Why is Bootcamp ***FORCING*** me to use Windows 10?

[-Ryder-]

Hi all,

Here is some irony for you. I'm a switcher from windows, setting up my new iMac. I left PC because Microsoft was doing everything it could to force me to use windows 10... which I consider evil.

So "screw you Microsoft" and I go mac, knowing that I can run bootcamp or Parallels.

So here I am setting up Bootcamp, and I cannot believe my eyes.



OMG I am going to cry.

I *know* bootcamp has worked with many, many, many versions of Windows in the past. What in blazes is going on?

What can I do about this?

(I *Need* to run Win 7 or Win 8)

THANK YOU for you kind help

 

[chscag]

You don't mention which Mac you have (year and model), however, your Mac is restricted to only running Windows 10. Why? Because the Apple supplied drivers and EFI boot sequence will only support Windows 10 on your Mac. If you wish to run another version of Windows, then you'll need to use a VM. VirtualBox is free from Oracle.

 

[-Ryder-]

It's a brand new iMac (I said it was a new iMac).

It is a few hours old. It's the 27" if that makes a difference.

I already own Parallels 13.

How can I get the drivers and EFI boot sequences that will support the other versions that have been supported in the past? It seems REALLY ODD that Apple is trying keep people updated with the latest version of windows.

Might this have to do with High Sierra?

What if I was running Sierra? Would that give me access to an earlier version of Bootcamp that supports older windows?

 

[chscag]

You can't run Sierra on that machine and I already explained to you above why you can't install any other version of Windows on that new iMac. Nothing odd about it. Apple has long restricted certain Macs to a specific version or versions of Windows.

You still really didn't tell us which iMac you have but we will assume it's a 2017 27" model. Lots of folks tell us they have a brand new Mac and we later find out it was brand new to them but several years old - purchased used.

 

[-Ryder-]

Thanks, chscag...

Yes, you said that the drivers and EFI boot sequences included on the machine support win 10 only.

This is why I specifically asked: "How can I get the drivers and EFI boot sequences that will support the other versions that have been supported in the past?"

I mean, they exist. People have been using them for years.

All I need to know is where to get them for my own use, and (how to install them). I'd like to have drivers and boot sequences for all versions of windows going back to XP to be frank, but I would settle for Win 8 or Win 7.

And yes, by "brand new, hours old", means I walked into the Apple store a few hours ago, and bought it. I don't know how else to tell you what it is. It's 27" iMac with 8G and High Sierra. That's all I know.

And yes, I can run Sierra on this machine because Sierra is what it shipped with. I upgraded to High Sierra... but I can revert to Sierra if that will fix this issue.

Will running Sierra provide me with a version of Bootcamp that will support versions of Windows older than 10?

Many thanks!

 

[Slydude]

I don't think that downgrading to Sierra will give you what you need to run older versions of Windows. I say that because I have a late 2015 iMac that I ran into basically the same issue. If I remember correctly I also got the warning about needing Windows 10 (might have been Windows 7).

The problem you are going to have is that the older drivers pre-date the newer hardware used in your machine.

 

[chscag]

Also... if you check with the Mac App Store you will see that Sierra is no longer available to download. Unless you made a flash drive copy of Sierra before you upgraded to High Sierra, it's exactly like I said above - you will not be able to run Sierra.

And check your other thread. I'm interested in what I suggested to you is working out?

 

[mrplow]

The last iMac to support Windows 7 was the 2014 with bootcamp 5 and Yosemite (10.10).

Since then bootcamp 6 has only supported Windows 10.

So the issue you have is no support from Apple in drivers and Microsoft aren’t patching Windows 7 for Kaby lake that’s in your new iMac.

If you’re desperate to run Windows and can’t run 10 for whatever reason you need to look at virtualisation.

 

[-Ryder-]

THx, Slydude... yeah, the Apple dude explained that the differences are in the FIRMWARE... I don't think they understand what is happening in the switcher community. Switchers don't want to keep buying crap from Bill Gates and keeping *current* fergodsakes... that's like sending money and keeping in touch with a horrid girlfriend you just left. All most switchers are going to need is to keep their OLD system working for a couple years while the transition happens.

People who keep willingly upgrade windows are already showing they are happy enough to keep shelling out the $$$ for the new OS's... and are thus demonstrating that they aren't about to switch any time soon.

I think Apple is making a massive mistake. They need to support the people ready to LEAVE. If it wasn't for Parallels saving the day, I would have taken this useless iMac right back to the store.

 

[-Ryder-]

mrplow, I've seen Win 8.x supported with bootcamp until last year (or maybe late 2015)

 

[-Ryder-]

Hey chscag,

I purchased Parallels last night, and it's running 8.1, so far, perfectly. I'll be putting it through the paces here tonight.

re: downgrading to Sierra... the apple support people walked me through the process that included erasing the drive (apparently HS has a different drive format??)

Anyway, HS seems to allow one to revert to the OS the machine shipped with... so we selected that option... and, guess what... it failed each time we tried. One senior techie said that he thought it is a glitch during this transition phase between OSs... not sure what he was getting at, but he suggested I drive back down to the apple store, have them restore it.

They did.

Thanks for your kind help.

R

(written in chrome browser running in Win 8.1 in Parallels on iMac)

 

[Slydude]

Yes, High Sierra has new drive format (APFS). It should perform many types of read write operations faster than the previous OS.

The ability to revert back to the OS that a Mac shipped with is not something specific to High Sierra. The process may involve an extra step or two to accommodate reverting to the older drive format (HFS+).

Sometimes, it is possible to go back to the OS immediately preceding the one that shipped with your Mac but that is a bit unusual. It depends upon how much hardware has changed since the older OS was released.

 

[mrplow]

True enough. Windows 8.1 was supported on iMac hardware issued 2015