Windows 8 On an early 2008 iMac

[Katacalysm]

After buying a windows 8 installation disk to bootcamp to my iMac finding out it didn't work, I wasn't that pleased but after looking around apparently it is possible but is just not supported officially.
I then assume that it is possible to do it somehow, so how would I go about doing it or finding out how?

 

[yjchua95]

After buying a windows 8 installation disk to bootcamp to my iMac finding out it didn't work, I wasn't that pleased but after looking around apparently it is possible but is just not supported officially.
I then assume that it is possible to do it somehow, so how would I go about doing it or finding out how?

Upgrade to Mavericks and there you go, because it's got Boot Camp 5.

 

[Katacalysm]

Upgrade to Mavericks and there you go, because it's got Boot Camp 5.

I have bootcamp 5 and Mavericks but I still get the message that my mac only supports windows 7, should I just ignore it and try to continue?

 

[yjchua95]

I have bootcamp 5 and Mavericks but I still get the message that my mac only supports windows 7, should I just ignore it and try to continue?

The message actually says it only supports Windows 7 or above. You must've misread it. It'll say install Windows 7 or later.

Can you post a screenshot and also a screenshot from About This Mac?

 

[Katacalysm]

The message actually says it only supports Windows 7 or above. You must've misread it. It'll say install Windows 7 or later.

Can you post a screenshot and also a screenshot from About This Mac?

 

[yjchua95]

Image
Image

Okay you still can go ahead with it, but slide in the Windows 8 disc when prompted

 

[Katacalysm]

Okay you still can go ahead with it, but slide in the Windows 8 disc when prompted

Well things just keep going wrong, whenever I try to download the support software I am returned the message 'Can't install the software because it is not currently available from the Software Update server.' I doubt its a problem with Apple since I have tried doing this again and again over several hours.

 

[yjchua95]

Well things just keep going wrong, whenever I try to download the support software I am returned the message 'Can't install the software because it is not currently available from the Software Update server.' I doubt its a problem with Apple since I have tried doing this again and again over several hours.

What about downloading direct from Apple's site? They have build 5033 of the support software available, which is the latest for non-Haswell systems.

 

[Twimfy]

Here's the thing. It isn't officially supported on 2008 iMacs as I had this issue with mine but it does install by ignoring the driver download and using a windows 7 disc to let it partition and then switching for an 8 disc when rebooting by switching the machine off and starting it with the Alt key and choosing the Win 8 disc.

Next issue is 64bit compatibility. If you download Bootcamp 5 from the Apple support site after installing windows it won't run on the 2008 imac unless you cd into the bootcamp folder via an admin command prompt and start the bootcamp.msi from there.

I'm not sure what happens with 32bit as I've never used it.

 

[Katacalysm]

Here's the thing. It isn't officially supported on 2008 iMacs as I had this issue with mine but it does install by ignoring the driver download and using a windows 7 disc to let it partition and then switching for an 8 disc when rebooting by switching the machine off and starting it with the Alt key and choosing the Win 8 disc.

Next issue is 64bit compatibility. If you download Bootcamp 5 from the Apple support site after installing windows it won't run on the 2008 imac unless you cd into the bootcamp folder via an admin command prompt and start the bootcamp.msi from there.

I'm not sure what happens with 32bit as I've never used it.

So the only method of getting windows 8 on to my computer is with the aid of a windows 7 installation disc?

 

[Twimfy]

So the only method of getting windows 8 on to my computer is with the aid of a windows 7 installation disc?

Yes.

Unless of course there is a way to create a bootable MS partition without bootcamp but I've never looked into that.

Although looking back through this thread again it looks as if you have made some progress with just your windows 8 disc (I couldn't get bootcamp to recognise mine at all hence the above advice). If you can get the drive to partition via the bootcamp software then you're golden. Don't worry about the drivers just yet you can download them later. Windows will install just fine without them.

If you haven't got a Windows 7 disc and you do think you'll need one then you could always get one from somewhere else (if you know what I mean) not that I condone that sort of thing but you don't need a licensed activated windows 7 disc, just something to trigger the bootcamp installer progression.