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Windows 8.1 on Mid 2012 MBP?

Evildude683

Evildude683

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 8, 2012
143
1
Republic of Texas
So basically I need to install Windows in order to run a packet tracer for an upcoming CCNA class.
Can I purchase the digital version straight from the Microsoft store and make an ISO out the .EXE file? Or would just be easy to stop by a local Best Buy and but the DVD and make the ISO myself using disc utility?

Thanks.
 
Are you a college student? If so you can get W8.1 free from Microsoft's DreamSpark program if your school is one of the participating schools.
Once you register, you just download the ISO directly from MS.
 
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z31fanatic said:
Are you a college student? If so you can get W8.1 free from Microsoft's DreamSpark program if your school is one of the participating schools.
Once you register, you just download the ISO directly from MS.
Click to expand...
Yes I'm in college and I've never heard of that, I'm trying to register right now. Thanks for the tip.
Using that ISO will I be able to install it straight onto Bootcamp or do I have to have a previous version of MS installed?
 
With DreamSpark, you first have to download the Secure Download Manager, and then it gives you the option to download the ISO. Simply download the ISO and exit.
Then start up Bootcamp and let it do the rest. You have to tell it that your ISO is in your downloads folder.

BTW, the version of W8.1 you get is the Windows 8.1 Embedded Pro. It's the same as W8.1 Pro but it doesn't have the silly built in apps like weather, stocks, sport, or whatever else comes with 8.1 on the Metro menu.
 
z31fanatic said:
With DreamSpark, you first have to download the Secure Download Manager, and then it gives you the option to download the ISO. Simply download the ISO and exit.
Then start up Bootcamp and let it do the rest. You have to tell it that your ISO is in your downloads folder.

BTW, the version of W8.1 you get is the Windows 8.1 Embedded Pro. It's the same as W8.1 Pro but it doesn't have the silly built in apps like weather, stocks, sport, or whatever else comes with 8.1 on the Metro menu.
Click to expand...
Done. It offers me both the 32 and 64-Bit but I don't see an option for it to be an ISO. Will it do that automatically?
 
I believe Windows is yours as long as you own that machine. I've had mine for almost two years now.

About the space, it depends on how many programs you are going to run. Figure 30GB for the Windows OS after all the updates and then plan accordingly after that. I made mine 90GB but I should have gone bigger. The two CAD?CAM programs that I run on it take a huge amount of space (about 30GB). I only have about 20GB free from that 90.

I see that you have a 1TB drive in your 2012 so I would give Windows about $150 just to be on the safe side because once you partition it with Bootcamp, you won't be able to resize it.

Oh, and I suggest you use a USB 3.0 thumb drive 8GB or larger for the installation.
 
z31fanatic said:
BTW, you can get the full Office suite for free too. It's the full Office ProPlus suite and you can install it on up to 5 computers and you get the 1TB of OneDrive for free.

https://products.office.com/en-us/student

I installed the new Office 2016 for Mac on my Mac last week.
Free is always good :D
Click to expand...
I have Office 360 free from the school for as long as I'm a student but does the new 2016 version you got ever expire?
The free 1T OneDrive sounds good!
 
If your MacBook Pro has a SuperDrive, you might not be able to install Windows from a thumb drive. I've heard conflicting reports of not being able to boot the Windows installation media on 2012 models. If this is the case, you would need to burn the ISO to a DVD. Boot Camp Assistant can do this.
 
saturnotaku said:
If your MacBook Pro has a SuperDrive, you might not be able to install Windows from a thumb drive. I've heard conflicting reports of not being able to boot the Windows installation media on 2012 models. If this is the case, you would need to burn the ISO to a DVD. Boot Camp Assistant can do this.
Click to expand...
Well it installed surprisingly fast, everything worked out fine. Thanks for the tip.

One question I do have is, whenever they release Windows 10 will I be able to update from within my copy of Windows or would I need to do a clean install?
 
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If your install was done in UEFI then you shouldn't need to do anything else. It would be a problem if it installed in BIOS. W10 does not support BIOS so you will have to install from scratch.

To see if your install is UEFI or BIOS, click on the Start button and enter msinfo32 in the search box. Open msifo32 and look for the installation mode. Should say UEFI or BIOS.
 
BTW, did you activate Windows license yet? You need to go back to the Dreamspark page, choose W8.1 again, and select 'Get Key'. Copy the key, and then go to PC settings and paste the key where it asks you to enter it.
 
I suggest you save the product codes/keys/serials to a text file and copy it to a safe place that won't ever get wiped out from a format or re-install.
 
z31fanatic said:
If your install was done in UEFI then you shouldn't need to do anything else. It would be a problem if it installed in BIOS. W10 does not support BIOS so you will have to install from scratch.

To see if your install is UEFI or BIOS, click on the Start button and enter msinfo32 in the search box. Open msifo32 and look for the installation mode. Should say UEFI or BIOS.
Click to expand...

I wasn't able to find the install mode. I did see the word "Bios Mode".

z31fanatic said:
BTW, did you activate Windows license yet? You need to go back to the Dreamspark page, choose W8.1 again, and select 'Get Key'. Copy the key, and then go to PC settings and paste the key where it asks you to enter it.
Click to expand...
Yeah I figured that out while messing with the settings and personalizing everything :D

crjackson2134 said:
I suggest you save the product codes/keys/serials to a text file and copy it to a safe place that won't ever get wiped out from a format or re-install.
Click to expand...

Well I took pics that I then uploaded to my iCloud and also saved in my iMac. Great suggestions, thanks.
 
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z31fanatic said:
BTW, you can get the full Office suite for free too. It's the full Office ProPlus suite and you can install it on up to 5 computers and you get the 1TB of OneDrive for free.

https://products.office.com/en-us/student

I installed the new Office 2016 for Mac on my Mac last week.
Free is always good :D
Click to expand...
I think I have it through school so long I am a student, I'm not sure if I have the 1TB of OneDrive. I just downloaded the update for Office for Mac 2016, I can't wait to try it.
 
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What does the BIOS mode say? On mine it says UEFI.

msinfo.JPG
 
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