Windows 7 on Apple hardware

[BrodyBoy]

I'll put it right out there- my (probably) dumb question: Can Win7 be installed on Mac hardware?

I've been a PC user for decades...literally. I really like Windows 7...best version yet, IMO, and I've always disliked the Apple OS.

But....the hardware quality of Windows laptops has deteriorated so much in recent years that I'm having a REALLY hard time finding decent replacements for the two laptops that need replacing at my house. I've been looking for months. Right now, we're double-teaming on an Asus that, despite its high-end style and price, I find disappointing in many regards. (Crappiest keyboard I've ever used, poor display, etc.)

I know Apple makes very high quality hardware. It's not just pretty, but it's known to be pretty rugged and durable.

So...is it possible to take an Apple laptop and just do a fresh Win 7 install? I don't mean bootstrap, dual-boot, or any of that ....I mean just buying an Apple laptop and using it to run Win 7 exclusively...running it as a PC. No Apple software.

I guess I'm assuming this isn't possible, or I would have heard about people doing it. Can anyone enlighten me on this? If it's not possible, what's the reason? (Does Apple write a self-destruct mode into the BIOS? :sarc

TIA for any feedback.

 

[Devux]

I'm sure it's possible, the only way I have seen it done though is through boot camp.

 

[Shootist]

Even though Apple Macs use the exact same hardware as MS PCs I don't think you can load a MS OS on it natively. Something to do with the BIOS I believe.

 

[Mike Connor]

Apple - Mac OS X - Windows Compatibility - How Mac works with PCs

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[BrodyBoy]

Apple - Mac OS X - Windows Compatibility - How Mac works with PCs

Regards....Mike Connor

Thank you for the link. That seems geared toward running Windows alongside OSX...or within it or something...using the Boot Camp utility.

Obviously, Apple isn't going to say, right on their website, that you can just delete all their software and install Windows, if you'd prefer. But I'm still left wondering whether that's doable, or as Shootist suggested, there's something like a BIOS restriction that prevents it.

Seems like somebody would have been curious enough to at least try it at some point....

 

[Shootist]

I think it is the same for the other way around also.

I got a bug up my U no what the other day and looked for a way to install OS X on a PC.
One guy did it using specific hardware and wrote a tutorial on it.
I tried it on my new PC and couldn't get it to work.
I need a boot loader installed from a boot CD and then I could start the OS X install. But then it just gave me a "You need to restart you computer by pushing and hold the power button until it turns off. Then turn it back on". Of course with that the boot loader was not loaded and the PC BIOS does not see the OS X DVD in the drive.

I suspect it is the same for the Mac trying to boot a Windows DVD. The BIOS is set to look for a specific type of boot file.

Now if we could only change out the BIOS chips. Ha Ha.

Now looking at running it in a Virtual Machine. Heck OS X Snow Leopard is only 29 bucks.

 

[BrodyBoy]

Well.....went to a ballgame tonight, where I remember that the guy who has the seats next to ours happens to be a Mac geek. How handy!

So I asked him about this and he said it'll work just fine....that I can run Windows on an Apple laptop as the only OS if I want. He said to do it just like any other clean install- boot from the optical drive, and when Setup asks what size to make the new partition, just use the entire drive. He suggested, however, that I leave the Mac OS intact on a small partition, and then set the Windows installation as the default OS (so it would start automatically without having to select it at every start).

I think I'll check out Apple's return policy and, if they give me at least a couple weeks to give this a try without incurring fees, I might go for it.

 

[ldeuel]

Did you ever try this?

Well.....went to a ballgame tonight, where I remember that the guy who has the seats next to ours happens to be a Mac geek. How handy!

So I asked him about this and he said it'll work just fine....that I can run Windows on an Apple laptop as the only OS if I want. He said to do it just like any other clean install- boot from the optical drive, and when Setup asks what size to make the new partition, just use the entire drive. He suggested, however, that I leave the Mac OS intact on a small partition, and then set the Windows installation as the default OS (so it would start automatically without having to select it at every start).

I think I'll check out Apple's return policy and, if they give me at least a couple weeks to give this a try without incurring fees, I might go for it.

BrodyBoy:

Did you ever try this?

 

[essenbe]

if that does not work, look for a program called Parallels. It is supposed to let you run windows on a Mac.

 

[kbrady1979]

If you are looking for a good laptop, you could look at Samsung's lineup. I think Mac's are the only laptops made out of billet aluminum, but some others are very high quality. Also, just a point of interest: Apple doesn't make ANY of the hardware in their laptops. The chassis is nice, but most of the hardware inside is made by Samsung. Save yourself a grand or so and try to find a PC.

 

[DeaconFrost]

Apple laptops are made in the same factories as Windows-capable laptops, often of the same components. If you truly believe Apple hardware is higher quality, then you haven't done much research into PC laptops.

There's no reason to pay the Apple tax to run Windows. My new Envy 4t is built just as nice as any Apple laptop and cost half of what a similar Air would have been.

 

[bobafetthotmail]

Can Win7 be installed on Mac hardware?

Yes. Apple stuff uses the same Intel hardware (CPUs and mobo chipsets) now. It's the same Intel inside as anything else. (they did the jump from weird hardware some time ago, and it was applauded by anyone)

All linux distros I know do work fine in Intel Macs.

I know Apple makes very high quality hardware. It's not just pretty, but it's known to be pretty rugged and durable.

Quality? Yes. Rugged? No. It's not more resistant to anything than high end laptops. I fully agree on general crappyness of non-apple keyboards and screens, and Apple's touchpad is better, even just the hardware. But it's not more durable nor more rugged than any other high-end laptop or ultrabook.

I'd personally advise to find a good Ultrabook, as those are the product lines supposed to compete with Apple. In case you find Apple stuff for a good price (not the usual +30-50% price for no real reason) go and grab it.

So...is it possible to take an Apple laptop and just do a fresh Win 7 install? I don't mean bootstrap, dual-boot, or any of that ....I mean just buying an Apple laptop and using it to run Win 7 exclusively...running it as a PC. No Apple software.

You can use Bootcamp (here a tutorial). You shrink the Apple's partition to just a few GB and keep it there for emergencies.
I don't think you hate OSX so much to want it off your lawn machine so much. It's a dual-boot, you still have 100% performance using either OS.

The other way (untested, but I'm very convinced should work, if it doesn't you can always reinstall OSX and do the above) is straight booting from a Win7 install disk, nuke everything and install Win7, then after it's finished and you are in Windows 7 you pop in OSX install disk and run the setup.exe on it, that contains the Boot Camp driver installer that will make sure you can use Apple devices (sound and touchpad I think) for the rest it's the same as a normal PC as it is a normal PC.

EDIT: damn, didn't check OP post date. Oh well. Hope you find this useful anyway Ideuel.