Mac uses a regular hard drive, it remains unchanged after the update.

1. Launch Boot Camp Assistant and skip the first information window. At the stage of selecting actions, we check that the checkbox 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. Confirm your 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 Windows left 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 solid state drives and is used by default in all new Apple computers. However, when trying to delete a Windows partition using the method described above, the user will receive an error. The system will report that the operation cannot be completed because the boot volume is formatted in a file system other than HFS+.

1. Open Boot Camp’s neighbor in the “Utilities” folder.

1. In the navigation area, select the volume on which Windows is located. Click the “Erase” button marked with an arrow.

1. We confirm the choice made.

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

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

1. The disk layout should look like this: Click the “Apply” button.

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

Parallels Desktop is a The best decision in the field of virtualization on macOS. With its help, you can install any version of Windows or Linux and use the necessary software that only works on these 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. We specify the location of the distribution manually or let the program find it automatically.

1. Enter your existing Windows digital license key.

1. Here we can configure the allocation of disk space, memory, use of network resources and peripheral devices. The specified parameters should not be lower minimum requirements Microsoft requirements for PCs. For example, for RAM this value is 2 GB. After the preliminary setup is completed, the Windows OS installer will launch.

1. Having completed necessary actions upon installation, you get a second operating system on your Mac in the form virtual machine. The buttons marked in the left corner of the window are responsible for the operating mode. Green expands Windows to full screen mode and outwardly it will look like a regular desktop, occupying a separate workspace. Blue activates full compatibility mode. In him Windows applications can be opened directly on the Mac desktop.
1. Files can be kept for later use or completely deleted in the trash.

Using the built-in memory snapshot function, you can test any software on a VM without worrying about the integrity of the system. Bring her back to original state possible 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 resourcesf[.

Video instruction

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

Every user knows about Microsoft and Apple, which produce their own operating systems. But is it possible to install the familiar Windows 7 on a Mac produced by Apple? Of course, you can, because the latter even provide the necessary software. Next, we'll look at how to avoid mistakes and do it right.

Basic Mac Requirements

Before you install Windows 7 on Mac devices, make sure your computer meets the following requirements:

• Internet connection;
• installed BootCampAssistant program;
• administrator account in Mac OS;
• working mouse/keyboard;
• at least 2 GB of RAM;
• 30 GB of hard drive space (more than 40 GB of space is recommended for additional applications and updates);
• if you will use a disc with an ISO image, you need a working DVD drive (external or internal);
• A USB flash drive or disk with 8 GB of free space (for installing third-party software, such as drivers);
• A Mac computer that supports the installation of an appropriate operating system.

Not every Mac computer model is suitable for Windows operating systems. This link shows the correspondence of operating systems and computer models from Apple https://support.apple.com/ru-ru/HT205016#tables

Before proceeding with the actual installation, you need to check whether this can be done in principle (link provided above). Only then plan subsequent installations. If the system is not supported, the installation will not occur. By clicking on the blue number (4 or 5) indicated in the table, you can download the required version of the BootCampAssistant application, ideal for installing Windows 7 on your existing computer.

Step-by-step installation instructions

For this process Mac Air, Mac Pro, iMac, etc. are suitable, the main thing is that all conditions are met. The installation procedure is as follows:

It is important to correctly select the disk partition that will be formatted before installation. It is a newly created program, just for the needs of recently installed system, and is called BOOTCAMP.

Using a flash drive

If it is not possible to use a drive or there is no DVD with a system image, then you can write the image to a flash drive:

Video instructions for installing Windows 7 on Mac

We present to your attention a video that describes in detail all the steps for installing the Windows 7 operating system on Mac computers.

Installing Windows 7 on Mac computers is easy if you use the BootCamp utility distributed by Apple. There are various ways to do this, but the one we mentioned earlier is the simplest and requires a minimum amount of body movements from the user. Follow the instructions and you will succeed.

It all started with the fact that I needed to install Windows 7 as a second system.
The options with Parallel and VMW were not suitable; a separate download was needed.

I won’t describe what pitfalls I encountered; I’ll get straight to the point. There are essentially two ways. Moreover, one of them will not suit everyone.

Disk partitioning.

But first, we need to partition the disk using Bootcamp Assistant. Moreover, on some models of Macs you simply cannot do this. The assistant will require an installation Windows disk. This is done as follows:
1. Go to the Programs - Utilities folder.
2. Right-click on the Bootcamp Assistant and select Show package contents
3. Copy the Contents/Info.plist file somewhere and edit it
String
PreUSBBootSupportedModels
change to
USBBootSupportedModels
4. Copy the file back, replacing the original (you will need a password)

Now in Bootcamp Assistant we have the opportunity to make bootable USBs and partition the disk without installation disks. At your discretion, allocate space for the Windows partition (the data will not be lost anywhere, but just in case, it is better to save the necessary ones in a safe place)

Method 1.

This method is the simplest. However, it is not available to everyone. I’ll say right away that I was not able to successfully use it on non-Air Macs older than 2012. But you can try if you have time. or go straight to method 2, it always works.
For installation we will use bootable usb Windows flash drive 7. You can do it either on a PC using Windows 7 USB DVD Tool, or on a Mac using the Bootcamp Assistant.

Now all that remains is to boot from the flash drive and install Windows as usual. If a regular bootloader does not see your flash drive, you can try an alternative one - . If you can’t boot from it either (No Bootable Device errors or messages appear that the Mac’s firmware does not allow booting), then you should say goodbye to this method and not waste any more time.

Method 2.

So for this method we will use VMWare Fusion (enough free version) and an ISO image of the Windows installation disk.

The first thing we need to do is make sure that the disk will not be used during our operations. To do this, I temporarily moved from it custom folder(Settings - Users and groups - open the lock - right-click on the user - Additional settings - change the "User folder" field - reboot). I also installed VMWare on another drive. If there is no second disk, then you can use an external one - for example a flash drive. ISO image same way. After all these preparations, we will begin the installation.

First, you need to open Disk Utility, select the disk (the entire disk, not a separate partition) and look at its number in Info. In my case it's disk1.

Open a terminal and enter the commands:

cd "/Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Library/"

./vmware-rawdiskCreator create /dev/disk1 fullDevice ~/external-hdd ide

where /Applications/VMWare Fusion.app is the path to the installed VMWare, and disk1 is our future Windows disk.

Many people who are used to working with Windows find it quite difficult to switch to a new operating system after purchasing a computer from Apple. In addition to non-standard controls and many functional differences, they are also not satisfied with the fact that the number of programs, games and various utilities developed for macOS is significantly smaller. For this reason, some users install Windows on Mac.

Is it possible to install Windows on Apple computers?

As a rule, the question about the possibility of installing Windows on a Mac computer appears in the first few days after purchasing it. Few people are interested in this issue before purchasing. But the habits left over from the times using Windows, and a noticeable shortage of software force us to think about the possibility of using a more familiar and familiar operating system.

Fortunately, such an opportunity exists. Owners of Apple computers can install almost any Windows OS, and without the help of qualified specialists.

The Windows operating system does not replace the installed macOS, it is an additional independent program.

How to install Microsoft OS on Mac

To install Windows on Mac devices, the Boot Camp utility is most often used; virtualization programs are used less frequently. But first you need to choose the appropriate OS version and upgrade macOS, if necessary. Many users do not attach much importance to the issue of choice, which creates additional difficulties for themselves both at the stage of installing an additional OS and after it.

For example, Windows 10 cannot be installed on Mac computers released before 2012. This is due to higher system requirements and other features of the program. If you don't follow this rule, you will simply waste time. Here is a list of Mac computers that support Windows 10:

• all model MacBook series Pro, which appeared after mid-2012, including 13 and 15-inch versions;
• two 12-inch MacBook models sold in early 2015 and 2016;
• all models MacBook Air with diagonals of 11 and 13 inches, hitting the market after mid-2012;
• Mac Pro, released in late 2013;
• Mac mini 2012 and 2014, including the Mac mini Server model introduced in late 2012;
• all iMac models since the late 2012 version.

As for earlier versions of Windows, they can also be installed on Mac computers released before 2012, but there are also some restrictions. Here is a small list of operating systems supported Apple devices, indicating suitable version Boot Camp programs:

• Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate (Boot Camp 4 or 1);
• Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate Service Pack 1 or later (Boot Camp 3);
• Windows XP Home Edition or Professional with Service Pack 2 or 3 (Boot Camp 3).

Before purchasing an operating system, make sure it is suitable for your computer.

Many users from Russia and post-Soviet countries prefer to download unlicensed operating systems instead of buying original boot disks. This is a gross violation of copyright law.

What you need to install Windows on Mac

In terms of installation requirements, all Windows OS releases can be divided into three categories:

1. Windows 7 and above early versions.
2. Windows 8.
3. Windows 10

Requirements for the first category:

The external drive must support the method of storing and transferring data in FAT (MS-DOS) format.

Requirements for the second category (Windows 8):

• original image the required version OS (flash drive, DVD or ISO image);
• Internet connection;
• at least 40 GB of free space;
• one of the Mac computers with technical characteristics, corresponding system requirements eighth Windows versions;
• installed Mac OS X of the appropriate version.

If all requirements are met, the Boot Camp utility will automatically install additional software to adapt Windows 8 to technical features your Mac.

To find out the version of your operating system, you need to go to the menu (the button with the logo Apple in the lower left corner of your keyboard) and select About This Mac.

The requirements for the third category are similar, except for one condition: the version of the OS used must be Mac OS X Yosemite or higher.

Installation using Boot Camp

Due to differences between different Windows operating systems, we will describe installation instructions for each category separately.

Windows 7 or earlier

To install Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 on an Apple computer, you must:

1. Connect an external storage device and do not remove it until the installation is complete.
2. Create a virtual image of the boot disk. To do this, you can use programs such as Daemon Tools or Nero Burning Rom. The image will be required to work with the Boot Camp program.

   You can create a Windows boot disk image using Nero Express

3. Launch the Boot Camp program. It can be found in the "Utilities" folder. If you can't find the desired folder, use the search.
4. The installer will appear, where you need to check the box next to “Create a Windows 7 installation disk.” After this, click the “Continue” button.

   In the window that appears, check the box next to “Create a Windows 7 installation disk”

5. We insert the disk with the new OS or mount the image into the virtual drive and click “Continue” again.
6. After a few seconds, a message will appear indicating that you can download the appropriate software from the official Apple website. We confirm the action. The Boot Camp utility will automatically download the necessary software. If this does not happen, you need to download the archive with drivers yourself by selecting your Mac computer model and Windows version on the official website.

   Confirming that you have downloaded the latest Windows support software from the Apple website

7. After downloading additional software, you need to unpack it to external storage(USB flash drive). The system will offer to copy files with replacement, confirm this action.
8. Once again, go to Boot Camp and select “Install Windows”.
9. The program will offer to divide the memory allocated for the additional OS into disks, after which it will reboot and begin installation.

   Set the required virtual disk size for Windows OS

Further actions must be performed based on the prompts of the installer program.

Video: install Windows 7 on Mac as a second OS

Windows 8

Installing Windows 8 is easier and faster than earlier versions of operating systems:

Boot Camp will install the necessary software and drivers on its own. No external USB storage required. This also applies to the latest release from Microsoft - Windows 10. You just need to install boot disk or flash drive, launch Boot Camp Assistant, divide the disk space and follow the instructions.

Video: How to install Windows 8 on Mac as a second OS via BootCamp

Features of installing Windows OS using a flash drive

In fact, the process of installing an additional OS using a flash drive is the same as in the case of a DVD, the only difference is that you need to prepare a USB drive in advance so that it becomes bootable. If you just write the image to a USB drive, nothing will work, you need additional program called UltraISO or similar ones.

In order to install Windows from a flash drive, you need to make it bootable

This program is shareware - there is a test period, which is quite enough to install Windows from a flash drive. Let's bring brief instructions on preparing a USB drive for installing an OS from Microsoft:

You can buy an operating system already stored on a USB drive. In this case, no additional actions need to be taken.

Using the instructions described above, you can install Windows OS as an additional and, importantly, independent program. Before each start of your computer, you will have a choice which of the installed operating systems to use.

Virtualize Windows OS on Mac

In addition to installing via Boot Camp, there is another method to use Windows on Apple computers - virtualization. It differs in that the Microsoft operating system is installed and used as an application running directly on macOS. In this case, it looks more like a regular program that opens in a small window than a full-fledged operating system.

When installed in virtualization mode, Windows operates more like a regular application

At the moment, the most popular virtualization programs are:

• Oracle VM VirtualBox, distributed free of charge;
• Parallels Desktop, which costs 3,990 rubles;
• VMware Fusion with a price tag of 5,153 rubles.

The difference in cost is dictated solely by the pricing policy of the development companies, since all programs work equally well. The only difference free program for virtualization from paid analogues - it cannot be used together with Boot Camp.

Installing virtualization programs is almost identical, so as an example, let's consider installing only one of them - Parallels Desktop:

When you start the program, a Windows window will open in front of you, which can be expanded to full-screen mode.

Video: how to install Windows XP on VirtualBox

Combined use of Boot Camp and virtualization

Some users have gone even further, developing a mechanism for combining the capabilities of Boot Camp and virtualization. Thus, they solved the problem of excessive consumption of computer resources with two operating systems running simultaneously.

To achieve the correct operation of the above circuit, you need to perform the following steps:

1. Install Windows on your computer using Boot Camp.
2. Install one of the virtualization programs (except Oracle VM VirtualBox).
3. When creating a new virtual machine, check the box next to “Use Windows via Boot Camp.”

Pros and cons of using Boot Camp and virtualization

Boot Camp was created by Apple developers to give users the ability to change operating systems at will. Moreover, databases have been created in the form of drivers and additional software designed to simplify the process of adapting Windows to computer technology from Apple. It is for this reason that Boot Camp is so popular among MacBook owners of various modifications.

Benefits of using Boot Camp:

As for the disadvantages, there is only one: not all versions of Windows are supported by Mac computers.

If we talk about the benefits of Windows virtualization on Mac, we can highlight the following points:

• the ability to use Windows without leaving macOS;
• quick work with documents and programs.

Disadvantages of virtualization:

• two operating systems running simultaneously consume much more system resources;
• Some Windows programs may not work correctly. The situation is similar with the screen resolution settings.

Thanks to utilities such as Boot Camp and virtualization programs, users are able to work on familiar operating systems Windows, while using high-performance and high-quality Mac computers. This is an excellent example of how two once-warring giant IT corporations are meeting each other halfway for the sake of the interests of their clients.