n00b question re. Boot Camp set-up: Sequence?

[waiting]

Hi,

I've downloaded the guide to installing Boot Camp from Apple's site, and I just wanted to run my plans by the more experienced and better informed for recommendations.

I'm ordering a refurbed 2011 iMac for my parents, who want it set up on arrival to also run Windows. I have a broad question about the sequence in which I should install everything.

I think the 2011 refurbs ship with Snow Leopard, and we have no plans at present to update to Lion (due to reported incompatibilities with MS Office for Mac 2011).

So, if, on a "new" 2011 iMac running Snow Leopard, we want to install:
- MS Windows 7
- MS Office for Mac 2011
- VMWare Fusion 4 (in case Boot Camp is not adequate for them)

my thoughts were to:
- install Snow Leopard and/or update it to the latest version
- start Boot Camp Assistant (at which time I will partition the hard drive)
- format the Windows side
- install Windows 7
- update any Windows 7 drivers as needed.

Then, after that, I figured I could install Office and Fusion at any time.

Does any of that sound problematic? Incomplete? Is there some other sequence that I should follow, or should I be fine?

Thanks for your help and time.

 

[mannyo1221]

My 2011 Refurb iMac was shipped with Lion already installed.

I run MS Office 2011 on both my Macbook pro and iMac, these are both running lion and there are no problems running this version of office under Lion. The previous version (Office 2008) is the one that does not work with Lion.

When you run the bootcamp assistant under Lion, it will download all the support software needed before windows setup commences. During the windows setup process, dont forget to select the bootcamp partition to install windows otherwise you'll overwrite the osx installation.

Your basic process is correct, except you will most likely be starting with Lion.

 

[Dresevski]

Office 2011 should work fine with Lion, it is on my 2011 MBA as I type this. Also, the bootcamp process takes a while and you should plan for a couple hours devoted to installing and restarting repeatedly. Also, if you are using an upgrade CD you need to look up a specialty guide for that.

When I installed Parallels it reset the keys for my W7 and MS Office 2010.

 

[waiting]

If installing Lion...

Thank you both for your replies. (It actually helps for me to know that I'm on the right track, so I appreciate the feedback.)

However, you now have me reconsidering Lion.

If, let's say, Lion does not come pre-installed and I were to install it on the same day with everything else, where in my list would that step come in? After installing Snow Leopard, but before the Boot Camp Assistant?

Also, if I were to go with my original Snow Leopard plan but wanted to upgrade to Lion weeks later, would I have to start from scratch by reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling everything? Or is it something I can just add by itself and be done?

 

[Kasalic]

Thank you both for your replies. (It actually helps for me to know that I'm on the right track, so I appreciate the feedback.)

However, you now have me reconsidering Lion.

If, let's say, Lion does not come pre-installed and I were to install it on the same day with everything else, where in my list would that step come in? After installing Snow Leopard, but before the Boot Camp Assistant?

Also, if I were to go with my original Snow Leopard plan but wanted to upgrade to Lion weeks later, would I have to start from scratch by reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling everything? Or is it something I can just add by itself and be done?

Firstly, like the others here, I run Office 2011 on Lion with no issues.

If you decide to go with Lion, get the Mac side sorted before touching Bootcamp. You can delete the Bootcamp partition and start again with no interference to the Mac OS side, but if you need to start over on the Mac OS side you WILL have to reinstall Bootcamp/Windows.

If you stick to SL and then upgrade to Lion it should all work smoothly but IF you run into problems and need to do a wipe and reload you'll be back at the above point.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that VMWare Fusion and Parallels will both detect your Bootcamp partition and can use this as their VM. However it is advised to make sure you shut the VM down completely if rebooting the Mac into Windows on Bootcamp to avoid corrupting the Bootcamp partition. IIRC both VMWare and Parallels flash warnings to this effect, but it's worth telling your parents about it should you go this route.

 

[waiting]

thanks for the help; I'll try SL, then add Lion later

Thanks for your reply. I checked and saw that, even if this particular iMac doesn't ship with Lion, this refurb model will qualify for Apple's Up to Date program (free Lion download within 30 days of purchase).

I'll likely try Snow Leopard (if that's what's shipped) for a few days then upgrade to Lion, just so I can see what's different. I'm running Leopard on my own Mac, so I'm curious to see the changes between all three systems.

Thanks again to those who replied. You've been more than helpful, and through each of you I learned something new.

 

[TehFalcon]

Thanks for your reply. I checked and saw that, even if this particular iMac doesn't ship with Lion, this refurb model will qualify for Apple's Up to Date program (free Lion download within 30 days of purchase).

I'll likely try Snow Leopard (if that's what's shipped) for a few days then upgrade to Lion, just so I can see what's different. I'm running Leopard on my own Mac, so I'm curious to see the changes between all three systems.

Thanks again to those who replied. You've been more than helpful, and through each of you I learned something new.

There is nothing visually different from snow leopard and leopard, lion does have some finder and other visual improvements, i highly recommend to get Lion either way as it is going to be the standard for all new programs and old. Either way, Make sure to do Boot camp last, the order you do the other things doesn't matter, you could be installing the programs which the updates download if any.. good luck!