How to successfully install Windows 7 on a mid 2010 iMac using various methods?

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Level 1

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How to successfully install Windows 7 on a mid 2010 iMac using various methods?

Hello all. I've been trying to install Windows 7 on my mid 2010, 27inch, iMac for the past few days but no luck. I have went thought various threads but can't really make anythign work. Here's what i tried

1) Original windows 7 instalation disc, not working

2) Burned ISO with 3x speed and 4x speed (2x isn't available) through Asus external dvd drive, that got me going with partitionig the SSD disk and went into restart where I was given 3 options, SSD, Windows and F somethign, I tried Windows but the says no bootable device please incert and press key. The 3rd F option just stays there does nothing.

3) I tried the original disc via the external drive but nothing still.

4) the burned dvds do not work unless i use the Asus drive, but only up to the restart step.

5) I've tried to force boot from usb by pressing C, so i can force to read from Asus drive not again nothing

Does anyone have any recomendations to help please? Thank you!

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Installing Windows 7 on iMac, tried a lot of diff. methods but none worked. Please help?

Posted on Mar 2, 2026 4:11 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Blaskowitz

Level 3

805 points

Mar 2, 2026 4:25 AM in response to giorgos281

The issue here is almost certainly the 2010 firmware limitations regarding legacy Windows booting.

These older iMacs were hard-coded to look for the Windows installer on the internal SATA optical drive. When you try to boot Windows 7 (which uses legacy BIOS emulation on this model, not UEFI) from an external USB drive, the logic board often fails to pass the boot flag correctly. That's why you get the "No bootable device" error even though the disc is fine.

If your internal SuperDrive is dead, the standard workaround is modifying the `Info.plist` file inside the Boot Camp Assistant app to force it to create a bootable USB installer instead of asking for a DVD. However, on a 2010 model, even that can be hit or miss. You might have better luck trying to create a bootable USB using a tool like UNetbootin, but be prepared for driver headaches with the keyboard/mouse during the install.

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Answer 2

Zurarczurx

Level 5

5,610 points

Mar 2, 2026 4:30 AM in response to giorgos281

You can't install Windows directly to a Mac. You either need to use Bootcamp or a VM. I used Parallels many, many years ago but I haven't used Windows on Mac for more than ten years so I don't know what the options are today.

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Answer 3

Allan Jones

Level 10

82,900 points

Mar 2, 2026 5:28 PM in response to giorgos281

The odds are high the Microsoft has deactivated the activation server for Win 7. They seem to do that a lt with older Office versions. If so, you will not get Win 7 running in spite of how you try.

I suggest you contact MS to determine the activation server status before doing anything else,

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How to successfully install Windows 7 on a mid 2010 iMac using various methods?

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