How to get Windows 7 [Archive]

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BStudley35

Jun 23, 2009, 11:15 AM

Hello,

Well I love my MBP, but I would like to play some Windows based games. I would like to use Windows 7 via bootcamp because I hear that this version of Windows runs quite well in bootcamp. However, I do not know how to get a copy of Windows 7.

Where can I get a copy of Windows 7 to install and use for bootcamp?

Thanks,
Brendan

iShater

Jun 23, 2009, 11:15 AM

Buy it when it comes out. No piracy on these forums dude.

edesignuk

Jun 23, 2009, 11:16 AM

There's no need for piracy [iShater], the RC is free to all.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx

BStudley35

Jun 23, 2009, 11:21 AM

So would I just download that and save it to a DVD??

Or just download it and then run it...I'm not quite sure what to do.

thejadedmonkey

Jun 23, 2009, 11:58 AM

Download it and burn it to a DVD... then follow the instructions in Bootcamp and you'll be running the world's most advanced OS in no time!

andrew upstairs

Jun 23, 2009, 12:04 PM

Burn the ISO to a DVD and follow these instructions:

http://www.simplehelp.net/2009/01/15/using-boot-camp-to-install-windows-7-on-your-mac-the-complete-walkthrough/

airplaneman

Jun 23, 2009, 12:50 PM

Yea, and don't forget to get the 62 bit (since you are using boot camp)!

I had one concern- I tried it myself and when I click the GO button to proceed with the download (from this page http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx), the green circle-y thing just spins round and round. I waited 2 hours and the page was still loading. I logged in to the Live server and everything, but it just would not load the download page. :confused: I'm not sure what's going on. Does anyone else have this issue? Thanks.

Good luck, Brendan!:cool:

BStudley35

Jun 23, 2009, 01:14 PM

thanks everyone! i am working on getting all of that done now...

airplaneman,
that happened to me the first time i tried to download it. here's what i did to fix it.
sign out of your windows live account. then come back to this page and click on the link which "edesignuk" provided. start the entire thing over again, and it'll ask you to sign into your account, and from there, just follow the instructions.

BStudley35

Jun 23, 2009, 01:18 PM

for whatever reason, it only works in firefox for me.

iShater

Jun 23, 2009, 01:45 PM

There's no need for piracy [iShater], the RC is free to all.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx

I stand corrected and with full apologies to the OP. :D

romanaz

Jun 23, 2009, 02:13 PM

Download it and burn it to a DVD... then follow the instructions in Bootcamp and you'll be running the world's most advanced OS in no time!

wouldn't call it the most advanced OS, it still has registry issues and driver corruption issues. I've re-installed 32-bit and 64-bit on my macbook pro three times now because of those issues. Maybe the most advanced Windows. Its phenomenally fast and slick, but not the most advanced, IMO.

BStudley35

Jun 23, 2009, 02:30 PM

when it is done downloading, how do i get it onto a DVD? I have a blank DVD ready, but I wasn't sure if there was a certain procedure to follow when putting an OS onto one. Will I need a special program?

windywoo

Jun 23, 2009, 02:37 PM

wouldn't call it the most advanced OS, it still has registry issues and driver corruption issues. I've re-installed 32-bit and 64-bit on my macbook pro three times now because of those issues. Maybe the most advanced Windows. Its phenomenally fast and slick, but not the most advanced, IMO.

What do you do to it to give it registry issues? Or driver issues? I have never, ever, ever had to reinstall Windows due to driver or registry issues, just boot to safe mode and uninstall the busted driver or use a registry cleaner to tidy up the registry.

Tallest Skil

Jun 23, 2009, 02:48 PM

BStudley35

Jun 23, 2009, 02:53 PM

Thanks!! Sorry for asking such a basic question, this is my first mac after years of PC use.

Mac & Beanz

Jun 23, 2009, 04:05 PM

... the RC is free to all.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx

When the RC expires in 2010 - I understand that you will need to purchase the Windows 7 (or XP or Vista) program and do a complete install of the new program.

How hard will it be to uninstall 7 RC and do a fresh install of (whatever) OS you decide to go with?

Thank you.

stainlessliquid

Jun 23, 2009, 05:28 PM

When the RC expires in 2010 - I understand that you will need to purchase the Windows 7 (or XP or Vista) program and do a complete install of the new program.

How hard will it be to uninstall 7 RC and do a fresh install of (whatever) OS you decide to go with?

Thank you.

Format the partition and install, theres no uninstalling an OS.

BStudley35

Jun 23, 2009, 05:59 PM

Stridder44

Jun 23, 2009, 07:44 PM

I have successfully installed Windows 7 via bootcamp! thanks for all your help everyone! Couldn't have done it right without you.

Because I will be doing some gaming...how do I know whether or not the 9600GT graphics card is being used or not while in Windows 7?
I am using a MBP, 17", 2.8ghz, 9400 and 9600 graphics cards.

It's being used. Just be sure to get the latest video driver for it. I wasn't sure if you were using the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Win7, so here's a link to both.

32-bit (http://www.nvidia.com/object/geforce_notebook_win7_186.03_whql.html)
64-bit (http://www.nvidia.com/object/geforce_notebook_win7_x64_186.03_whql.html)

BStudley35

Jun 23, 2009, 08:30 PM

I'm using the 64 bit version. Everything runs very well in bootcamp :D It seems to get just a tad warm to the touch though...

jeevesofRKdia

Jun 24, 2009, 01:20 AM

Format the partition and install, theres no uninstalling an OS.

My suggestion would be to make a snapshot backup and then do a fresh install like stainless is mentioning. when installing, use the snapshot to re-install everything and you should be good.

However, I'm not sure if this is the case with saving a snapshot of files and everything on Vista or RC1 for example, and then moving to the W7 final version... thoughts?

Nermal

Jun 24, 2009, 01:22 AM

When the RC expires in 2010 - I understand that you will need to purchase the Windows 7 (or XP or Vista) program and do a complete install of the new program.

Yes, that's definitely something that you need to remember: The RC expires at the beginning of March, and dies three months later.

Mac & Beanz

Jun 24, 2009, 03:52 PM

Format the partition and install, theres no uninstalling an OS.

Thank you

I have a early '09 iMac (24" / 2.66) and will be installing Win 7 RC via bootcamp - should I use the 32-bit or 64-bit download? I know you guys stated that 64-bit was ok for the MBP - but am unsure about my iMac.

Thanks again!

Hugh

Jun 25, 2009, 08:50 AM

Posted message in a new thread, delete this message.

irishgrizzly

Jun 25, 2009, 10:51 AM

So there's Windows 7; Home, Pro & Ultimate. Which are 64bit and which would offer the best bootcamp gaming experience?

steveza

Jun 25, 2009, 01:38 PM

So there's Windows 7; Home, Pro & Ultimate. Which are 64bit and which would offer the best bootcamp gaming experience?All have 64bit versions and none of them will make any difference to gaming. The different versions just include different features or have certain features disabled e.g. the Home edition cannot be joined to a Windows domain.

DataCabbitKSW

Jul 6, 2009, 04:45 PM

Yup, as per other posters, it is actually pretty easy to get Windows 7 up and running on a MacBook Pro. There are a few things out there that Apple has not released drivers for though. Always make sure you have the latest BootCamp update, as I believe the most recent one has some good x64 drivers that re-enable multi-touch gestures on the newer MacBooks. Make sure you pick up your license and download the .ISO before August 15th, as that is when they will be cutting off new downloads of it. It should work until June 1st of 2010, but it will reboot every two hours starting on March 1st of 2010. Still, since it is released on October 22nd of this year, that will give you over 4 months to go out and buy the retail version and get installed.Doing a fresh install is pretty darn easy, and you can follow pretty close to the same method you did to install it in the first place. Pick up your license and download the ISO off of TechNet over here: http://tinyurl.com/832nco