Just got new iMac 27, want to install Windows 7 via Bootcamp now, or wait for Lion?

[dfine1966]

I just got my brand new iMac 27 with 256 ssd and 2 TB HDD. I need to install Windows 7 through bootcamp, but virtualization won't work for what do to I need it for use. Before I start installing in with Snow Leopard, if I update to Lion is this going to cause a problem with the already installed Windows 7 in bootcamp? Should I wait to install Bootcamp and Windows 7 with Lion, or do it now it will be fine even after updating to Lion.

Also, is there a good walk through to install Windows 7 on bootcamp. I plan on installing it on the SSD drive. I was going to use about half that drive, or a little less. I left the 2 TB HDD setup the way it was shipped, using the MacOS format. I was going to install MacDrive on the Windows side to read and write to the 2 TB drive.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[alust2013]

You shouldn't need to wait for Lion. The installation is pretty straightforward, just start BootCamp Assistant and it will tell you what to do from there.

 

[DeaconGraves]

Lion will not affect your Windows 7 bootcamp installation. The bootcamp assistant on your Mac partitions your hard drive. When you later install Lion, it will only touch the OS X partition.

Also, when you open the assistant, it will give you the option to print out a guide for the installation. This should be the walkthrough you are looking for.

 

[dfine1966]

Lion will not affect your Windows 7 bootcamp installation. The bootcamp assistant on your Mac partitions your hard drive. When you later install Lion, it will only touch the OS X partition.

Also, when you open the assistant, it will give you the option to print out a guide for the installation. This should be the walkthrough you are looking for.

Thanks. When do I update Bootcamp to the newest version and how?

 

[DeaconGraves]

Thanks. When do I update Bootcamp to the newest version and how?

Once your Windows installation is complete, while you are in Windows you will insert the OSX disc that came with your iMac. A "bootcamp" installation will start up and install all the drivers for your computer. It will also install an Apple Software Update program that, much like its equivalent in OS X, will notify you of software updates. If any updates to the Bootcamp drivers are released, you will find them there.

 

[dfine1966]

Will I need to borrow my wife's USB Apple mouse and USB Apple keyboard (she has an older iMac 24 inch) to install bootcamp, or can I use the wireless keyboard and wireless mouse that came with the iMac?

 

[DeaconGraves]

Will I need to borrow my wife's USB Apple mouse and USB Apple keyboard (she has an older iMac 24 inch) to install bootcamp, or can I use the wireless keyboard and wireless mouse that came with the iMac?

The only thing you need to install Windows that was not included in your iMac box is a copy of Windows.

 

[dfine1966]

The install went well. Just putting back all the programs I need. Still thinking of using virtualization when I don't need processor specific programs. Can you run virtualization through bootcamp.

 

[balamw]

Can you run virtualization through bootcamp.

You can boot your existing Boot Camp install as a VM under OS X if that's what you were asking.

Just be careful NOT to import it, but just to launch it in place! (Depends on the VM software you are using).

B

 

[J-W]

If I could ask a question... Does Windows XP or 7 work without any speed decrease under Mac OS X? We are being provided in October, new MacbookPro i7 17" with dual-platform set-up. Will Windows XP or 7 run as expected? Will we see any difference in speed? Are there any limitations we should know of?

 

[balamw]

If I could ask a question... Does Windows XP or 7 work without any speed decrease under Mac OS X? We are being provided in October, new MacbookPro i7 17" with dual-platform set-up. Will Windows XP or 7 run as expected? Will we see any difference in speed? Are there any limitations we should know of?

A Virtual Machine running XP or Windows will generally be slower than running natively on the same hardware. However, if you are upgrading from older PC hardware, the VM may still outperform an older PC.

However it all depends on a lot of factors. Mainly what applications you intend to use while in Windows, what you will be running under OS X while you are running your Windows VM. Secondarily it will depend on how much RAM you have in your Mac. When running OS X and Windows you will want as much RAM as you can afford. 8 GB or more allows you to allocate 4GB to the VM and keep 4GB for the host OS which is a good mix for moderate use.

B

 

[J-W]

If we run WIndows under Bootcamp? The issue is that for the most part we will use Windows and then only sometimes will we need to go into the Mac environment. If we do not do this via virtualization - how then is the performance?

 

[balamw]

If we run WIndows under Bootcamp? The issue is that for the most part we will use Windows and then only sometimes will we need to go into the Mac environment. If we do not do this via virtualization - how then is the performance?

Macs are generally good Windows machines. My 2009 Core 2 Duo MBP outperformed my 2010 Dell i5 520 under W7 on most benchmarks.

B

 

[J-W]

So if we are expecting to get new i7 17" MacbookPros in October with the new OS and possible jumps in performance etc. that might come along with that, then we should be good?

 

[vistadude]

Virtualization works pretty well for apps that aren't graphically intense, and if the computer has lots of RAM. On a new iMac with 8 GB ram, I didn't notice any slow downs in word, excel, and a few imaging apps. However, if you are running lots of windows apps at once, then you will notice slowdowns. There's also the issue of certain keyboard shortcuts not working (alt-tab for app switching and excel shortcuts for example). Also, most apps like to run in full screen mode by default and don't remember the correct window size you last used, which makes running multiple apps annoying.

If you are using windows most of the time, it's better to run bootcamp. If you are half mixing windows and mac apps, parallels/fusion will be more convenient with the above limitations.

 

[balamw]

There's also the issue of certain keyboard shortcuts not working (alt-tab for app switching and excel shortcuts for example). Also, most apps like to run in full screen mode by default and don't remember the correct window size you last used, which makes running multiple apps annoying.

Are those limitations of "Coherence" mode, or whatever they call it in other VM software?

I haven't noticed either of those using Windows in a VM displayed as its own desktop. (Basically as if I used Remote Desktop to access another box on my network...)

B

 

[satcomer]

If you use Boot Camp use the Apple Boot Camp Updates to install in your Windows installation drivers.

 

[dfine1966]

I am using Windows 7 Pro through Bootcamp, and it is faster than any Windows built machine that I have owned. It boots up fast and programs open fast. But I do have it installed of the SSD drive. I am glad I went with the SSD + 2 TB HDD option. Using the 2TB for storage, videos, music, etc. I am able to read and write to that drive with the use of MacDrive for Windows.

 

[Pipper99]

I just got my iMac with SSD, too, and I was wondering about the install options. I've read others saying that they don't want to "muck up" their Mac with Windows, so I'm worried that a Windows installation will cause problems to my shiny new, fast iMac. The only Windows program that I want to run is Quicken 2010, so I think that virtualization is probably the way to go. I've tried Quicken Essentials for Mac, and I find it to be just awful.