Running Windows 8.1 on my iMac.

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townsbg
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Your Mac's Specs
3.2 ghz 21" iMac Mid-2010 with Windows 7, iphone 7, ipad air 3rd gen.
By "Mac installed" we assume you mean you do not have macOS installed on the machine? And there should be no difference between the 21.5 and 27" models with regard to which version of Windows can be installed. Why are you concerned about Microsoft not supporting Windows 7? Windows 7 will continue to run long after MS stops support. There are Win boxes still running XP.

Yes I don't have mac installed on my hard drive. Thanks for the answer. I purchased the processor, hard drive, and graphics card upgrade when I bought it so really the only difference is the screen size. As for going to 8.1, I'll have to when iTunes and iOS go out of support on 7 because I like to back up my iPhone and iPad to my computer.
 

IWT


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M2 Max Studio Extra, 32GB memory, 4TB, Sonoma 14.4 Apple 5K Retina Studio Monitor
So, permit me some slack so that I can get a grip on the situation.

You have, from post #1, got a mid 2010 iMac which is a 21.5 inch.

I established, via a link, in post #18 that it is compatible with Boot Camp and Windows 8.1

You don't have macOS on your system, but you do have Boot Camp?? Or just planning to get Boot Camp?

You know from other posts that there is no difference between the 21.5 and 27 inch models as far as Boot Camp is concerned nor as regards which version of Windows can be installed.

We have advised you that Windows 7 is a vastly superior product than 8 or 8.1 - and that Windows 7 support is an irrelevance in respect of its working.

So, I don't understand your last comment:
As for going to 8.1, I'll have to when iTunes and iOS go out of support on 7 because I like to back up my iPhone and iPad to my computer.

You won't have to go up to Windows 8.1, as explained - it will keep running along fine. Then you like to BU your iPhone/iPad to the computer - you mean to Windows; as you don't have any macOS installed?

Are you planning to install macOS? Which version? Or would you not be better just getting the cheapest Windows computer and forgetting about the Mac?

I promise you, I mean no offence. I just don't follow your logic or future intentions as regards your mid 2010 iMac.

Ian
 

chscag

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2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
As for going to 8.1, I'll have to when iTunes and iOS go out of support on 7 because I like to back up my iPhone and iPad to my computer.

Like Ian, I'm not following your logic here. As for backing up your iPhone and iPad to your computer (assuming it's only running Windows) you do not need iTunes to do that. There are other third party applications that work better than iTunes which you can use for backing up your iOS devices. (iMazing, iExplorer, etc) Both mentioned apps have Windows versions.

I'm guessing that you prefer Windows over macOS and that's fine. You can continue to run Windows on your Mac if you so desire but I will say it again... Windows 8.1 is one the worst versions of Windows to come out of Microsoft.
 
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townsbg
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3.2 ghz 21" iMac Mid-2010 with Windows 7, iphone 7, ipad air 3rd gen.
I've played around with 8.1 on a VM enough to know that I can deal with it because of classic shell so I'm thinking of migrating over to it when 7 is out of support even though I know that 7 will continue to work. No offense but I just came here to find out if bootcamp is compatible and not do discuss the semantics behind my decision. I know that many of you likely don't like Windows anyway. I'm asking specifically about bootcamp because isn't it how you get drivers onto Windows for a Mac? It worked when I set up 7. Installing bootcamp from my disk installed the necessary drivers for 7 to be functional. I figured that I would have to do the same with 8.1. Is it not? This computer was designed to be compatible with 7 for users that prefer to put on Windows so I'm concerned about compatibility with later versions of Windows.
 
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