Hi, question about installing Windows 7 on an iMac. :]

Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
1
So I just got Windows 7 for my mac. I ran bootcamp but it's asking me to back up my hard drive. Is it completely necessary to back it up? Does it have to be backed up completely to a physical external hard drive (if I only have one internal hard drive)? If I run boot camp and install windows without backing up, would there be some bad consequences? Thanks. :]
 

robduckyworth


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
2,971
Reaction score
109
Points
63
Location
Reading, UK
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP, 2.5GHz i7, 750GB, 6770M 1GB, iPad 3, iPhone 4, custom PC
backing up is important, regardless of whether you install windows or not.

something could mess up, you could format the wrong disk or something by accident, then poof: say goodbye to all your files.
 
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
886
Reaction score
33
Points
28
Location
DohaLondonVegas
Your Mac's Specs
MacBookPro 11,2 <--DAW!!!
If I run boot camp and install windows without backing up, would there be some bad consequences? Thanks. :]

Yes. You can find many, many, many threads on here where people didn't back up thier OSX drive before adding a Win OS. They ended up overwriting the OSX partition and added the Win OS to it by accident.
 

robduckyworth


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
2,971
Reaction score
109
Points
63
Location
Reading, UK
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP, 2.5GHz i7, 750GB, 6770M 1GB, iPad 3, iPhone 4, custom PC
time machine would back up your OSX partition yes, but it wont touch anything to do with windows. you will have to do that through windows itself. some people suggest winclone, however others hate it. ive never used it but apparently it does the job.
 
OP
E
Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Nooooooooo.... :'( I'm having a pretty big problem now. Thanks so much guys for letting me know how important it is to back up the disk drive before going through the installation haha.

So as soon as boot camp finished partitioning, and after it asked me to put in the windows disk, it asked if I wanted to do a full or custom installation. I chose custom. Then there was a 6 series installation process I believe. After that, my mac restarted and then went into the windows logo. After that it didn't respond. I thought it was probably in the process of installing with the screen off, since the disk was still running in the disk drive.

So I decide to leave it as it is over night as I sleep. When I woke up, the screen was still off but was still running internal processes. I decide I have no option but to restart the installation process, but after I restart it, it tells me to press any key to boot cd or dvd. After that the screen remained blank. Several times I restarted and the same loop. Blank dark screen.

One of the times it showed a screen where it said, "which operating system do you want to use: windows 7", that was the only one listed, so I'm afraid mac os is gone. :( Is it gone?

Now, I restarted it again but after the boot cd/dvd shows a progress bar and "windows is loading files", then it goes to a window that tells me what language i can choose. Then after that terms and agreements. And it goes through the installation done when on the mac OS again. (copying windows files, expanding files, installing features, competing installation). I chose the same disk 0 boot camp 3 drive and it asked me if it was okay to over right old windows files. I chose ok, I hope that won't cause problems.

It's installing still right now, but I'm really worried it will have problems since it was missing that mac os on the list, and it was going blank all those times every time I restarted it.

Sorry for really long message. XD Thanks lots guys.
 

robduckyworth


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
2,971
Reaction score
109
Points
63
Location
Reading, UK
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP, 2.5GHz i7, 750GB, 6770M 1GB, iPad 3, iPhone 4, custom PC
when you boot hold option. then it should show you the two partitions. when you start the first install of windows it sets your default startup disk to the windows one.

hold option after turning you imac on, and pick the mac osx partition. this will boot into OSX.
 
OP
E
Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
1
It just finished the installation, the progress bar was filled then it restarted. Right after it said "loading windows" it went pitch black again. :'(
 
OP
E
Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I tried holding option down but it doesn't do anything, just goes into a list that says, "start with safe mode, safe mode with networking, start windows normally". If I choose start windows normally, it goes pitch black again. If I choose safe mode, it tells me it cannot complete installation on safe mode and to restart the computer. :(
 

robduckyworth


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
2,971
Reaction score
109
Points
63
Location
Reading, UK
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP, 2.5GHz i7, 750GB, 6770M 1GB, iPad 3, iPhone 4, custom PC
did you do it as soon as you turned on the computer? have you got a usb keyboard you can use?
 
OP
E
Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Oooh there it is, I had to press the option button repeatedly. So on the mac partition, should I retry the entire bootcamp process?
 

robduckyworth


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
2,971
Reaction score
109
Points
63
Location
Reading, UK
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP, 2.5GHz i7, 750GB, 6770M 1GB, iPad 3, iPhone 4, custom PC
go through bootcamp and see if you can start the install again.
 
OP
E
Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Darn.. it seemed to be running fine, until after the installation again it restarted and then the screen turns off again after the "loading windows" icon. :(
 

robduckyworth


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
2,971
Reaction score
109
Points
63
Location
Reading, UK
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP, 2.5GHz i7, 750GB, 6770M 1GB, iPad 3, iPhone 4, custom PC
is it a legit version of windows? is it a standalone version? in other words, its not a disc that came with a computer, because they are locked to the computer you buy them with.
 
OP
E
Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
1
It should be legit. I bought it from Best Buy. XD it is just Windows 7 Home Premium, not an upgrade or anything like that. Should be the full version.
 

robduckyworth


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
2,971
Reaction score
109
Points
63
Location
Reading, UK
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP, 2.5GHz i7, 750GB, 6770M 1GB, iPad 3, iPhone 4, custom PC
have you tried removing the partition then recreating, going through the whole thing again?
 
OP
E
Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I've been using the 64 bit disc, could that be a reason why?

I have a mac with intel core i3 and 3.06 GHz. Software Mac OS X 10.6.4
 

robduckyworth


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
2,971
Reaction score
109
Points
63
Location
Reading, UK
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP, 2.5GHz i7, 750GB, 6770M 1GB, iPad 3, iPhone 4, custom PC

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top