Windows, bootcamp and new iMac...

[Kingdadd]

Hi folks,

I just purchased a new iMac 27" and discovered that Bootcamp 4.0 no longer supports WinXP, which is what I was running on my older 2009 iMac. Is there any type of workaround for this? I really don't want to have to spend $200 on Windows 7 for a few programs.

Can an older version of bootcamp be installed? I have my SL disk.

Can I try to use the Windows 8 trial instead? Will bootcamp assistant even detect windows 8? Does the Windows 8 trail have a experation date, which would make it kinda useless after awhile?

I know it's my fault that I didn't research this beforehand, I just assumed that bootcamp supported XP.

Thanks.

 

[Dark Void]

When did you purchase it? I am assuming very recently (considering "just purchased") and if that's the case how are you running SL? What relevance does the SL disk have?

I think the XP installation process is dodgy but I don't know the specifics. In any case I would use what is supported.

 

[Grannyville7989]

Boot Camp support for Windows XP was dropped by Apple a year ago, along with Windows Vista.

You can download the 90-day trial of Windows 8 Enterprise to try out on your iMac. Boot Camp should install and work on it fine. Plus, Windows 8 is inexpensive when it goes on sale. However, if you do decide to purchase Windows 8, you won't be able to do an in-place upgrade from Windows 8 Enterprise to Windows 8 Core/Pro.

 

[Kingdadd]

Boot Camp support for Windows XP was dropped by Apple a year ago, along with Windows Vista.

You can download the 90-day trial of Windows 8 Enterprise to try out on your iMac. Boot Camp should install and work on it fine. Plus, Windows 8 is inexpensive when it goes on sale. However, if you do decide to purchase Windows 8, you won't be able to do an in-place upgrade from Windows 8 Enterprise to Windows 8 Core/Pro.

Sorry, but what do you mean by "won't be able to do an in-place upgrade"? Do you mean I won't be able to upgrade the trial version? And do you know how much Windows 8 will be? And I assume I can burn the Windows 8 ISO onto DVD and run bootcamp as normal?

Sorry, I haven't been keeping up on Windows as I do almost everything on my Mac, and have for years now. However I would like to run a few games on Steam that won't run on the Mac version. Going through alot of hassle for a few games, but if it works it will be worth it.

 

[IlikeMacsSoMuch]

windows 8

Hi,
Yes you can burn windows 8 on a dvd, you download it from microsoft, just google-it, then burn the iso with disk utility.

I think that what the other meant by "won't be able to do an in-place upgrade" is that you might have to make a full re-installation of windows 8 when you buy it.

By the way, I installed-it on my three macs and it's really interesting. Coming from windows xp with a brand new iMac you'll be blown away by the performance!

When it comes out, you can buy an oem version from tigerdirect, it's cheaper. You just won't have technical support from microsoft but with google who needs it anyway?

best of luck

 

[Grannyville7989]

By in-place upgrade I mean you won't be able to do an upgrade install from Windows 8 Enterprise to Windows 9 Core/Pro. You would have format the partition and do a clean install.