How can I install Windows7 -64BIT on a 1st Generation Mac Pro 2.66GHZ Quad?

Question

Level 1

9 points

How can I install Windows7 -64BIT on a 1st Generation Mac Pro 2.66GHZ Quad?

Hi,

I posted this in Bootcamp but haven't received any replies so I am reposting it here where perhaps it really belongs.Is it possible to install Windows 7 64 bit on a 1st Generation Mac Pro 2.66Ghz?

Apple suggests that it's not possible and yet I've seen several Googled posts where the users have successfully installed 64 bit on a 1st Generation Mac Pro. The problem is that they've done this creating a bootable iso disk(whatever that is) using a Windows computer with imgburn and windows commands. I'm pretty good at following instructions but I haven't seen any instructions on how to install Windows 7 on this machine using a Mac based approach.

I'm using BootCamp and was able to partition the drive into NFTS and "proceed" with installation; however all the installations failed during setup and Windows would not boot; disk repair was not possible. Besides, from what I've gathered, 32 bit is problematic around memory issues.

When I try installing 64 bits, I never get past the "select cd rom 1 or 2" message where the keyboard won't work. It is at this point where others say they have successfully proceeded with moving forward by creating a bootable iso disk.
Problem is it's all Windows based with exe files and presupposes I already have Windows running.

I'm not sure I really understand how to create an iso disk, but I do have ROXIO TOAST 10 which is capable of burning "ISO" disks.Does anyone know how to do this and/or can you point me to a place where there are instructions on how to proceed?? While I realize Apple says that some mid 2006 mac pros aren't supported, there are multiple posts of windows 7 users successfully installing Windows 7 on a 1st Generation Mac Pro.

Thanks.

Mac Pro 2.66GHZ Quad Core

Mac Pro 2.66GHZ Quad, 3 G4 1.67 GHZ Powerbooks, 1 G4 933MHZ Tower, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Jan 17, 2011 11:37 AM

Reply

Answer 1

curtispsf Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 19, 2011 8:39 AM in response to curtispsf

Thanks to all the incredible responses I've received since this post, I was forced to go it alone. They say necessity is the mother of invention; they are right. It took me 3 days to figure out a way to do it, but I now have Windows 7 running 64 bit on a 1st Generation Mac Pro 2.66Ghz Intel Xeon Quad Core. It's pretty convoluted, so I'm not going to go through it step by step here right now. One way is from within a Windows environment to create an iso bootable disk that the Mac Pro will recognize as bootable. The way I used staying within the Mac enivornment was to essentially "trick" Windows 7 into thinking it was booting in an appropriate environment. Anyone who needs to know, post or PM me.

Reply

Answer 2

schumann

Level 1

0 points

Feb 9, 2011 1:24 PM in response to curtispsf

We have may of these 1st Generation Mac Pro 2.66GHZ Quads and our faculty and students would love to have Win 7 on them as well. I would be very appreciative if you could share you procedure for performing this seemingly impossible feat with us.

Many thanks,

Reply

Answer 3

mhaxell

Level 1

0 points

Mar 13, 2011 3:43 PM in response to curtispsf

Hi. I would like the instructions too. I have not yet been able to install widows 7 64 bit on my mac pro 2.66. I have toast also. Could you please the instructions or send the details?

Reply

Answer 4

Mar 14, 2011 3:01 AM in response to mhaxell

I have a March 2009 Mac Pro dual quad core running Win7 Pro 64 bit. I have Windows installed on a dedicated internal hard drive. There are no partitions, the entire drive is for Windows use.
Here's how I installed it, I did not start with BootCamp. Make sure the drive you're going to use for Windows doesn't have any important files on it because it will be formatted.

1. Update Snow Leopard
2. Place the Windows cd in the Super Drive
3. Shut down the computer
4. Remove all the hard drives except the one you want Windows installed on. Keep track of the order they are in and at the end replace them in the same order.
5. Boot the computer holding down the Option key
6. Boot to the Windows cd
7. Install Windows and format the drive to NTFS
8. When Windows needs to restart during installation you'll need to hold the Option key and boot to Windows, not the Windows cd.
9. After Windows installs, place your Snow Leopard disc in the Super Drive
10. The Drivers for Windows will be installed along with a Windows version of BootCamp.
11. Go to Start > All Programs > Apple Software Update
12. Update again until it's done.
13. You'll also find a BootCamp under Control Panel, check it out.
14. Shut down the computer and replace the hard drives in their original order
14. Now if you turn on the computer it will boot to Snow Leopard, but if you hold the Option key during boot you can select Windows or Mac.

Reply