How to Use Windows 7 with Boot Camp

Posted on January 26, 2010 at 5:08 am

Installing Windows 7 on your Mac using Boot Camp is a great way to get full performance out of both operating systems. Boot Camp works by partitioning your Mac’s hard drive to use two operating systems, in this case, OS X and Windows 7.

Thus, when you use Windows 7 with Boot Camp, you are simply booting directly into Windows instead of OS X. This is a great way to run Windows on a Mac because it gives all of your Mac’s power (RAM, processor speed, etc.) to Windows.

With virtualization software, such as VMware Fusion or Parallels, your Mac’s power (RAM, processor speed, etc.) is being distributed between both OS X and Windows.

Decided that Boot Camp is for you? Here are some things that you will need before getting started:

An Intel based Mac
Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard install disc (the discs that came with your Mac or a retail copy of OS X)
At least 16GB of free hard drive space (recommended by Apple)
Boot camp assistant (should be on your Mac already, located at Finder > Applications > Utilities)
A genuine Microsoft Windows 7 install disc

Installing Boot Camp and Windows 7

*Apple just recently released an official Boot Camp update for Windows 7. Doing a software update (click the Apple logo, select software update from the drop down menu) should automatically get you this update. But just to be sure, you can get it here).*

Step 1: Navigate the path Finder > Applications > Utilities. Double click the Boot Camp Assistant icon to launch it.

Step 2: Click Continue on the Boot Camp Introduction screen to proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Step 3 is the partitioning of your Mac’s hard drive. For Windows 7, Apple recommends using at least 16GB to hold Windows 7. Most likely, you do not need this much space to actually install Windows 7.

However, if you plan on installing any programs within Windows, or having any significant amount of files on Windows, be sure to partition your hard drive accordingly.

Click the Partition button. Wait for Boot Camp Assistant to partition your hard drive. Once it finishes, you should have a BOOT CAMP drive icon on your desktop.

Step 4: Insert your Windows 7 install disc into your Mac’s DVD drive and wait for it to load and recognize. Click the Start Installation button from the Boot Camp Assistant screen.

Step 5: Your Mac should automatically restart and boot into the Windows 7 installer, rather than OS X. The next screen that you come to will be a prompt screen, allowing you to choose which partition to install Windows 7 on.

Make sure that you select the BOOT CAMP PARTITION that you just created, by clicking on it once to select it. Click the link that says Drive options (Advanced). Click the Format button. A prompt screen should pop up saying “This partition might contain…”. Click OK.

Step 6: Windows should now be installing on your computer. Throughout the installation process, Windows will reboot itself a couple of times and you will be required to eject the install disc from your Mac’s DVD drive.

Do this and let Windows, finish installing completely. Fill out your Name, language, etc. Upon successfully installing Windows 7, you need to do a Windows Update to get the latest fixes and Windows released drivers. Restart your computer before proceeding to the next step.

Step 7: Once Windows boots back up, you need to install a couple of additional drivers. Insert your Mac OS X disc into your Mac’s DVD drive and wait for it to load. Click the Run setup option from the prompt window.

Step 8: Click Next on the first screen of the Boot Camp window. Accept the terms and click the Next button again. Put a checkmark next to Apple Software Update for Windows. Click the Install button.

Step 9: Let the installer complete, it may take a couple of minutes. After it completes, click the Finish button to exit out of the Boot Camp installer window.

Step 10: Eject the Mac OS X install disc from your computer and restart your computer.

Using Boot Camp: That’s all there is to it. Boot Camp and Windows 7 should now be running on your Mac. Upon powering on your computer (right when you hear the chime), hold down the option key on your Mac to go to the boot menu. From here, you can choose if you want to use OS X or Windows 7.

» Filed Under Mac OS X

Comments

11 Responses to “How to Use Windows 7 with Boot Camp”

Carl said on : January 26th, 2010 at 10:58 am

I’ve just setup Windows 7 on my MacBook pro using Boot Campt and it was a piece of cake! Didn’t run into a single problem at all. Great tutorial!

Horry said on : January 28th, 2010 at 1:11 pm

Thanks for the article, but can you also explain how one can access the Windows 7 partition from inside the Mac OS X operating system? I believe there is a way to do this, but was not sure how. Thanks.

Nathan said on : March 9th, 2010 at 11:15 pm

Thanks bud for the good work. I got myself an iMac, the big 27 inch, and Windows 7 looks gorgeous on it. Good tutorial. Boot Camp is a piece of cake.

Heely said on : March 15th, 2010 at 4:12 pm

Ok, so this didn’t work out so well for me. I am getting a black screen after partitioning the drive, installing Windows 7 and after the splash screen.

When the Windows 7 desktop should appear, I get a black/blank screen! Any ideas?

Kevin said on : March 18th, 2010 at 11:23 am

ive tried the whole process, problem im having is windows 7 doesnt see anything on my snow leopard disk so i cant install drivers. i tried downloading 3.1 update i run it and nothing happens any help would be great

NMX said on : March 18th, 2010 at 1:02 pm

@Kevin

Try doing a Windows Update first. You may have to do several Windows updates before you get the latest. Your WiFi should work. After you have Windows Updates, try Snow Leopard disc again.

Tiffany said on : March 18th, 2010 at 10:23 pm

The problem I’m running into is right after Step 5 and into Step 6: I hit OK after partitioning and the bottom states, ” collecting information,” but doesn’t prompt me to be able to proceed to Step 6.

Any advice?

Kevin Rudy said on : March 19th, 2010 at 10:33 am

thanks for suggestion nmx it didnt work i wound up downloading the bootcamp 3.0 installer online and used that

Michael said on : April 29th, 2010 at 9:46 am

After proceeding with the windows install(Windows 7) the Mac restarts in the windows mode but I get a blue screen during the restart and the final steps of the installation will not proceed but the Mac seems to be looping right back to the same place over and over again. Please advise how I may resolve this! Thanks.

Chris said on : June 29th, 2010 at 8:30 pm

Hey guys , can some one please help me !!! I get up to the part where it says -Completing installation 0%-
And then it reboots – stays on a black screen again and then reboots AGAIN! but this time stays on a black screen for A LONG time. Can some one help me i cant eject the disk using the keyboard.!!

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March 22nd, 2010 at 6:46 am