MSDNAA Vista on Bootcamp

Hey guys, bit of a newbie here.

I'm wanting to install Windows on my MacBook, I have access to it free and legally through the Microsoft Academic Alliance. I also have a Windows desktop PC for my main stuff (this bootcamp is just for managing my BlackBerry on the go).

Now, since I've already installed a 32-bit edition of Windows 7 on to my desktop PC (which I think I'm gonna have to upgrade to 64-bit), I plan to use the MSDNAA for Vista instead (prefer it over XP, and 7 seems to be a non-option).

However, there's one snag. I'm scared of bricking it, or losing all my Mac OS data, the latter of which happened during a Linux Ubuntu dual-boot installation (having read tutorial after tutorial after tutorial, spent about 72 hours, not solid, reading tutorials on how to do it). I'd selected use entire partition (which had been created specially for it), and it used the entire disk.

So, how do I go about doing this? I've used BootCamp before, when trying to set up Linux dual-boot, but I'm not sure how it goes for setting up Windows dual-boot. Also, the MSDNAA breaks the Vista installation into 5 CDs. How will that affect my installation?

(sorry for all the questions, I just invoked the wrath of my mum when I botched up the Linux install, because it's still under support, so want to do it exactly right)

It's real easy to mess up your OS X installation when trying to install Linux any flavor, not just Ubuntu. The problem is usually with GRUB since it will try to install itself in the Mac boot sector and take over the entire disk.

But to get to your question.... You can not use the MSDN disk set because there is no way to eject the first disk and proceed on to the next. A Windows installation using Boot Camp or even from Disk Utility must be done with one disk.

chscag said:

It's real easy to mess up your OS X installation when trying to install Linux any flavor, not just Ubuntu. The problem is usually with GRUB since it will try to install itself in the Mac boot sector and take over the entire disk.

But to get to your question.... You can not use the MSDN disk set because there is no way to eject the first disk and proceed on to the next. A Windows installation using Boot Camp or even from Disk Utility must be done with one disk.

Click to expand...

Is there any way to combine the 5 ISOs into one disk image? I have Daemon Tools on my Windows, so I should be able to extract the data from the disk images.

From there, do you know if it is possible to combine all the data into one bootable disc image? I have Astroburn Lite on my Windows desktop also.

It is possible although I haven't heard of anyone doing it with 5 images. I know that the Windows XP Media Edition which comes on two disks can be combined as one ISO and then burned to a new disk. It will install that way. You can give it a try but it sounds rather daunting especially trying to work with an ISO that large.

Well I have 3GB of RAM on my Windows Desktop PC, is it worth upgrading that to 64-bit from 32-bit edition and using the 32-bit edition on my 2GB RAM MacBook instead? Since they're both single discs.

That's up to you of course... but it would certainly be a lot easier to use the one disk install of 32 bit Windows on your MacBook.