MacMini 2014 | installing BootCamp und Windows7

[bill99]

Hello forum

A shopping mall is selling "old" (but originally sealed) MacMinis at good prices.
Since I would like to switch to MacOS and do have a iMovie project it's probably the
time to buy such a MacMini.

But there is a challenge:
I need to be able to install Windows7 with BootCamp (not Windows7 under Parallels or VBox)
but I am affaid that asap this MacMini is connected to the internet, it starts to update
it's MacOS...
To my knowledge the actual/newer MacOS's do not support anymore the the combo BootCamp
and Windows7


Questions:
-What's the best approach to install Windows7/BootCamp on such rather old MacMini?
-And does Apple still offer the required Windows-drivers?


Thank you very much for every feedback/help!

Bill



PS:
Yes I really do need Windows 7 (not web-access is required) and not Windows 10!!



- MacMini 2014 (probably Model A1347)
- MacOS-version: unknown
- i5 (DualCore)
- 8GB RAM
- 1 TB Fusion
- Intel Iris Graphic

 

[Brian33]

Off the top of my head I don't remember what version of macOS will come with a 2014 Mac Mini, but one thing to know is that you won't be forced to upgrade it. I *believe* the default is to not automatically install macOS updates, but to be sure, you can go to System Preferences-->App Store and make sure "Install macOS updates" is NOT checked.

You will want to be somewhat careful about upgrading the OS, because IIRC each version of macOS has a different version of BootCamp that only supports specific versions of Windows. For example, recent macOS versions of BootCamp will not let you install Windows XP.

I once came across an Apple support page that listed each version of BootCamp along with the versions of Windows that it supported. Look for that and you'll know what versions of macOS will support Windows 7 in BootCamp.

(I suspect even the latest macOS does support Windows 7, but you should verify that.)
[doublepost=1567022910][/doublepost]This isn't the page I was thinking of, but it should help:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204048

 

[bill99]

Thank you very much for the feedback about turning-off updates and BootCamp!

->Off the top of my head I don't remember what version of macOS will come with a 2014 Mac Mini,
it's macos yosemite

->This isn't the page I was thinking of, but it should help:
->https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204048
Good link! Nevertheless it's not yet clear to me, if Windows7 is still installable. Please note that I do not yet own a Mac.

Bill

 

[Brian33]

I believe you would be able to install Windows 7 (but it must be the 64-bit version) on a 2014 Mac Mini. See various links below.

I'd first try downloading Boot Camp version 5 (see below) and using it with Yosemite. If Yosemite isn't compatible with Boot Camp version 5, I'd upgrade macOS to Sierra or High Sierra and try again. Once you have your Windows partition working, you can safely upgrade macOS to Mojave (or soon, Catalina) and it won't affect your already-installed Boot Camp setup.



This page (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204048) says:
"In macOS High Sierra and earlier, you can install Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7 using Boot Camp Assistant on supported Mac models."

Following the Windows 7 link to this page (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205016) lists the system requirements for Windows 7. Following the compatibility table link to this section (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205016#tables) shows the required version of the Boot Camp software, depending upon your hardware.

Next to Mac Mini 2014 it shows you need to download and use Boot Camp version 5 and it gives you a link for it (https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1837?locale=en_US).

I didn't see specifically which versions of macOS would run Boot Camp version 5, though, so it's possible that Yosemite isn't compatible it. In which case you'd have to upgrade the macOS to some version between Yosemite and High Sierra. Either Sierra or High Sierra should work (but not Mojave).

All that said, I can't be absolutely sure it'll work, as I haven't done that exact setup. I'm running BC with Windows 10 now, but a bunch of years ago I remember running BC with Windows XP, and if I remember correctly I was able to continue using my XP installation just fine even after upgrading Mac OS X past the point where BC would have rejected a new XP installation. This makes sense to me, because I think BC is mostly (a) a way to create a special partition and (b) a set of Windows drivers (display, etc) that work with the Mac hardware. Once it's installed, it's installed and works.

 

[mmomega]

Hello forum

A shopping mall is selling "old" (but originally sealed) MacMinis at good prices.
Since I would like to switch to MacOS and do have a iMovie project it's probably the
time to buy such a MacMini.

But there is a challenge:
I need to be able to install Windows7 with BootCamp (not Windows7 under Parallels or VBox)
but I am affaid that asap this MacMini is connected to the internet, it starts to update
it's MacOS...
To my knowledge the actual/newer MacOS's do not support anymore the the combo BootCamp
and Windows7


Questions:
-What's the best approach to install Windows7/BootCamp on such rather old MacMini?
-And does Apple still offer the required Windows-drivers?


Thank you very much for every feedback/help!

Bill



PS:
Yes I really do need Windows 7 (not web-access is required) and not Windows 10!!



- MacMini 2014 (probably Model A1347)
- MacOS-version: unknown
- i5 (DualCore)
- 8GB RAM
- 1 TB Fusion
- Intel Iris Graphic

I have about 30 of these running Windows 10.
You can literally make a Win10 USB bootable stick, and have the drive in on 1st boot up, Hold option key to choose the boot disk, and erase mac from the hard drive right then and install windows without bootcamp all together.
No need to even go into mac at all.
there are very few drivers Windows wont install immediately or pull from win update once connected.


I do not run Bootcamp on any of the machines, I do download the bootcamp support file and use it in case there may be a driver windows doesnt find. I'll just single install that one driver and move on.

 

[bill99]

Thank you very much for your help. I will give you a feedback once it's running

Bill