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Windows 8 upgrade on new iMacs - success?

K

kaelell

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 16, 2009
346
0
HI,

Just wanting to get a feel for what peoples experiences have been so far with Windows 8 via bootcamp on the new iMacs? ( assuming someone has done this).

I appreciate certain things will not work but have you managed to get the core functionality?
i.e Full screen resolution , sound, any keyboard connection issues ?

also I was going to purchase the system builder edition for £110 until someone mentioned you can just upgrade from Windows 7 for £39.99, are there any issues with going about it this way through bootcamp?

I am intending just to borrow someones window 7 or XP installation and then upgrade to Windows 8 straight away, would there be any issues with doing it like that? i.e CD key valadations etc.


thanks in advance
 
K

kaelell

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 16, 2009
346
0
Arman said:
FYI, 32bit versions of Windows are not supported on new iMacs.
Click to expand...

thanks I didnt know that, probably wouldnt matter in long run as I would install 64bit anyway but it is good to know. Especially as I probably wouldnt of thought about what Windows7 disc I can get a hold of.
 
M

MEGrubb

macrumors newbie
Jun 28, 2012
19
0
Arman said:
FYI, 32bit versions of Windows are not supported on new iMacs.
Click to expand...

Was just about to buy a 32bit version of windows 7 to bootcamp with...glad I saw this.

I'm interested in downloading a copy of Windows 7, as my new iMac doesn't have an optical drive...Can anyone recommend a website to download (to purchase, but merely a digital copy) a full version of windows that is compatible with the new iMacs via bootcamp?
 
hfg

hfg

macrumors 68040
Dec 1, 2006
3,621
312
Cedar Rapids, IA. USA
I have installed Windows 8 to an external SSD mounted to a Seagate GoFlex Thunderbolt adapter and it seems to be working fine in my 27" 2012 iMac.
 
B

bonedaddio

macrumors member
Jan 23, 2009
63
0
PA, USA
hfg said:
I have installed Windows 8 to an external SSD mounted to a Seagate GoFlex Thunderbolt adapter and it seems to be working fine in my 27" 2012 iMac.
Click to expand...
Thanks much for the info... this is probably part of my plan when and if my iMac ever get's here... I'm currently setting up to boot to a Pegasus J4 box with a Mac OS SSD, a Win7 SSD, and a Win 8 HDD. It's great to hear that my little scheme may work!

Did you install directly through Boot Camp, or one of the work-arounds?
 
K

kaelell

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 16, 2009
346
0
whats the chance I can purchase and install Windows 8 upgrade onto a trial Windows 7 version :p
I read they have been relaxed on Win 8 upgrade policy.
 
hfg

hfg

macrumors 68040
Dec 1, 2006
3,621
312
Cedar Rapids, IA. USA
bonedaddio said:
Thanks much for the info... this is probably part of my plan when and if my iMac ever get's here... I'm currently setting up to boot to a Pegasus J4 box with a Mac OS SSD, a Win7 SSD, and a Win 8 HDD. It's great to hear that my little scheme may work!

Did you install directly through Boot Camp, or one of the work-arounds?
Click to expand...

I used the technique posted in the Windows on Mac thread and did NOT use Boot Camp Assistant (won't work to external drive).

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1508618/

----------
kaelell said:
whats the chance I can purchase and install Windows 8 upgrade onto a trial Windows 7 version :p
I read they have been relaxed on Win 8 upgrade policy.
Click to expand...

You can clean install the Windows 8 upgrade and activate it after a single RegEdit change and one command line entry. Search the web and you will find out how (or you can simply install and upgrade from the same image with 2 installs).
 
K

kaelell

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 16, 2009
346
0
hfg said:
I used the technique posted in the Windows on Mac thread and did NOT use Boot Camp Assistant (won't work to external drive).

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1508618/

----------



You can clean install the Windows 8 upgrade and activate it after a single RegEdit change and one command line entry. Search the web and you will find out how (or you can simply install and upgrade from the same image with 2 installs).
Click to expand...

thanks! you may of saved me £££s
 
A

Arman

macrumors regular
Aug 27, 2008
204
1
SoCal
hfg said:
I used the technique posted in the Windows on Mac thread and did NOT use Boot Camp Assistant (won't work to external drive).

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1508618/

----------



You can clean install the Windows 8 upgrade and activate it after a single RegEdit change and one command line entry. Search the web and you will find out how (or you can simply install and upgrade from the same image with 2 installs).
Click to expand...

is that the same regedit you do on the Windows 7 upgrade.
 
hfg

hfg

macrumors 68040
Dec 1, 2006
3,621
312
Cedar Rapids, IA. USA
Arman said:
is that the same regedit you do on the Windows 7 upgrade.
Click to expand...

Yep ... the same one works in Windows 8 as well. Just did one this morning.



Once your system is stable, open regedit.exe (You can search for it in the start menu) Find this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/MediaBootInstall. Change the value from 1 to 0, and close the registry editor.

Start a Command shell as Administrator (find it in the start menu, right click on it, and select "run as administrator") You will need to authorize the UAC.

Run the following command "slmgr /rearm" and wait for the command to complete. (you will be prompted)

Restart the machine, and head over the the About page. You will be notified that you have 30 days to activate, and near that is a blue link to enter a new key. Click it, enter your upgrade key, and let it activate. If all went well, you should be good to go.
 
K

kaelell

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 16, 2009
346
0
Hi, thanks again.

I just wanted to clarify what you are saying, when you say you can "clean install windows 8 upgrade"


Are you saying that I can install it via bootcamp without first having windows 7/xp installed?

and then follow the regedit commands to activate that using a purchased key for example.




is that correct?

thanks
 
K

kaelell

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 16, 2009
346
0
To clarify: Will this work


1) Using my Ofice windows xp PC, I purchase Windows 8 pro Upgrade license for £39.99 or howevermuch it is, download the .iso and burn a DVD.

2) Use this DVD to clean install on a new iMac 2012 via Bootcamp

3) register via the upgrade Key I have purchased




From my vague understanding of several posts, even though its an upgrade version you can still clean install ?
 
hfg

hfg

macrumors 68040
Dec 1, 2006
3,621
312
Cedar Rapids, IA. USA
kaelell said:
Hi, thanks again.

I just wanted to clarify what you are saying, when you say you can "clean install windows 8 upgrade"


Are you saying that I can install it via bootcamp without first having windows 7/xp installed?

and then follow the regedit commands to activate that using a purchased key for example.




is that correct?

thanks
Click to expand...

Yes ... that is correct.

I had mixed success upgrading BootCamp Windows 7 installations. It worked on a Mac Pro (pretty standard interfaces), but problems such as trackpad with MacBook Pro.

I redid both installations with a fresh format, then used the Windows 8 Upgrade disk to install. Both of my purchased activation codes were for "Upgrade" installations and wouldn't let me activate after the initial install. Using the regedit method instantly fixed both installs.


-howard
 
Sankel

Sankel

macrumors member
Dec 3, 2012
67
7
Everything working.. Accept..

I've got Windows 8 x64 running on a late 2012 27" mac. I took some time to accomplish.

My video card (2gb) is installed properly, i think. Sounds work, brightness and other controls working properly.

Only one thing.. But hey, it's windows! I can't access my Macintosh HD within Windows 8. MacDrive doesn't work out, either the official bootcamp v.4 HFS+ read only drivers dont do the trick..

So anybody with good ideas?
 
K

kaelell

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 16, 2009
346
0
For the benefit for future readers

I can confirm I also have Windows 8 Pro Upgrade x64 installed and working on my 2012 27" iMac, after some initial trouble getting it to work from an external DVD drive, I used bootcamp assistant to make a bootable USB install and that did the trick.

I downloaded bootcamp drivers from here
http://www.cafe-encounter.net/p682/download-bootcamp-drivers

wireless keyboard volume controls worked fine, Brightness controls initially did but new Nvida drivers stopped it working. Trackpad did not work either yet.
Everything else appears to be ok.
There are tips on brightness & trackpad issues on these forums that I will try tonight.
 
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