Convert old iMac to a PC to run Windows?

[jazzer15]

I have an old (2009) iMac running Catalina with the Dosdude patch that I am no longer using. It is an i7 with a 2TB HDD and 12GB of RAM and still runs well for basic functions. I would like to give the computer to a relative rather than recycle a functional computer, but she only wants to run Windows 10 because that's what she uses for work and it is what she feels comfortable with.

I tried installing Windows with Bootcamp, but I am running into error messages (can't find the Windows ISO image) and I am trying to think about alternatives. I don't want to run a virtual machine (Parallels) because I don't think she would want to deal with it, simple as it may be. Is there a way to simply wipe the drive clean and install Windows 10 from scratch as if the iMac were a PC? I figure I could probably do it, but I have no idea if it will work properly because I suspect there will not be appropriate drivers for the screen and all of the components and peripherals. Any thoughts?

 

[Wando64]

As far as I am aware you can only do that using bootcamp.
Your best option is to describe in detail the issues you are facing with bootcamp and someone should be able to help.

 

[Amethyst1]

Is there a way to simply wipe the drive clean and install Windows 10 from scratch as if the iMac were a PC?

Yes, you should be able to just boot up from a Windows 10 DVD (or USB pendrive), wipe the drive from within the installer and install from scratch.

As far as I am aware you can only do that using bootcamp.

Bootcamp isn't required; the required functionality (legacy BIOS emulation) resides in the Mac's firmware. Bootcamp just helps you partition the hard drive and maybe make a DVD/USB drive containing the drivers, none of which are required for actually installing Windows.

 

[jazzer15]

Yes, you should be able to just boot up from a Windows 10 DVD (or USB pendrive), wipe the drive from within the installer and install from scratch.


Bootcamp isn't required; the required functionality (legacy BIOS emulation) resides in the Mac's firmware. Bootcamp just helps you partition the hard drive and maybe make a DVD/USB drive containing the drivers, none of which are required for actually installing Windows.

Do you know how I would get the drivers? I would be surprised if they are built into the Windows OS.

 

[jazzer15]

As far as I am aware you can only do that using bootcamp.
Your best option is to describe in detail the issues you are facing with bootcamp and someone should be able to help.

I am getting an error message that says installer disk can not be found. There does not appear to be any way for me to point to the ISO image I downloaded from the Microsoft website. And if I try to save the ISO file to a USB stick I get a message that there is not sufficient space even though the USB stick is huge by comparison to the file. In any event, there doesn't seem to be any way to point to the USB either.

 

[GLS]

I am getting an error message that says installer disk can not be found. There does not appear to be any way for me to point to the ISO image I downloaded from the Microsoft website. And if I try to save the ISO file to a USB stick I get a message that there is not sufficient space even though the USB stick is huge by comparison to the file. In any event, there doesn't seem to be any way to point to the USB either.

You can't just put the iso on a USB stick; the iso must be "burned" onto the stick.

Microsoft has a utility to create bootable USB drives from their iso files, but it is a Windows only application.

Here's also a link to step by step creating a Windows USB stick from Bootcamp within OSX:

How to create a Windows 10 installer USB drive from a Mac

We previously showed you how to create a Windows 10 USB installation media when performing a clean install of Windows 10, but there might be an instance where the only machine you have ...

www.windowscentral.com

 

[jazzer15]

You can't just put the iso on a USB stick; the iso must be "burned" onto the stick.

Microsoft has a utility to create bootable USB drives from their iso files, but it is a Windows only application.

Here's also a link to step by step creating a Windows USB stick from Bootcamp within OSX:

How to create a Windows 10 installer USB drive from a Mac

We previously showed you how to create a Windows 10 USB installation media when performing a clean install of Windows 10, but there might be an instance where the only machine you have ...

www.windowscentral.com

Thanks. If I try using bootcamp, I guess I'm not sure where it is going to look for the installation files. I followed some instructions from an article I found and they made it sound like all I needed to do was download the iso and Bootcamp would take care of the rest. I got through the first part of the process where it downloaded the necessary support files but then I got the error message that the installer disk couldn't be found. I'll try following the steps you linked to and see if that works.

 

[Amethyst1]

Do you know how I would get the drivers? I would be surprised if they are built into the Windows OS.

Assuming you have a working internet connection after installing Windows, they will probably be pulled down automatically by Windows Update. Windows has a "surprising" amount of drivers for common hardware built-in. You will need to hunt down "special" drivers or software, such as for adjusting the iMac LCD's backlight, by going through the Boot Camp support files though.

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

1. On another Windows PC (preferably Windows 10), download and create a Windows USB installer.
2. On your iMac 2009, use Bootcamp Assistant to create the Bootcamp driver USB.
Or better yet, Googling Bootcamp 5.1 or newer and make the USB without BootCamp assistant.
3. Now boot your iMac from the Windows USB installer.
During the Windows installing process, repartition the internal drive to completely wipe-out the 2TB HDD from Mac OS residue.
After that, run the Windows installing process as on every other PCs.
4. When Windows installing/updating finishes, check Device Manager to see if there's still missing drivers (of iMac parts). You can select the driver manually from the Bootcamp USB from 2, or run it automatically (as administrator) and install a hundred of unused Apple drivers.
I was pretty lazy, so I just ran the bootcamp installer all at once.

 

[jazzer15]

1. On another Windows PC (preferably Windows 10), download and create a Windows USB installer.
2. On your iMac 2009, use Bootcamp Assistant to create the Bootcamp driver USB.
Or better yet, Googling Bootcamp 5.1 or newer and make the USB without BootCamp assistant.
3. Now boot your iMac from the Windows USB installer.
During the Windows installing process, repartition the internal drive to completely wipe-out the 2TB HDD from Mac OS residue.
After that, run the Windows installing process as on every other PCs.
4. When Windows installing/updating finishes, check Device Manager to see if there's still missing drivers (of iMac parts). You can select the driver manually from the Bootcamp USB from 2, or run it automatically (as administrator) and install a hundred of unused Apple drivers.
I was pretty lazy, so I just ran the bootcamp installer all at once.

Thank you for the detailed directions.