Is it possible to install Windows on a MacBook? There are three ways to install Windows on a Mac. Installing Windows using VirtualBox

Since Apple switched to Intel processors in 2006, the Apple Mac has remained the only device capable of running macOS and Windows simultaneously, as well as applications that support both systems. You can run Windows on any Mac device made since about 2006. In fact, it is possible to run Windows on older versions of Mac, but for the purity of the experiment we are focusing on the period of transition to Intel.

We'll look at two main methods: Boot Camp and virtualization, and explain the differences between them, as well as the pros and cons of each method.

Boot Camp Software vs Virtualization

There are several ways to run Windows on a Mac, for which you will need to purchase a licensed version of Windows. The easiest way is to simply log into Windows systems when you start your Mac computer.

This method is carried out using Boot Camp, a utility built into Mac OS X/macOS. It also offers the best performance among all available methods.

Another option is virtualization. This method is somewhat more complicated and requires an external application such as Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion. This means you can quickly switch from one system to another, but the computing power of your computers will be wasted on both Windows and Mac, resulting in lower performance. This is the main difference between this method and Boot Camp, which focuses only on Windows OS.

So, let's look at both methods in turn.

Boot Camp

If you are an Apple fan but are used to working on Windows, then one of the most common solutions is to use the Boot Camp method. You will need a USB drive with at least 16 GB of free space to add the necessary files for Boot Camp. Be sure to check for software updates to make sure macOS, Mac firmware, and Boot Camp Assistant are up to date.

You will also need at least 30GB of free space on your computer to provide room for the system. Boot Camp will take the ISO file and create an image of the system disk, which can later be used for installation purposes.

To freely switch between operating systems, hold down the key Alt (Option).

After you start Windows, the computer will redirect all resources to ensure the operation of this particular system. Thus, the performance, compared to the virtualization method, will be twice as high.

Here is a list of steps you need to take to run Windows 10 on your Mac:

1. Download the disk image. Select 64-bit boot.

   

2. Make sure macOS, your Mac firmware, and Boot Camp Assistant are up to date.
3. Once you download the Windows 10 ISO (see above), open Boot Camp Assistant. Check the following boxes "Create an installation disk" and "Install Windows 10" (ignore that another Windows is listed).

   

4. Connect the USB drive, find the Windows 10 ISO file using Boot Camp Assistant. Boot Camp will copy the Windows 10 ISO and all the system drivers you need to run it to a USB drive. After a while, your USB drive will become a Windows 10 boot drive.

   

5. The next step is key, you will need to partition the hard drive. This means setting aside an amount of space for your system. The recommended minimum is 20 GB, but 55 GB is best.

   

6. After you have allocated the required space to the system, click on “Install”. Windows 10 will begin the installation process. Once this happens, Windows will reboot several times. It should reboot into Windows 10 before you can see the Windows setup screen, but it's okay if it does on macOS. Don't forget that if you hold down the Option/Alt button for a while while restarting, you will be presented with a system selection menu.
7. Next, enter your product key and select the Windows Boot Camp partition. Follow the installation procedure. After installation, MacOS will boot into Windows 10 on its own.

   

8. Finally, you will need to install the Boot Camp drivers, which are located on your USB drive. Find them and run setup.exe to install.

   

Advice! It is stated that twenty gigabytes of hard disk space is enough for Windows 10 to function, but in reality, for the system to function correctly, you will definitely need

Virtualization

An alternative method, virtualization, makes it possible to create one virtual machine inside a second one. So Windows here runs as an application. But at the same time, resources are spent on both systems.

There are different virtualization software, in this case we will tell you about using VMware Fusion to run Windows 10 and macOS on your Mac, although the process is generally similar to other virtualization software such as Parallels.

So, the list of steps to run Windows on Mac using VMware Fusion:

1. Once downloaded, the VMware Fusion disk image will be saved in the Default Downloads directory. Find it and double-click on the VMware.dmg file to begin the installation.

   

2. Double-click the VMware Fusion icon to start the installation.

   

3. After installation, launch the program. A window will open: “Virtual Machine Library”, in which you can create a virtual machine. You can now use the Windows Easy Install feature for VMware Fusion to automatically install Windows and VMware Tools on your virtual machine.
4. In the Virtual Machine Library window, double-click New or select File > New. The new virtual machine assistant will launch.

   

5. Click Continue or to go to the Operating System panel. Now in this window, select any system and version for your virtual machine. In the Name panel, enter a name for the virtual machine in the Save As field.

   

6. In the virtual hard disk panel, create a maximum size for it. The smallest possible size for Windows 10 is 1 GB, but Microsoft recommends leaving it at 2048 MB. You should install 4 processor cores for your virtual machine.

   

7. In the Windows Easy Install panel, select Use Easy Install. Enter your name, password (optional), and Windows product key.

   

8. "Name" should be the name your Windows software is registered under, not your Windows username.
9. You will then be taken to the “Done” dialog. Next, start launching the virtual machine and installing the operating system. Check your Windows installation media and select the option “Use operating system installation disc” if you are using a DVD, or “Use operating system installation image file” if it is a USB drive. In the latter case, you will still have to find the file on disk.

Finally, click "Done". VMware Fusion will install Windows. This will take a maximum of 45 minutes, and after completing this procedure, you will be able to boot into Windows from OS X at any time.

Video - How to install Windows on a Mac

Installing Windows on Mac- The operation is relatively simple. Microsoft and Apple are well aware that many users want to have a machine that has excellent characteristics and an excellent OS.

Basically, all you need to get started is a Mac computer, one important utility, and Windows OS. To be more specific about the system requirements of your computer - it must have an Intel processor, 10 GB of HDD space, plus some free space to back up your data.

Regarding the important utility for installing Windows on Mac – We are talking about the BootCamp program. BootCamp is a special set of drivers that allows you to use all the basic features of Windows on Apple computers. At the same time installationWindowsonMac produced in a separate partition on the computer’s HDD. In addition to Windows, you always have access to Apple's standard OSX.

Note also that installing Windows on Mac must be done using a specific version of BootCamp. If you install Windows 7, the installed program will be able to function with iMac or Mac Book Pro, which went on sale in 2007, as well as with later modifications. This is relative to 32-bit Windows OM. But if you want more performance than a 64-bit system can provide, then your Apple computer must be released in 2008 or later. In this case, all devices must operate based on Intel processors.

If you need to install Windows versions from 7 to 8.1 on a Mac, then you will need BootCamp version 5.1; you can easily download this application from the official Apple website.

First, you'll need to back up the content stored on your PC's hard drives. To do this, it is recommended to use a simple TimeMachine utility. During installation, the structure of the HDD changes, as well as the amount of memory stored in its partitions. And backup is just a precaution. After all, an accidental failure during installation can lead to very unpleasant consequences.

To begin withinstalling Windows on Mac It is recommended to close all those unnecessary programs and then launch BootCamp. After clicking on the “Continue” button, you will be asked to select the size of the hard drive that will suit the needs of Windows. The minimum is 5 GB, but we recommend choosing 20 GB. By dragging the partition to the center of the window, you will get the volume you need.

Next, partitioning begins. At the same time, the partitioning process does not last very long, and if you do not encounter an error, a shortcut weighing approximately 20 GB will soon appear on your desktop. All that remains is to boot the disk or insert a USB flash drive with a Windows image, and then click on “Start installation”.

Installing Windows on Mac will continue after the computer is restarted. Then all that remains is to select the hard drive partition where the word BOOT Camp is located. It is very important to choose the right section! If you install it in the wrong place, problems will arise with your Mac and you will have to contact service specialists. When a window appears saying “Where do you want Install windows?” you need to select the disk, then select the “Disk Properties” command and format it.

You should not pay attention to the system’s warning about the danger of such an action. Next, all that remains is to install only the necessary drivers for the video card, restart the PC, install the necessary sound drivers using standard Mac software, then reboot again (remember to take out the disk with the Mac drivers) - and all that remains is to select the desired OS by pressing Option.

Alexander Savchkov

This guide will show you step-by-step how to install Windows 10 on a Mac (iMac, Macbook, Mac Pro) in two main ways - as a second operating system that you can select at boot, or to run Windows programs and use the functions of this system within the OS X.

Windows 10 can be run on a Mac and "inside" OS X using a virtual machine. For this, there is a free solution called VirtualBox, there are also paid options, the most convenient option that integrates best with Apple’s OS is Parallels Desktop. At the same time, it is not only the most convenient, but according to tests, it is also the most productive and gentle on MacBook batteries.

If you are a regular user who wants to easily run Windows programs on a Mac and work with them comfortably without having to understand the intricacies of settings, this is the only option that I can responsibly recommend, despite its cost.

You can always download a free trial of the latest version of Parallels Desktop or buy it immediately on the official Russian-language website http://www.parallels.com/ru/. There you will also find up-to-date help on all program functions. I'll just briefly show you the process of installing Windows 10 in Parallels and how exactly the system integrates with OS X.

After installing Parallels Desktop, launch the program and select to create a new virtual machine (can be done through the “File” menu item).

You can directly download Windows 10 from the Microsoft website using the program, or select “Install Windows or another OS from a DVD or image”, in which case you can use your own ISO image (additional options such as transferring Windows from Boot Camp or from a PC, I will not describe the installation of other systems within the scope of this article).

After selecting the image, you will be asked to select automatic settings for the installed system according to its scope - for office programs or for games.

You will then also be asked to provide a product key (Windows 10 will install even if you select the option that this version of the system does not require a key, but activation will be required in the future), then the installation of the system will begin, some of the steps in which are performed manually during a simple clean installation of Windows 10 by default occurs in automatic mode (user creation, driver installation, partition selection, and others).

As a result, you will get a fully functional Windows 10 inside your OS X system, which will run in Coherence mode by default - i.e. Windows program windows will launch as simple OS X windows, and clicking on the virtual machine icon in the Dock will open the Windows 10 Start menu, even the notification area will be integrated.

In the future, you can change the settings for the Parallels virtual machine, including running Windows 10 in full screen mode, adjusting keyboard settings, disabling OS X and Windows folder sharing (enabled by default), and much more. If something in the process is not clear, the program’s fairly detailed help will help.

Installing Windows 7 on Mac is necessary in rare cases. Apple computers have quite decent functionality, however, you need to get used to it. Of course, if you started your journey as an experienced user with top platforms with Microsoft logos, then you will definitely have problems with Macs. Let's start with the fact that Mac OS is a completely different operating system, which differs in many ways from the usual Windows. In addition, modern Macs have built-in programs for workstations, for example, a pumped-up analogue of “1C: Accounting” or a package of engineering tools with the CAD prefix in the name. A certain category of users liked this functionality, which is why computers with Apple logos are in the black.

MAC BOOK and its “Relatives” are also attractive with their design. Laptops of this family generally have a slightly different keyboard layout, an excellent display with a very decent resolution, a durable body... In general, there are dozens of advantages that justify the high cost of these devices.

Thus, many users, when buying a Mac, suffer for a long time, trying to get used to a different operating system. And it doesn’t matter at all how the Windows fan bought this machine, the main question is how to tame the original product from Apple. And the easiest way out of this situation is installing Windows 7 on MAC.

What should you have on hand?

In order to gain new skills in working with both platforms, we need to get a MacBook or another PC from Apple, a disk or flash drive with Windows 7, 10 GB of free GB on the hard drive, and we will also need the Time Machine program to backup data. Installing Windows 7 on a MAC will involve changing partitions on the hard drive, and this can damage or even delete all your pictures, music, and favorite movies. And the last tip, if your PC is equipped with USB version 3.0 ports, then you will have to use a flash drive of a similar version. Otherwise, most of the ports may fail altogether, and the wireless keyboard will also show no signs of life.

As for the hardware capabilities of the experimental MacBook, attention should be paid to the processor, which is installed under the metal case. Most modern computers from Apple are equipped with a standard line of processors - Intel. These same systems are ideally adapted to work with Windows 7. More detailed information about everything related to the minimum system requirements can be obtained in the description section of the operating system that you are about to download or have already downloaded.

Immediately before starting the installation, I recommend checking whether the Mac will support 32-bit or 64-bit Windows. The capacity of the future Windows may conflict with the capabilities of the MAC. More information on this topic can be found in the description of the Boot Camp program.

Lastly, after you have successfully completed today's lesson, you will need to configure drivers for the peripherals. By the way, if the system cannot independently find “firewood” for Bluetooth or a camera for video chat, then do not rush to despair. Such software can be found independently, and on various resources where the names of operating systems from Microsoft or Apple appear.

System update and next steps.

To search for updates for your MAC, you will need to click on the icon in the upper right corner, and then select “Software Update”. In this way, we will prepare the ground necessary for installing Windows. You can use standard utilities to backup your files, and you can transfer them to the built-in HDD, as well as a solid-state drive.

Installing Windows 7 on a MAC should not conflict with the system you are using. The Boot Camp program was released specifically to solve this problem. First of all, you need to download and then install this program. Immediately after this procedure, we must close all background applications that can take up computer resources, and then launch Boot Camp.

Immediately after launch, the application will ask us to select the amount of hard drive that needs to be allocated to Windows. Remember that for full-fledged work you should choose at least 20 GB. As we remember, Windows 7 itself requires a lot of memory, in addition, you will need additional space to install additional software, as well as drivers for the new system. This particular installation stage is presented just above - by dragging the partition from MAC OS to the Windows panel, we distribute memory between two operating systems. By the way, here you can split your hard drive into additional partitions by clicking on “Partition”. Next, you need to insert a USB flash drive or disk with Windows 7, then click “Start Installation”.

The main installation stage.

Installation of Windows 7 on Mac will continue immediately after reboot. If you don’t know how to install Windows 7 correctly, I recommend reading

By the way, in the future, the computer will reboot on its own. As soon as the system gives you the following window, select the partition to install the OS. The main thing is to select the section opposite which the inscription BOOT CAMP will be visible. And don't forget to format this section.

The hardest part ends here. True, it will take about 40 minutes to complete. Installing Windows 7 on MAC looks very boring, so don't waste time and do more important things. And if you don’t have such plans, then you can go to the nearest stall for beer in order to modestly “wash” another victory over insensitive hardware.

After about a couple of reboots, you will see a new settings window where you need to select a language, set the date and time, and also understand network procedures. In general, standard procedures await you.

Once the installation of Windows 7 on MAC is complete, do not forget to update the drivers for the video chip to get the picture in full resolution. You should do the same with all drivers. By the way, you can use the native disk with software for MAC OS. At the same time, Boot CAMP will start working again.

It may happen that the new system will not boot, giving a “screen of death”, and in the most unexpected place - immediately after turning on the power. Most often, such a problem occurs due to incompatibility of video adapters. Laptops with GeForce 7300 GT video cards and higher versions. To solve this problem You will need to update your graphics card firmware. You can familiarize yourself with such instructions in more detail on any third-party resources, as well as on forums.

After the next reboot, you can praise yourself and open a beer. You got a full-fledged 7 under the hood of the Mac, enjoy using it! Now you can switch between two operating systems, and also start mastering Mac OS, if, of course, you have not lost such a desire.

Below, you can watch a video that shows in detail the installation of Windows 7 on a Mac. Good luck!

In the last few years, laptops and Apple computers have become very popular (phones and tablet computers, of course, are no less popular, but we’re not talking about them now). But having bought an Apple computer or laptop, some people are faced with the fact that they absolutely cannot work on the new Mac OS operating system or they simply need Windows in addition to this operating system. And here many people have a question - How to install Windows on a Mac computer/laptop? You will find out the answer to this question if you read the article.

The easiest and most affordable way to install Windows on a Mac is to use the Boot Camp program. Boot Camp is a special application from Apple for installing WindowsXP/Windows7 by dividing the hard drive into 2 partitions, one for each system. Switching from one system to another is possible only by restarting the computer.

In order to install Windows on your Mac, you will need:

1 MacBook Rro/ MacBook Air/ IMac with Mac OS installed;

2 USB drive (flash drive (at least 4 Gb) or external hard drive)/ DVD drive (transfer all information from a USB drive (flash drive or external hard drive), since in the future everything on the drive will be deleted after formatting);

3 Disk with the Windows7 operating system or its ISO image;

4 This article and about an hour of free time.

Attention!!! If you are going to install Windows using a USB flash drive on a late 2013 and newer Mac (they use all USB 3.0 ports), you need to use a USB 3.0 flash drive. Otherwise, when installing Windows, your USB ports and wireless keyboard will not be active.

Turn on your Mac and install the latest updates. To do this, click on the apple (left, upper corner) and select "Software update".

After you have installed all the updates, proceed to the next step, launch Boot Camp. To do this, click on the search (magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner) and enter there "Boot Camp", among the found ones, click on "Boot Camp Assistant"".

In the window that opens Boot Camp Assistant, read the information and click "Continue".

In the next window, you need to select settings for installing Windows 7, or more precisely, how you will install.

The next step is to specify the amount of disk space under Windows7; to do this, simply move the slider and determine the partition size for the Windows operating system and click "Install".

After this, the computer/laptop will reboot and the Windows7 installation process will begin upon loading (it is no different from installation on any other computer).

The only thing I would like to add is that when choosing a volume on which the operating system will be installed, be extremely careful not to delete existing partitions. Just format the BOOTCAMP partition and start installing Windows7.

After installing Windows7, go to the USB drive, you will see a folder in it WindowSupport(it contains drivers for Windows7), run the file setup.exe.

In the next window, read the License Agreement, accept it and click "Next".

After this, you will be prompted to additionally install Apple Software Update, you can leave a checkmark and click "Install".

After this, the installation process of all drivers will begin, it does not require your participation, just when it is finished, a window will appear indicating that the installation is complete. Press the button "Finish".