Off Topic: Windows 7 on a Mac

This page is a wiki. Please login or create an account to begin editing.

14 posts / 0 new

Last post

2015, July 14 - 5:03pm

Gary

Offline

Joined: 2011 Jul 21

Off Topic: Windows 7 on a Mac

I've built a quadcopter and am attempting to fly it. The software "works" with Mac OS 10.8 and above. But I've discovered that the Mac version of the stuff is quite incomplete; making it impossible to use to set up my flight control computer.

So I need to run Windows 7 to do the setup.

Rather than buy a PC, I decided to try putting Windows on my Intel Mac (64 bit).

BootCamp surfaced quickly as the product to use. So I gave it a go. It downloaded a bunch of stuff but then asked me to insert the Windows CD.

I don't have a Windows CD.

So where should I look for a CHEAP copy of Windows 7 and what should I plan on paying for it?

Gary

Comments

2015, July 14 - 6:23pm

24bit

Offline

Joined: 2010 Nov 19

Gary, I just sent you a email from my 3x8bit(at)gmail(dot)com account.
Check your spam folder please, if nothing shows up.

2015, July 14 - 7:02pm

(Reply to #2) #3

Gary

Offline

Joined: 2011 Jul 21

Got it!

Gary

2015, July 14 - 10:04pm

WhosIt.There

Offline

Joined: 2014 Aug 23

The only way to "run" Windoze software without buying and installing Windoze is via the WINE-based products ... which are basically useless and best avoided. Even the software they claim works under WINE has issues.

To really run Windoze software you actually need to buy and install Windoze. For cheap install CDs, the obvious place is eBay and similar second-hand options.

2015, July 14 - 11:06pm

Troyd

Offline

Joined: 2014 Nov 14

As a temporary measure you could try running Windows 10 beta by signing up to Windows Insider

https://insider.windows.com/

There is a possibility that you get a full licence free after 10 is released. All assuming that it runs well enough on your Mac under BC.

2015, July 14 - 11:34pm

(Reply to #5) #6

Gary

Offline

Joined: 2011 Jul 21

Thanks. But BootCamp says it will ONLY allow me to install Windows 7.

Gary

2015, July 15 - 12:45am

(Reply to #6) #7

Protocol 7

Offline

Joined: 2010 Aug 7

You can install Windows 10. There may be issues with the bundled drivers for some devices, but for those you can just use the regular Windows drivers.

That said, I think I read somewhere earlier that pre-release keys won't activate after the 14th as they're preparing for the final release so it may be (just) too late.

2015, July 15 - 11:06am

(Reply to #7) #8

max1zzz

Offline

Joined: 2010 Oct 3

You could always grab the windows server 2012 120 day trial (I think it is 120 day, it might only be 90)

2015, July 15 - 11:01am

themacmeister

Offline

Joined: 2009 Oct 26

Without giving too much away, the Win7 installer can be placed on USB stick, and installed successfully from USB. There are manual methods (guides) available online on how to manually install Windows on Mac hardware (bypassing the Boot Camp Utility). You will need to download the entire driver collection separately, but that is usually linked in the guide.

If at all unsure before beginning, check Apple's documents on which version of BootCamp drivers support which hardware. They have a handy chart. I would recommend 64 bit Windows 7 (cough - KAT - cough) which can include Daz L*ader activation. Most versions of Daz work on Apple hardware, but you may need a newer one.

Best of luck, keep us informed of your progress...

2015, July 16 - 5:15pm

#10

Gary

Offline

Joined: 2011 Jul 21

Progress Report: 24bit helped me locate a Windows 7 Installer disk. Unfortunately, BootCamp claims that it isn't the right disk so I'm still looking for an Installer.

Gary

2015, July 16 - 5:58pm

#11

IIGS_User

Offline

Joined: 2009 Apr 8

Most recent BootCamp requires a 64 bit Windows version.

2015, July 16 - 6:17pm

#12

24bit

Offline

Joined: 2010 Nov 19

Argh. I was fearing that.

What ports or tidbits do you need in Windows to set up your flight control computer?
Would a virtual machine be enough to access your "Toy"?
VirtualBox is free for OS X and VMWare Fusion is available as 30 day trial.
USB ports and other peripherals can be routed from the OS X host to the virtual Windows.

@ IIGS_User: The OS in question is W7SP1 Ultimate 64bit

2015, July 17 - 12:34pm

(Reply to #12) #13

Gary

Offline

Joined: 2011 Jul 21

>What ports or tidbits do you need in Windows to set up your flight control computer?

The software is called APM Planner 2.0 and can be downloaded at:
http://planner2.ardupilot.com/

It is open source and theoretically is identical across all platforms. In practice, only the Windows version is complete enough to actually do the initial setup of my "toy". However, ALL 3 platforms (Mac Windows and Linux) can interface with a configured drone and display it's telemetry.

I have no idea if a Virtual Machine can be used although there is absolutely no mention of such an environment in anything I've read in the literature.

I looked an VMWare Fusion but listed in its "System Requirements" in fine print is: "A copy of Windows". I take that to mean Fusion is similar to BootCamp in functionality.

Gary

2015, July 17 - 12:49pm

(Reply to #13) #14

Protocol 7

Offline

Joined: 2010 Aug 7

You're going to need a copy of Windows one way or the other. If you only need to do initial setup one time then you can skip entering the product key during setup. Windows will run for a few days (I think) before requiring to be activated. That should give you enough time to do what you need to do.

Otherwise, as max suggested there's the trial version of Windows Server which is usually 180 days.