Running Windows 8 on Mac Mini

I'm running windows 8 with VMware fusion. You can run windows 7 as well. Just depends if you want to run in a virtual environment or run a dual boot with boot camp...

You can use boot camp and never have to use mac at all since you're not a mac user. Just boot into windows...always.

You wouldn't need to "go back" to the "mac system" since you would be running both OS. I believe all mac minis come with a hidden partition on the hard drive to restore (if disaster struck) your OS back to original factory default. Command R at boot up will give you options to restore...

here2rock said:

I am just wondering whether you can run Windows 8 on it? I am not a MAC user so I don't really want to run Parallel or equivalent.

If no show with Windows 8, can you run Windows 7 on it?

Another question, does the Mac Mini comes with the OS disk so you can go back to MAC system if needed be?

Click to expand...

Yes you can run Windows xp, 7, 8 on Mac mini either using bootcamp (only one OS runs at a time), Parallels or Vmware Fusion (Virtualization).
No mac mini 2012 doesnot come with any OS disc in box - it might be different case with previous generation mac mini but 2012 Macmini doesnt even have a DVD drive so there is no point in having OS disc.

here2rock said:

Thank you guys.

What happens if you hard disk is damaged and you are out of warranty? How do you restore the system then? I am guessing you could back up using some sort of "Ghost Image" like software.

Boot camp seems to be the way for me, is it free or paid app? Is it simple enough to set up?

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OS X uses time machine, as long as you let time machine run, attached to external drive you should be fine in event of crash.

Why in the world would you buy a Mac mini to run Windows 8? You could get a much more powerful computer for the same price if you are just going to run Windows.

johnnybluejeans said:

Why in the world would you buy a Mac mini to run Windows 8? You could get a much more powerful computer for the same price if you are just going to run Windows.

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Probably because of the form factor.

Here's an Ars Technica article on how to run Windows 8 via Boot Camp, even though it's not fully supported yet.

http://arstechnica.com/information-...installing-windows-8-on-a-mac-with-boot-camp/

here2rock said:

Can you back it up on any USB drive or it has to be an Apple drive?

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The reason I want to be able to run Windows is that there are time when I do need Mac. My clients some times give me files which are Mac files and they are pain in the back side to convert to Windows. I will also use it as a move around the house box and maybe use as a media player.

It will be more like a back up kind of machine.

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You are spot on, I love the form factor.

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Thank you, great link.

Click to expand...

yes you can run timemachine on USB 3.0 port connected to external hard drive. I run it just like that and every month make carbon copy of external drive to another drive just to make sure backup is safe.

here2rock said:

What happens if you hard disk is damaged and you are out of warranty? How do you restore the system then?

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Read this:
OS X: About OS X Recovery

and

How to download machine-specific versions of OS X:
http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20110831105634716

here2rock said:

Boot camp seems to be the way for me, is it free or paid app? Is it simple enough to set up?

Click to expand...

This is a free package from Apple. Very simple app.

here2rock said:

What happens if you hard disk is damaged and you are out of warranty? How do you restore the system then? I am guessing you could back up using some sort of "Ghost Image" like software.

Click to expand...

As pointed out in previous article there are a couple of ways of invoking the Mac OS X Recovery tools. A new mini will be able to boot from Apple's serves even if manage to loose all of your local back-ups and images.

If really looking for a 'recovery disk' or 'recovery USB drive' then there is also tool to make one. The recovery disk assistant :

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4848


There aren't 'bit for bit' whole disk cloners, but SuperDuper ( http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/ ) and CarbonCopyCloner ( http://www.bombich.com/ ) can clone Mac partitions and make them bootable.

If need to clone the Bootcamp windows partition then WinClone (http://www.tuaw.com/2012/02/28/winclone-tool-for-boot-camp-imaging-comes-back-as-paid-app/ ) is an option.

That iso link refers to a dev download page that no longer exists. Is there a way to install Windows 8 from the upgrade disk? I have both Win 7 and 8 but they are the upgrade versions and apparently I need a full install disk. Is there a way around this??

here2rock said:

Thank you guys.

What happens if you hard disk is damaged and you are out of warranty? How do you restore the system then? I am guessing you could back up using some sort of "Ghost Image" like software.

Boot camp seems to be the way for me, is it free or paid app? Is it simple enough to set up?

Click to expand...

You can download the OS from Apple to if you put a different hard drive in by holding Command-R at startup.

well nothing ventured nothing gained. I put the 64bit Windows 7 upgrade disk in and let Bootcamp have a go at it. It ran just as described at Ars Technica and when I chose the partition I formatted it as directed and ran the install. I chose to install fresh and it took off. Ran all the way through the install without a hitch. The only head scratcher was at the registration key entry. I typed it correctly from the upgrade disk but it wouldn't take it.. I then gave it the key from an OEM install label of Win7 on my computer which now runs Win8 and it took that. I ran the Windows update files that Boot camp had made and added the latest Intel Graphics driver and all is good. I can use the win8 upgrade disk later when Bootcamp for win8 comes out. Everything seems to be working fine now.