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Early 2011 MacBook Pro windows 10

Obviously windows 10 isn't supported on an early 2011 MacBook Pro, but can it still be installed onto it?

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2011), OS X Yosemite (10.10.4)

Posted on Aug 13, 2015 7:02 AM

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70 replies

Apr 29, 2017 11:14 AM in response to Loner T

User uploaded file


3 different Windows 8.1 downloads, burned 3 different times each, for a total of 9 DVDs with the same error message. I'm thinking it's time to just revert the system to El Capitan or earlier to set up Boot Camp.

Jan 10, 2017 4:06 PM in response to sam byte

Hey, Sam


I need your help. I have a late 2011 MacBook Pro and want to install Windows 10 using Boot Camp. But we have updated the system to Sierra with Boot Camp Assistant 6.1, which is not helpful at all, because it does not come with the 1st option to CREATE the Windows install Disk (on a USB stick). Now, I don't have a valid license for Windows 7 or 8. I can't go for the Windows 7 or 8 installation and then upgrade to 10. Do you suggest that I go to Apple to have my system downgraded back to El Capitan? Please HELP. Thank you for your suggestion.

Jan 10, 2017 4:51 PM in response to James.Chan

Hello James:


First to all, in any version of OS X you may do that. FIRST you must produce a DVD double layer with the W10 installer. Do not try to install W8 or W7. In this level of updates of OS X, the BootCam drivers are for W10.


Well, try to produce the DVD in a PC. Don't waste your time and effort with a USB Stick, because You need an 8 Gb USB Stick to install the BootCam drivers,


Then, when you have the disk, you go to the SECOND Step. Then Open BootCam. I do not remember exactly how to proceed, but will ask you to download the BootCam drivers for W10, will partition your HD, and after all is OK, will install W10 from the DVD.


Thats work for me. But one thing very important: I finish buy a PC because I work in my CAD in MacOS X, and if I need information in the Structural Analisys CAD, must restart and open the architectural plan, review and restart etc.


Much better is operate with both at the same time and not complicate your HD with that nasty OS.


Cheers

Jan 11, 2017 11:02 AM in response to Merlinoman89

My dear,


Can you share your success with me? I am having a late 2011 MBP 13" with Sierra OS (possibly not good). At home we don't have any Microsoft-running machine. Now, my kids want to install Windows to use Excel and Access for college course, and also play games.


In the Boot Camp (BC), it only says it install Windows 7 or 8. Did you install Windows 7 or 8 on there first and then in Windows environment upgrade it to Win 10? Can BC install Win 10 directly?


Do you have any audio problems mentioned by others? If so, where do you get help (e.g. drivers....) to resolve it.


Have you updated to Sierra OX afterward? Did anything goes wrong with Windows 10?


I appreciate all the help you can offer. Many thanks...


James

Jan 11, 2017 11:25 AM in response to FJDR

Thanks to your reply and some good advice. Sorry -- I am NOT good Tech guy, so I might need your help to clarify some points. BTW, I am on OS Sierra now (think if I need to go back to El Capitan).


(1) Where do I find the Boot Camp Drivers to download?


(2) With Sierra, the system is 64bit (as I was told), and the Boot Camp Assistant 6.1, unlike the earlier version, does NOT come with the first option -- create a bootable Windows Flash Drive for Win10. Most of the YouTube videos show us to do that first. You are telling me NOT to waste time to do that. That's great. But how do I proceed? Please advise.


(3) By the way, the 64bit Win10 is 4.6GB in size. I was not able to move it on the USB (volume format issue). A lot of troubles. I am considering bring the OS back to El Capitan. What is your advice.


I really appreciate for your help on this matter. Thanks a million....


James

Mar 21, 2017 6:22 AM in response to James.Chan

James,

I got your same symptom with my 13" early 2011 MBP. The BC in my Sierra OS doesn't recognize my Win7,8 DVD, and it refuses Win10 DVD. My solution is to install a fresh Win10 without BC asistance. You can google for it.


Now my only problem is the audio driver doesn't work, though i install BC drivers already. It seems the problem is due to my Win10 is freshly installed. If it's upgraded from Win7, it should be fine. (Win7 audio was good in my MBP)

Mar 21, 2017 7:03 AM in response to edward.ho.tpe

edward.ho.tpe wrote:


I got your same symptom with my 13" early 2011 MBP. The BC in my Sierra OS doesn't recognize my Win7,8 DVD, and it refuses Win10 DVD. My solution is to install a fresh Win10 without BC asistance. You can google for it.

There is a known issue in Sierra 10.12/10.12.1, which is fixed in 10.12.2 and higher.


edward.ho.tpe wrote:


Now my only problem is the audio driver doesn't work, though i install BC drivers already. It seems the problem is due to my Win10 is freshly installed. If it's upgraded from Win7, it should be fine. (Win7 audio was good in my MBP)

You have installed W10 using EFI (run msinfo32 and check BIOS Mode). Audio will not work in this mode. It needs to be BIOS to work correctly.

Apr 27, 2017 9:15 PM in response to Loner T

Loner T wrote:


edward.ho.tpe wrote:


I got your same symptom with my 13" early 2011 MBP. The BC in my Sierra OS doesn't recognize my Win7,8 DVD, and it refuses Win10 DVD. My solution is to install a fresh Win10 without BC asistance. You can google for it.

There is a known issue in Sierra 10.12/10.12.1, which is fixed in 10.12.2 and higher.


edward.ho.tpe wrote:


Now my only problem is the audio driver doesn't work, though i install BC drivers already. It seems the problem is due to my Win10 is freshly installed. If it's upgraded from Win7, it should be fine. (Win7 audio was good in my MBP)

You have installed W10 using EFI (run msinfo32 and check BIOS Mode). Audio will not work in this mode. It needs to be BIOS to work correctly.

10.12.4 still thinks my Windows 7 and Windows 8 installation disks are Windows 10 disks on my early 2011 Macbook Pro

Dec 27, 2017 5:40 PM in response to TravisN83

I did the Win 10 update today on an early 2011 15" MBP with Win7 Ultra on it, running BootCamp 5.1 and Mavericks on the OSX side. The Win7 install/BootCamp worked perfectly for several years.


It went OK (the update stalled several times but I found solutions online). I did not re-install BootCamp, it just showed up.


Everything works except the function keys to control screen brightness/intensity. The brightness bar shows up when I use either button, but indicates full intensity (it is not running at full), and does not move when I use the Function button(s).


Strangely, if I have the Windows' Display Settings window open, its bar indicator for screen brightness changes when I push the function keys, but the screen brightness doesn't change.


Anyone have any ideas on how I can get that going (it works fine on the OSX boot)?


Will BootCamp 6 work on this early 2011 machine (doubtful)?


Thanks.

Dec 27, 2017 6:33 PM in response to green59

In response to my own question...re-installing BootCamp 5.1 drivers (doing a 'repair' when launched) fixed the problem, although the 'normal' Mac on-screen brightness display is no longer there. I have a small vertical thermometer pop up when I adjust screen brightness now, but it does work.


The re-install installed the AMD Radeon HD 6750M drivers from 12/14/2013, driver version 13.250.28.1000. It also installed the AMD Catalyst Control Center.


FYI.

Dec 29, 2017 2:48 PM in response to green59

Another issue:


If you find you can no longer create a Windows 10 restore point, it's because the Apple HFS Windows drivers (at least in Boot Camp 5.1) are preventing it.


If restore points are more important to you than reading your OSX drives from Windows, you need to disable the two drivers applehfs.sys and applemnt.sys. You can rename them with an '.off' extension added, or you can use the very handy Autoruns utility to just turn them off and stop them from loading.


Reboot, and find that restore point creation is magically working again.


Apple certainly seems to do what it can with drivers to cripple Windows installations: Thunderbolt not PnP, SATA running at half speed, restore point creation not working. It's quite pathetic.

Aug 13, 2015 8:38 AM in response to Merlinoman89

I have the same MBP and I'm running Windows 10 on it. There are a few hiccups - like the audio controls not functioning correctly - but overall it's not terrible. I'm going to see if maybe the Boot Camp 6.0 drivers end up fixing those despite Apple saying it's not supported. Maybe somebody else who has done so already could chime in?

Early 2011 MacBook Pro windows 10

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