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How to get Windows 8.1 on Mid 2010 MBP?

I have been looking and looking for a way to take the physical CD that comes with the windows software and download windows 8.1 to my 13-Inch, Mid 2010 MBP through BootCamp. Is there another way or a different way to load windows 8.1 onto my computer?


I am running OS X Yosemite, Version 10.10.3

Processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

Memory: 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3

Startup Disk: Macintosh HD

Graphics NVIDIA GeForce320M 256 MB

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2010), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on Apr 18, 2015 7:20 PM

Reply
41 replies

Apr 18, 2015 7:28 PM in response to NickNack27

1. If you have the physical DVD for Windows, then you can run Applications -> Utilities -> Bootcamp Assistant.

2. If you have an ISO, you will need to burn it first to a physical DVD. Your Mac model has built-in Optical drive, which requires a Physical DVD to install Windows.


Helpful links


Disk Utility (Yosemite): Burn a disk image to a CD or DVD

How to install Windows using Boot Camp - Apple Support

Boot Camp 5.1: Frequently asked questions - Apple Support

https://help.apple.com/bootcamp/mac/5.0/help/

Apr 18, 2015 7:47 PM in response to NickNack27

You will need to install W7 64-bit first. After it is fully installed, you can upgrade to W8, without needing BC Assistant in anyway.


Please see System requirements to install Windows on your Mac via Boot Camp - Apple Support for you specific Mac's capabilities, provided by BCA when it is used.


The challenge of you is whether your hardware resources can support W8.1 adequately or not. The hardware is 5+ years old. You will also need to be careful with drivers and their availability.

Apr 18, 2015 7:58 PM in response to Loner T

Is there no way to use the 8.1 disk I currently have to load the software on my Mac? Microsoft has already informed me they will not take back the software since I have opened it (even though I have not used it). I purchased it before I realized that my particular model doesn't actually fully support Windows 8. I have heard about being able to install Windows 7 and upgrade it to Windows 8, but I am stuck with the 8.1 DVD.

Apr 18, 2015 8:05 PM in response to NickNack27

BCA does several functions,


1. Build a USB Installer from a Windows DVD, and integrate BC drivers during the installation process. In your case, it is your DVD.

2. Partition your disk.
3. Tell the Mac to boot from this installer.


You can manually execute steps 2 and 3 and install Windows. Make sure you have get the W7 64-bit drivers downloaded to a USB2 flash drive, before you start.

Apr 18, 2015 8:23 PM in response to Loner T

Correct me if this is wrong.


To do step two (partition the disk) I go to; Disk Utility -> Select the drive to partition -> (Once selected) Click the partition tab, then the "+" sign -> Give it a name and format.


To do step three (Install Windows); Restart Mac -> Should load Windows portion of driver automatically?


This is where I'm lost.

Apr 19, 2015 1:33 PM in response to Loner T

I partitioned my hard drive to be 70/30 (30 Windows). I used MS-DOT (FAT) for the partition. Below is what I did and what happened:




Last login: Sat Apr 18 21:26:59 on ttys000

Nicholass-MacBook-Pro:~ NickPoulos$ sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0


WARNING: Improper use of the sudo command could lead to data loss

or the deletion of important system files. Please double-check your

typing when using sudo. Type "man sudo" for more information.


To proceed, enter your password, or type Ctrl-C to abort.


Password:

gpt show: /dev/disk0: mediasize=250059350016; sectorsize=512; blocks=488397168

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Suspicious MBR at sector 0

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Pri GPT at sector 1

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Sec GPT at sector 488397167

start size index contents

0 1 MBR

1 1 Pri GPT header

2 32 Pri GPT table

34 6

40 409600 1 GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B

409640 349999200 2 GPT part - 48465300-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

350408840 1269536 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

351678376 88

351678464 136718336 4 GPT part - EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7

488396800 335

488397135 32 Sec GPT table

488397167 1 Sec GPT header

Nicholass-MacBook-Pro:~ NickPoulos$

Apr 19, 2015 2:42 PM in response to NickNack27

Rebuild MBR to match the new GPT information thus resetting the Hybrid MBR. Use defaults for other questions (like partition codes). The only values that need modifications are the Boot flags and step 6. Accept all other defaults that Gdisk offers.

  1. Sudo gdisk /dev/disk0
  2. P (Print list of parts)
  3. R (Recover)
  4. H (chooses Hybrid)
  5. Partitions numbers to be hybridized: 2 3 4
  6. Y (Good for GRUB question)
  7. N (part 2 boot flag)
  8. N (part 3 boot flag)
  9. Y (part 4 boot flag make NTFS bootable partition)
  10. W (Write the new MBR)
  11. Y (Yes! write the new MBR)
  12. Reboot


Here is an example Q&A. Please make sure you Press Enter/Return as suggested. You will most likely see 0x'0B' or 0x'0C' for MBR#4.


Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): Y


Creating entry for GPT partition #2 (MBR partition #2)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AF): Press Enter/Return

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): N


Creating entry for GPT partition #3 (MBR partition #3)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AB): Press Enter/Return

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): N


Creating entry for GPT partition #4 (MBR partition #4)

Enter an MBR hex code (default 07): Press Enter/Return

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): Y

Apr 19, 2015 5:39 PM in response to Loner T

This is what I did, rebooting now:



Last login: Sun Apr 19 15:28:13 on ttys000

Nicholass-MacBook-Pro:~ NickPoulos$ Sudo gdisk /dev/disk0

Password:

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.0


Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Partition table scan:

MBR: hybrid

BSD: not present

APM: not present

GPT: present


Found valid GPT with hybrid MBR; using GPT.


Command (? for help): P

Disk /dev/disk0: 488397168 sectors, 232.9 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): 010777C6-1ED5-4DC4-886D-C4D5D2EFFFAC

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 488397134

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 429 sectors (214.5 KiB)


Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI System Partition

2 409640 350408839 166.9 GiB AF00 Macintosh HD

3 350408840 351678375 619.9 MiB AB00 Recovery HD

4 351678464 488396799 65.2 GiB 0700 WINDOWS


Command (? for help): R


Recovery/transformation command (? for help): H


WARNING! Hybrid MBRs are flaky and dangerous! If you decide not to use one,

just hit the Enter key at the below prompt and your MBR partition table will

be untouched.


Type from one to three GPT partition numbers, separated by spaces, to be

added to the hybrid MBR, in sequence: 2 3 4

Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): Y


Creating entry for GPT partition #2 (MBR partition #2)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AF):

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): N


Creating entry for GPT partition #3 (MBR partition #3)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AB):

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): N


Creating entry for GPT partition #4 (MBR partition #4)

Enter an MBR hex code (default 07):

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): Y


Recovery/transformation command (? for help): W


Final checks complete. About to write GPT data. THIS WILL OVERWRITE EXISTING

PARTITIONS!!


Do you want to proceed? (Y/N): Y

OK; writing new GUID partition table (GPT) to /dev/disk0.

Warning: Devices opened with shared lock will not have their

partition table automatically reloaded!

Warning: The kernel may continue to use old or deleted partitions.

You should reboot or remove the drive.

The operation has completed successfully.

Nicholass-MacBook-Pro:~ NickPoulos$

How to get Windows 8.1 on Mid 2010 MBP?

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