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The Bootcamp Dilemma

T

theTechnician

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2008
47
0
Okay, so I have a 15" uMBP with snow leopard on it. I also have an Dell OEM "Vista Reinstallation DVD" (Shhh...) and an upgrade version of Windows 7 Professional.

My laptop won't let me partition the drive because it appears to be too fragmented. My computer is backed up to my time capsule, so can i reinstall snow leopard from a time machine backup? Will that wipe the hard drive clean, thus defragmenting the drive so I can install windows?
Help is appreciated!!!
-theTechnician (Andy)
 
I was told that Dell branded OS discs check the bios (or something) to ensure you're installing it on a Dell computer?
 
Pretty sure it's against the EULA to try to use an OEM install disk to put Vista on any machine except the one it came with, even if it were possible to use it to install on a Mac via BootCamp.
 
well if it installs and passes windows genuine advantage, then can't i upgrade to a legitimate upgrade copy of windows 7? This way i'd merely be using the dell oem dvd as a stepping stone for 7... would this work?

Will the serial numbers conflict with each other? I received the OEM DVD and the 7 upgrade from a family member and they use the computer that the dell oem dvd was from... is that a problem?
 
theTechnician said:
well if it installs and passes windows genuine advantage, then can't i upgrade to a legitimate upgrade copy of windows 7? This way i'd merely be using the dell oem dvd as a stepping stone for 7... would this work?

Will the serial numbers conflict with each other? I received the OEM DVD and the 7 upgrade from a family member and they use the computer that the dell oem dvd was from... is that a problem?
Click to expand...

Other than being theft, no..no problem.
 
Hmac said:
Other than being theft, no..no problem.
Click to expand...

I know, I know... I really SHOULD buy a full copy of windows, and if this fails I'll have to.

But, legality aside for a second, will this even work? Because I'm afraid that the serial numbers from the OEM DVD and the 7 Upgrade will conflict with those already in use by my family member's computer.
 
Legality aside, a Windows 7 upgrade disc works like the Snow Leopard "upgrade" disc. You don't need an existing OS to install it.

Since your copy of Windows 7 also came with a license key, case solved.

EDIT: I just read the part where you already used your Win7 upgrade key. You won't be able to install it on both, you'll need to purchase another copy. Unless you remove Win7 from the computer you installed it on... then you'd be fine. There's not really a workaround... theoretically, if you installed it on a computer that never went on the internet you could install it on a 2nd computer. But since that other computer undoubtably is on the internet, you need another license.
 
iThinkergoiMac said:
Legality aside, a Windows 7 upgrade disc works like the Snow Leopard "upgrade" disc. You don't need an existing OS to install it.

Since your copy of Windows 7 also came with a license key, case solved.

EDIT: I just read the part where you already used your Win7 upgrade key. You won't be able to install it on both, you'll need to purchase another copy. Unless you remove Win7 from the computer you installed it on... then you'd be fine. There's not really a workaround... theoretically, if you installed it on a computer that never went on the internet you could install it on a 2nd computer. But since that other computer undoubtably is on the internet, you need another license.
Click to expand...

So, I'm pretty much screwed... Right? Besides buying a full copy of 7?
 
theTechnician said:
So, I'm pretty much screwed... Right? Besides buying a full copy of 7?
Click to expand...

I think so. Let me recap the situation to make sure I understand it correctly: you want to use an OEM Vista disc to install Vista on your MBP and then use your Win7 upgrade disc to upgrade to Win7. However, both the licenses for Vista and Win7 are already in use on other computers. If this is the case, then, yes, you're screwed.

However, you should be able to get away with purchasing an upgrade copy of Win7, not a full copy. Like the $30 Snow Leopard disc, you don't actually need an OS on the HDD for it to install a full version of the OS. I know from experience that I used my (legal) Win7 upgrade disc to erase my school-issued laptop's HDD (IBM R50, for those interested to know) and install Win7 on it.
 
You'll need your own serial. Good news is, you can install Windows 7 directly from the upgrade (as a clean installation) disc, and then you have 30 days before you lose functionality (aka need input a legit serial)

Good luck.
 
theTechnician said:
Okay, so I have a 15" uMBP with snow leopard on it. I also have an Dell OEM "Vista Reinstallation DVD" (Shhh...) and an upgrade version of Windows 7 Professional.

My laptop won't let me partition the drive because it appears to be too fragmented. My computer is backed up to my time capsule, so can i reinstall snow leopard from a time machine backup? Will that wipe the hard drive clean, thus defragmenting the drive so I can install windows?
Help is appreciated!!!
-theTechnician (Andy)
Click to expand...

Back to the OP's question...

No need to wipe and reinstall everything unless it's of no consequence to you. Format and reinstall of OSX will work. But for future reference you should always defrag the bootcamp partition from within windows before wiping the partition. However, if Windows is no longer installed, eliminate the bootcamp partition within bootcamp assistant and defragment the whole drive. It is best to do this with the drive unmounted.

I've done this by having an OSX installed external drive handy, booting to it, then using idefrag, or a number of other defrag utilities available, and fully defragging the main drive. Might take a little time, but that is your best bet. It fixes this common issue everytime.
 
Hmac said:
Pretty sure it's against the EULA to try to use an OEM install disk to put Vista on any machine except the one it came with, even if it were possible to use it to install on a Mac via BootCamp.
Click to expand...


Hahahahahaha, who cares!!!
 
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