Windows 7 only on Macbook Pro

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Level 1

9 points

Windows 7 only on Macbook Pro

Greetings and salutations. I have a 2.16ghz macbook pro, and was recently given a copy of Windows 7 ultimate. I tried it via bootcamp, and fell in love with it. I found myself using it more and more, so often in fact that I just realized that I haven't been to my mac partition in weeks. I would like to make a fresh install of windows 7 on my macbook pro, and have it be a dedicated windows machine. I'm curious if this is an easy feat, shouldn't I just be able to install the OS normally like on any other computer? I have a Leopard install disk for the drivers, so in theory it should work just fine right? I appreciate your help and understanding, I also appreciate that you were nice enough to not ask me why OS X isn't good enough, or why I want to ditch it altogether. Thanks again!

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.2), 2.16ghz core 2, 3gb ram

Posted on Dec 22, 2009 10:11 AM

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Answer 1

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Dec 22, 2009 10:48 AM in response to Mulletohair

Save yourself some effort, and use Windows Easy Transfer to backup your email and settings - make sure to select both Advanced and Custom, and to have hidden folders visible so you can transfer all of your AppData.

You could then try just resize and shrink Mac with CampTune or another utility.

... then set out on your own and "....just do it!" There really isn't anything special other than format the drive and remove the GPT and EFI partitions on the hard drive so you then don't need Boot Camp Assistant.

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Answer 2

Mulletohair Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 22, 2009 11:22 AM in response to The hatter

I don't have much going on in the way of settings and personal things on the mac partition. I've just been wondering what the process was like, and how different it was to a dual boot of winders and os x. I'm not opposed to os x to be honest, but I couldn't seem to find anything in the way of people having a single install of windows on a piece of apple hardware. I understand the goofy nature behind my request, but why not try it I figure.

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Answer 3

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Dec 22, 2009 12:54 PM in response to Mulletohair

Windows Easy Transfer is for WINDOWS. Afterwards, you can restore your (Windows) desktop and settings same as you left it before.

There are people doing a Windows only on Mac.

Windows 7 doesn't have some of the issues that OS X is having with some apps, too. Nothing 'goofy.'

Boot OS X and format as Master Boot Record, then boot and reinstall 7.

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Answer 4

Dec 24, 2009 10:20 AM in response to The hatter

I did this. I formatted the MAC with Windows 7 exclusively and quickly realized that I was going to be unable to pull down firmware or driver updates from the Mac Software Update option. You can probably find new Bootcamp drivers out on the Internet and just install them on the Windows side, however, you will be out of luck for firmware updates and other updates only pushed to the Mac side.

I simply shrank my Mac partition down to the minimum amount of space and just boot into it to run updates. I never use the Mac side anymore. Windows 7 rocks.

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Answer 5

KrazyCat

Level 1

58 points

Dec 24, 2009 11:29 AM in response to Mulletohair

i too really now prefer windows 7 and would love to kep my imac so my question is this:

if we wipe and reinstall fresh from windows 7 using the leopard disk for drivers and then picking up drivers on the net ourselves what do we miss ?

if we don't upgrade mac os x firmware updates on the apple side, won't we pick those up if we wiped and reinstalled apple somewhere down the line (to sell the imac for example)

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Answer 6

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Dec 24, 2009 1:44 PM in response to KrazyCat

A tiny Mac OS (Apple only) can be 30GB or less.

In this day and age, 99% of updates should be able to be applied from USB flash memory card running OS X; USB external drive; or other means.

Seeing how there was something about possible firmware updates (EFI, graphics, SuperDrive) already, and these may already have been what were mentioned as "improve Windows compatibility".... who knows. Always short on details.

Wiping OS X is easy, backing up and restoring Windows is less so (though I do use Home Premium's backup and system image backup and just burned a system repair utility DVD). Acronis though has said "No support for Apple Boot Camp" which is sad, even with Plus-Pack that adds GPT support.

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Answer 7

bear95

Level 1

10 points

Dec 25, 2009 1:05 PM in response to The hatter

What I would do to keep the driver problem away in this situation is just make the windows partition much larger than the mac partition.
Delete unnecessary files and accounts off the mac partition(but keep one account or just use root) so that it does not require as much space.
This way you still have apple or windows just in case you need drivers or if one os gets a virus, or gets an error, gets corrupt, etc and vice versa.

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Answer 8

KrazyCat

Level 1

58 points

Dec 26, 2009 9:30 AM in response to Mulletohair

this sounds like a fine idea which i may do
windows 7 is running fine in a small partition (32 gb)
but i would like to go all windows to eliminate the startup problems
i seem to be having problems getting a consistent start on the windows side
it's getting frustrating but i'm probably doing something wrong
also, i do like the mac side for family photos, music and maybe banking

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Answer 9

ohmyggg2

Level 1

0 points

Dec 31, 2009 5:32 PM in response to KrazyCat

I am also someone who is considering running a dedicated Windows 7 install on a MBP sans OS X.

I'm a little confused by what is meant by GPT and EFI partitions regarding "firmware" updates. What exactly would I be *risking/missing out on* if I ran (booted into) a Windows 7 installation, deleted all partitions and NTFS-formatted the completely empty MBP hardrive? I am assuming here that I would be able to get all the required drivers and updates for my various MBP components on Apple's website or on the OS X install disk. What am I missing??

Message was edited by: ohmyggg

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Answer 10

niksy

Level 1

0 points

Jan 4, 2010 3:30 AM in response to Mulletohair

Hello,

I’m also considering installing W7 primarily on my MBP Early 2008, I don’t have anything against OSX, it’s just I am more familiar with work under Windows and Apple makes great hardware.

My question is how can I keep OSX partition for firmware updates and install W7 without using Boot Camp? I have found tutorials on how to wipe whole disk and install only Windows, but not on how to keep OSX. Can I make partition with Disk Utility and then reformat it with Windows installation procedure? How can I make Windows primary OS?

Thanks!

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