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View Full Version : windows 7 BETA on the air?



TheRiseofTheFal
Jan 12, 2009, 01:40 PM
I am simply curious if it is possible to install the beta and how one would go about doing it?


Tallest Skil
Jan 12, 2009, 01:42 PM
The same way you install anything on the Air; use another computer's disk drive.
TheRiseofTheFal
Jan 12, 2009, 01:45 PM
do you mean that I would need to burn a copy to disk and then go back and install it on the air, by using boot camp? or do i need to make a separate partition and install it directly to the computer

NOTE: I have the superdrive so I could utilize that
Doju
Jan 12, 2009, 03:46 PM
...

Use the superdrive then? It's just like an optical drive, but not built in.

What Skil meant was that you put the CD on another computer, and use the MBA's reader function to install it wirelessly over the MBA from the other computer.
robotica
Jan 12, 2009, 04:28 PM
I am sure you could also use a USB 2.0 to IDE/SATA adapter and use any desktop drive as long as its connected via USB you should be fine! :)
I heard you can install from a pen drive not sure on a mac tho
TheRiseofTheFal
Jan 12, 2009, 05:12 PM
I guess I should clarify, I am specifically talking about the beta right now that needs to be downloaded I should've been more clear about that, I was curious does it need to be put on a disk or can I download the ISO directly and go from there?
kloan
Jan 12, 2009, 05:13 PM
If you want to install it using Bootcamp to it's own partition, you need to burn the ISO.
glitch44
Jan 12, 2009, 05:45 PM
http://i.gizmodo.com/5129679/how-to-get-install-and-play-with-windows-7-pain-free


also mentions a method using a 4 GB flash drive.
MorningZ
Jan 12, 2009, 10:30 PM
I took the gamble.... and installed 7 on my Air with Bootcamp and my Superdrive

Install was smooth, and everything runs fine (although i've only surfed the web and installed/ran anti-virus on it to this point), except i have no sound.... Device Manager shows as everything as OK, but still not a peep....
kloan
Jan 12, 2009, 11:14 PM
Did you install the drivers from the Leopard disc?
MorningZ
Jan 13, 2009, 12:25 AM
Did you install the drivers from the Leopard disc?

Indeed i did.....

There was a manual step needed, one i found on this thread (http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1860928&tstart=0) on Apple's forums....

Used winrar to extract that "RealTekSetup.exe" file, and then went into Device Manager, expanded the Audio and chose "Update driver", pointing it to the extracted Vista folder, and voila... sound, glorius sound....

Windows 7 runs great when booted directly into..... and Aero worked right out of the box (i've seen tons of talk here and there saying they have issues)

Just for kicks, I loaded Fusion in OSX and it picked up the Bootcamp partition and ran Unity... i wouldn't necessarily call it "blazing" fast, but it at least works in a pinch :-)
kloan
Jan 13, 2009, 12:47 AM
cool..

i downloaded the ISO tonight... gonna give it a whirl tomorrow
Maven1975
Jan 13, 2009, 03:20 AM
I found Windows 7 to be a Ram/Resource hog and still has a ways to go if its ever going to be anything special on potables like the Air. I installed a copy in VMware and it runs horrible. (Needs at least 1-1.5 GB of Ram) Bootcamp was much better, but its just the same old pig in another blanket.

I hope they optimize it more before release.
robotica
Jan 13, 2009, 01:10 PM
anyone found that the sm bus controller and compresser have not been installed when using the boot camp drivers?!

:) thanks
smar
Jan 14, 2009, 04:12 AM
I've installed it through Parallels and it seems to work fine. Performance wise, it is on a par with my XP install on Parallels, if not slightly snappier. Not bad considering that Windows 7 is only a beta 1, and that Parallels support for Windows 7 is also 'experimental' at this stage.

(I am running on a Rev B, 1.86 with SSD).
drjsway
Jan 14, 2009, 04:46 AM
anyone found that the sm bus controller and compresser have not been installed when using the boot camp drivers?!

:) thanks

Yeah, SM bus and coprocessor does not install automatically with boot camp. I had to opened the NVIDIA folder on the Boot Camp CD and install it. If you have Rev A, go to the intel folder.
robotica
Jan 14, 2009, 03:50 PM
Yeah, SM bus and coprocessor does not install automatically with boot camp. I had to opened the NVIDIA folder on the Boot Camp CD and install it. If you have Rev A, go to the intel folder.

nice1!:)
mashoutposse
Jan 17, 2009, 02:19 PM
How would I approach installing Windows 7 if I already have a Bootcamp XP install? Is triple boot a possibility?
jackiecanev2
Jan 17, 2009, 06:59 PM
How would I approach installing Windows 7 if I already have a Bootcamp XP install? Is triple boot a possibility?

I don't have 7 triple booted in particular, but when I had xp and vista on a triple boot, just manually add a partition in the disk utility, and install. The GUID table should allow you to add and resize your partitions on the fly; all the intitial bootcamp interface is is an automated resizing process.