Level 1

2 points

Install Windows 7 in Mid-2015 Macbook Pro

Good Afternoon All,

I am trying to install Windows 7 onto a Macbook Pro that bootcamp no longer supports putting Windows 7 onto. I have a Product Key for 7 and want to upgrade to Windows 10 but, unfortunately, Windows 7 has to be on the machine first. I used a friends Macbook Pro early 2011 to create a WININSTALL USB stick using their Bootcamp software (which permits Windows 7 because of his 2011 model) but when I reboot and hold the OPTION key it does not even recognize the stick. The only thing that is there is my Mac HD. Does anyone know of a method to get Windows 7 onto one of the new Macbook Pro's? I have moderate computer skills and can do some things in command line, use Xcode to modify files like bootcamps .plist, etc.

Thank you for your suggestions,

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015), OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Sep 7, 2015 9:13 AM

64 replies

Taelvin Author

Level 1

2 points

Sep 8, 2015 4:19 PM in response to Loner T

In terms of the tests....

Test 1 - Does Bootcamp Volume show up in Finder?

-->Yes, it shows up as "MACINTOSH H" which is what i named the FAT partition

Test 2 - Can you see files in Bootcamp Volume?

-->It states there are 0 items (it is a freshly formatted FAT partition so this makes sense, right? It does let me move a file to the partition and then delete it with no problem from finder)

Test 3 - Can you select Bootcamp in System Preferences -> Startup Disk?

--> No only the Macintosh HD shows up there.

I went and bought an Apple SuperDrive. I held ALT/Option at start-up and with the Windows 7 Disk in it the drive is recognized as "EFI Disk." When I select it the screen blinks, remains black for a few seconds as I hear the disk spinning in the SuperDrive, and then it blinks to the regular Apple startup progress bar and goes straight to my user login. :-(

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 8, 2015 5:10 PM in response to Taelvin

The tests are typically used when a lost NTFS partition is located. In your case, Test 2 shows expected result. Since there is no NTFS yet, Test 3 will fail.

The W7 EFI should not work, because we created a MBR, and the PreBoot is missing ($WinPEDriver$ on the USB).

You should try the USB and test if the Windows Installer comes and your keyboard/mouse/monitor work properly.

Taelvin Author

Level 1

2 points

Sep 8, 2015 5:17 PM in response to Loner T

I was under the impression that the Apple SuperDrive was the only method that would work based on what you mentioned in the earlier posts about it having a special ability on the firmware level to be recognized?

I tried the USB thumb drive again and it did not show up at boot up in the ALT/Option menu.

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 8, 2015 5:20 PM in response to Taelvin

From the SuperDrive, do you see a Windows selection?

EFI boot would fail because we created a Hybrid MBR and W7 EFI is problematic on UEFI Macs.

Taelvin Author

Level 1

2 points

Sep 8, 2015 5:41 PM in response to Loner T

At boot-up with my Windows 7 Pro 64 bit CD in the Apple SuperDrive this is what shows up when you press ALT/Option:

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 8, 2015 5:55 PM in response to Taelvin

If you insert your USB, do you see any additional selections? The USB also has $WinPEDriver$. If you do not see any additional selections, select EFI Boot after the USB is plugged in. If you see the Installer startup, it will still fail due to a Hybrid MBR that we created.

Taelvin Author

Level 1

2 points

Sep 8, 2015 6:04 PM in response to Loner T

I inserted the USB thumb drive and it did not reveal itself as an additional selection. The only two were still those pictured above. I went ahead and selected EFI Boot after the USB thumb drive was plugged in and it went to a black screen and then almost immediately to the Apple logo boot screen with progress bar and then straight to my account login.

I thought the Hybrid MBR was supposed to enable the SuperDrive to install Windows 7 because the GPT fdisk basically does the job of BootCamp and makes a Hybrid MBR?

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 8, 2015 6:11 PM in response to Taelvin

The Hybrid MBR on the Windows destination disk allows a legacy BIOS installation of Windows, provided the BIOS installer is visible in the Apple Bootmanager.

The SuperDrive is being used to work around the issue with the USB which does not have a valid installer for the 2015 UEFI Mac to work with.

Is there a specific reason for W7, or is W8.1 an option?

Taelvin Author

Level 1

2 points

Sep 8, 2015 6:23 PM in response to Loner T

Well I already own a copy of Windows 7 Pro and have my product Key so I was hoping to get it on the 2015 Macbook Pro and then use the free upgrade to Windows 10. It is basically just trying to save $100-200 for a new license (which, if I had to do I would just skip 8.1 and buy a Windows 10 license).

Do you think a tool like rEFInd would be helpful in this instance?

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 8, 2015 6:27 PM in response to Taelvin

I used a friends Macbook Pro early 2011 to create a WININSTALL USB stick using their Bootcamp software (which permits Windows 7 because of his 2011 model)

One option you have is, to use this 2011 and install W7 on it and then use a 'cloning' solution like Winclone, Camptune or CloneZilla, and restore the clone to your 2015 Mac. Remember to use SysPrep if you use this method. Once you have W7 installed on your 2015, you can remove it from the 2011 Mac.

The boot manager is blocking legacy BIOS installation, which is why the USB modifications did not work either. The bootable USB is MBR as you verified with fdisk.

You should remove the MBR by creating a new protective MBR using Gdisk to avoid complications with cloning.

Taelvin Author

Level 1

2 points

Sep 8, 2015 6:32 PM in response to Loner T

The Windows 7 clone on the new 2015 Macbook Pro would recognize the change in hardware and it would lose its activation.

If I got my hands on a 2012 Macbook Air and made a thumb drive using bootcamp on it with a Windows 7 ISO would that fix the issue we are having?

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 9, 2015 2:44 AM in response to Taelvin

Taelvin wrote:

The Windows 7 clone on the new 2015 Macbook Pro would recognize the change in hardware and it would lose its activation.

Yes, but a legitimate copy of Windows can be moved from one machine to another. Call Microsoft via phone. I had to move my son's Active W8.1 from a 2012 to a 2014 MBP. One phone call covered it.

If I got my hands on a 2012 Macbook Air and made a thumb drive using bootcamp on it with a Windows 7 ISO would that fix the issue we are having?

No. You will run into the same issue. The underlying Bootmanager is disallowing it.

However, one option to consider apart from cloning, is an external Thunderbolt drive/enclosure. USB/FW are not valid destinations for Windows, but TB (which behaves like PCI) and SATA are valid. You can install it on a 2012 MBP using an external TB disk and use it on the 2015 MBP. The hardware change will require a re-activation anyway.

Taelvin Author

Level 1

2 points

Sep 9, 2015 6:45 AM in response to Loner T

I think I might try the cloning method. Can you tell me the sequence to use the cloning method? I am not familiar with SysPrep but I see it is kind of like a windows cleanup utility. Would I run it before making the clone while in Windows 7?

So is the sequence:

1.) Install Windows 7 on 2011 Macbook with Bootcamp

2.) While in Windows 7 bootcamp run SysPrep

3.) Use CloneZilla live CD to make a clone of bootcamp partition

Taelvin Author

Level 1

2 points

Sep 9, 2015 7:19 AM in response to Taelvin

Not sure why it wouldn't let me edit or delete the post above but I made some changes to my question:

So is the sequence:

1.) Install Windows 7 on 2011 Macbook with Bootcamp

2.) While in Windows 7 bootcamp run SysPrep.

a.) Would you recommend the following SysPrep command for this situation: sysprep /oobe /generalize ?

b.) Or should I run the SysPrep command that runs the specialize pass, Plug and Play, and other setup tasks before launching Windows Welcome: sysprep /generalize /oobe

3.) Use CloneZilla live CD to make a clone of bootcamp partition

Would I need to do anything to the Hybrid MBR we created with GPT Fdisk before using CloneZilla to install the image on a drive?

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 9, 2015 7:20 AM in response to Taelvin

For 2, please see https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/Cc721940(v=WS.10).aspx . It is very comprehensive.

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Install Windows 7 in Mid-2015 Macbook Pro