Will Windows 7 install using Bootcamp in OS Sierra

dallek1 wrote:

sierra specifically rejects windows 7? it states windows 8 or later? I follow your instructions but the issue is apple states windows 7 is not supported on sierra, 10.12.3 is the current ver.

No. This bug has been fixed in 10.12.2 and higher. See Download macOS Sierra 10.12.2 Combo Update for reference. If your Mac does not support W7, Sierra will not either. W7 is supported on Macs listed in Install Windows 7 and earlier on your Mac using Boot Camp - Apple Support .

to choose your boot drive hold down option key when powering up.

Here is my experience using the Answer above...

Early 2011 15" mbp - 16gb 2.3ghz i7 - replaced a bad battery and threw in a 2tb crucial SSD

-I installed sierra and updated it (10.12.5) nothing else.

- downloaded bootcamp files for windows 7 to a fat formatted USB drive Boot Camp Support Software 5.1.5621

(Google for boot camp files if your computer isnt on this list)

-rebooted to disk utilities (command - R) and partitioned the drive to 850gb fat, leaving 1.2tb for mac OS

-rebooted and held down option to choose boot device - windows 7 install DVD in the drive. eventually gave me the windows DVD as a boot option and I clicked it.

-I did not see a disk utility in the windows install disk but there is a command prompt option in one of the choices

-this page explains formatting to ntfs via the command prompt. worked perfectly, just make sure you choose the correct drive volume.

http://www.disk-partition.com/diskpart/format-disk-partition-4125.html

-went to the install choice and chose the newly created ntfs partition and windows installed fine.

-install finished and on reboot went to macOS by default and it looked fine. rebooting into windows to finish

-in windows, went to the USB drive and went to bootcamp folder and chose setup (I think or install.exe) installed all drivers

-Rebooted and both OSs look great.

- Hold option key at power up to choose OS

looks good, thanks for the suggestion.

this is a new 27" imac retina, with 3.3 processor. it will not accept any form of windows 7. when you point it to a win7 iso it rejects it, saying only windows 8 or later. I have a bit of background, even if you were to put win7 in using disk utility I would be concerned that the mac hardware just might have driver issues on the windows side because it is so new and apple states win7 is no longer supported. can you send me a link where apple states "This bug has been fixed in 10.12.2 and higher"? I do not see it as a bug as there is no failure rather the mac osx 10.12.3 tells you in boot camp, use windows 8 or later?

I accompanied the buyer of this device to best buy and the sales team said there was full compatibility with this machine and windows 7, I believe they are just no knowledgeable. I have found since that after 2015 apple has stopped support for windows 7 as it pertains to boot camp.

I would like nothing better than to be wrong so can someone throw egg in my face?

2015 and later models do not support W7 via Bootcamp. However, if you use a Virtualization engine - VMware Fusion, Parallels or VirtualBox - you can install W7 as a VM. VMs will not use the full resources of the Mac, as Bootcamp does.

yes but that is not native windows 7 right? the best buy dream team looked me in the face and assured me several time this brand new machine would run win7. let's say I'm a tech, I asked them the correct questions and they showed their level of expertise? as a side note, I installed 10 and wanted to use the restore feature on boot camp, all legitimate actions. boot camp ruined the core storage, the drives "map" just to borrow this made-up term was corrupted and what was left of the windows partition was no longer assessable, nightmare scenario? a good reason to just return this machine but I erased the fusion and inserted a fusion restore script into terminal running in network rescue. then reloaded the stock drive. I go back to the days of system 6 and much earlier, I do not see any real improvement in the mac, osx is a dead end that gets it's speed from hardware improvements, running off an SSD, what a cheat? I am adding this to remind everyone of the instability of osx and maybe apple will take a hint that their support online might become more user friendly. these apple stores exist to keep their products viable to consumers, some one needs to be handy for these messes?

and you never will, are their any comments on the large amount of similar problems with boot camp and corrupted drive maps? does apple even support this boot camp or is it like a lollipop in the dentists office?

dallek1 wrote:

yes but that is not native windows 7 right?

It is 'native' to a large extent (discounting CSM-BIOS), but without using the full resources of the Mac.

the best buy dream team looked me in the face and assured me several time this brand new machine would run win7. let's say I'm a tech, I asked them the correct questions and they showed their level of expertise?

2014 models are the last ones to support W7. They are now as rare as hen's teeth. 😉

as a side note, I installed 10 and wanted to use the restore feature on boot camp, all legitimate actions. boot camp ruined the core storage, the drives "map" just to borrow this made-up term was corrupted and what was left of the windows partition was no longer assessable, nightmare scenario? a good reason to just return this machine but I erased the fusion and inserted a fusion restore script into terminal running in network rescue. then reloaded the stock drive.

To restore a Windows backup/system image, the correct procedure is to install a new copy of W10, and then restore the image from within this W10 installation, otherwise the restore is not designed to expect/respect partitions. This is a Windows issue, not an OS X issue.

I go back to the days of system 6 and much earlier, I do not see any real improvement in the mac, osx is a dead end that gets it's speed from hardware improvements, running off an SSD, what a cheat? I am adding this to remind everyone of the instability of osx and maybe apple will take a hint that their support online might become more user friendly. these apple stores exist to keep their products viable to consumers, some one needs to be handy for these messes?

OSX has come a long way and works well. Dual/Triple boots are used by a very small community of dedicated users. In most cases, ASC has a much broader knowledge base to support users than some of these stores. Apple Stores have better staff compared to Best Buy Geek Squad, in my experience. It is indeed rare to find Genii, who know Windows and OS X well enough to support both.

If you are running into any issues with the 2015 Mac, we can try and help you out as best as we can.

The system requirements for installing Windows 7 are provided here: Install Windows 7 and earlier on your Mac using Boot Camp - Apple Support

if you need not running 3d games installing windows in a virtual machine such as oracles virtual box is a much easier option and has not requirements from bootcamp or osx

Windows 10 or later is newer than Windows 7 so you have your answer. Boot Camp does not support installation of Windows 7 with Sierra. Follow Rudegar's advice and use a virtual machine. Parallels, Fusion, or VirtualBox will work.

It certainly looks that way

partman1969 wrote:

<snip>

I wish I had known about possible consequences for a clean wipe and reinstall.

That would certainly have been important to know. This is why so many, especially business users always ensure all their apps will remain compatible prior to doing a major system upgrade. You may be able to role back to a previous operating system if you did a backup prior to the upgrade. This article, although specifically about El Capitan, may help: OS X El Capitan: Revert to a previous OS X version

Or maybe the easier route would be to install Windows 10.