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2006 MacPro and windows 7 64 clarification

L

lampliter

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 28, 2008
86
0
I have read a ton on getting Windows 7 64 bit to run on an early MP. I know it works. I read it can also be done by putting a new hard drive in a windows computer, install 7 on it, and then just plug the hard drive into my MP and all is well. Is this the case. Thanks
 
I've reinstalled Win7 64bit a few days ago on my 2006 Mac Pro.

You can install 64bit Windows version without any problem... just follow these steps:
- insert the SnowLeopard DVD;
- open the command prompt (cmd.exe) as administrator;
- navigate to your CD drive (usually D:) and than into BootCamp's diver folder (Boot Camp\Drivers\Apple);
- now, to force the installation of the 64bit version of the drivers, just give the command: "msiexec /i BootCamp64.msi" and press enter.
 
Caesar_091 said:
I've reinstalled Win7 64bit a few days ago on my 2006 Mac Pro.

You can install 64bit Windows version without any problem... just follow these steps:
- insert the SnowLeopard DVD;
- open the command prompt (cmd.exe) as administrator;
- navigate to your CD drive (usually D:) and than into BootCamp's diver folder (Boot Camp\Drivers\Apple);
- now, to force the installation of the 64bit version of the drivers, just give the command: "msiexec /i BootCamp64.msi" and press enter.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ceasar this sounds like the shortest way yet, but I'm not to good with this stuff.
does it matter that I'm on lion
what do you mean by open the command prompt
the rest is a little confusing also.
I bet you know some programming and I don't THANKS
 
Don't need to know programming stuff but just ho to give a few commands from the command line (command prompt application in Windows).

1) insert the leopard DVD (I haven't Lion so I can't help with that!)

2) open command prompt application as Administrator (search for "cmd.exe" file from the start menu than run it ad administrator from the contestual menu)

3) in the command prompt and type
Code: 
cd /d D:
and hit enter (move to the CD/DVD drive)

4) now type
Code: 
cd "Boot Camp\Drivers\Apple"
and hit enter (move to the directory containing BootCamp drivers)

5) type
Code: 
msiexec /i BootCamp64.msi
and hit enter, than follow instruction on screen to finish installation (installs BootCamp drivers)

That's all!

PS: if you haven't a Snow Leopard install DVD you can probably use the same trick but you first need to know where are BootCamp drivers inside the Lion install DVD.
 
lampliter said:
I read it can also be done by putting a new hard drive in a windows computer, install 7 on it, and then just plug the hard drive into my MP and all is well.
Click to expand...

That method is not advisable as the wrong drivers will get installed. Windows doesn't like moving disks between machines and tends to freak out.

Follow the link that Spacedust pointed out. You will need a working Windows machine to burn a new install DVD but it is the way that works.

Caesar is talking about the Bootcamp drivers which is after Windows is installed.
 
OK thanks a lot guys. I understand what I need to do now. Having windows was the confusing part. Ill get it from here. Thanks so much
 
saulinpa said:
Caesar is talking about the Bootcamp drivers which is after Windows is installed.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is.

But on my 1,1 Mac Pro I never had problems booting and installing Windows 7 64bit without any hack and directly form the original DVD. Am I missing something?
 
lampliter said:
I read it can also be done by putting a new hard drive in a windows computer, install 7 on it, and then just plug the hard drive into my MP and all is well. Is this the case. Thanks
Click to expand...

Yes. Might not work with all hardware configurations, but I've done it from PC to MacPro.
But you need to make sure you first format it with GUID partition table in OSX.
 
Well I got a road block I never even thought of. Im using Lion so I have no CD for lion. Not sure what to do with that.
 
Caesar_091 said:
Yes, it is.

But on my 1,1 Mac Pro I never had problems booting and installing Windows 7 64bit without any hack and directly form the original DVD. Am I missing something?
Click to expand...
Depends on the disk you bought (i.e. is it a versioned copy or not).

For example, a direct download burnt to a disk is not versioned, and would install in a 2006/7 without requiring any modifications, while a retail disk would require a new ISO to be burnt.
 
Will the same steps work if I want to install Win7 x64 in Bootcamp on my early 2008 iMac (2.8ghz, 6gb Ram) running Lion with no install dvd (downloaded the update)? Use the same run command to force the drivers?

Thanks



Caesar_091 said:
I've reinstalled Win7 64bit a few days ago on my 2006 Mac Pro.

You can install 64bit Windows version without any problem... just follow these steps:
- insert the SnowLeopard DVD;
- open the command prompt (cmd.exe) as administrator;
- navigate to your CD drive (usually D:) and than into BootCamp's diver folder (Boot Camp\Drivers\Apple);
- now, to force the installation of the 64bit version of the drivers, just give the command: "msiexec /i BootCamp64.msi" and press enter.
Click to expand...
 
I just installed Win 7 (64) on my Mac Pro 2008. It's a pain but not impossible.

The bootcamp assistant in the utilities draw is broken, so it won't download the latest bootcamp drivers, but that can be sorted later.

On the first screen, choose "I have the Mac OS X disc that came with my mac..."

On the next screen you have a choice of either creating a windows partition, or start the windows installer.

I would pick the the first option and then choose the HD you want to install Widows on.

Then start the installer. However, it gets a bit tricky, and confusing, when you first boot into the windows installer, as windows doesn't recognise the drive, however another reboot, holding down the option key to boot from the windows installer disc, and it then works. You also have to make sure that when windows does it's first reboot (and subsequent), hold down the option key for the boot screen, and choose the windows HD rather than the windows disc otherwise it crashes out.

Once windows is installed (and running), pop in the DVD which came with your mac, I'm assuming tiger/leoaprd? Windows will recognise the disc and you can install the bootcamp drivers. Then go over to Apple and download all the bootcamp updates and do them one at a time, and I think you get up to version 3.3.

That worked for me but it wasn't as straight forward as I'd hoped.
 
Caesar_091 said:
I've reinstalled Win7 64bit a few days ago on my 2006 Mac Pro.

You can install 64bit Windows version without any problem... just follow these steps:
- insert the SnowLeopard DVD;
- open the command prompt (cmd.exe) as administrator;
- navigate to your CD drive (usually D:) and than into BootCamp's diver folder (Boot Camp\Drivers\Apple);
- now, to force the installation of the 64bit version of the drivers, just give the command: "msiexec /i BootCamp64.msi" and press enter.
Click to expand...

Hi Caesar,

I am about to try this on my MacPro 1,1.

I still have a question though, did you install windows 7 before you did the command prompts? Or did you have an older windows and installed W7 after the command prompts?

Really looking forward to an answer.
Many thanks, Marc
 
imarc343 said:
Hi Caesar,
I still have a question though, did you install windows 7 before you did the command prompts?
Click to expand...

Yes, but this work only with downloaded ISO files (not versioned Windows copies) as pointed out to me by nanofrog

----------
Gooter said:
Will the same steps work if I want to install Win7 x64 in Bootcamp on my early 2008 iMac (2.8ghz, 6gb Ram) running Lion with no install dvd (downloaded the update)? Use the same run command to force the drivers?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Sorry but I don't know if this will work on your config :(
 
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