Does Apple allow bootcamp for Windows in M1, M2 macs ? Like PowerPC, at least there was virtual PC to emulate Windows, isn't there a bootcamp alternative ?
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Bootcamp
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As far as I'm aware, there is no PowerPC-style emulation, at least not at a reasonable speed. However, I believe it's possible to run the Arm version of Windows in a VM.
Strictly speaking VMs are the only option and it has to be said that Windows on ARM is technically OEM only. You can still run it and it’ll work but you have to use Windows insider versions. It’s thought that this is primarily due to a Microsoft deal with Qualcomm which is set to expire soon. Native bare metal Windows on Apple silicon though would require a lot more effort from either MS or Apple. Changes would have to be made to the Windows on ARM kernel and driver support (especially DX on the GPU) would be needed too.
So the state of play is:
1. Windows on Arm in a VM with a technical preview version.
2. Once MS allows for buying WoA licenses, you can get a fully supported release version of Windows in your VM.
3. Bare metal, native Windows on Apple silicon is unlikely but possible in the future.
So the state of play is:
1. Windows on Arm in a VM with a technical preview version.
2. Once MS allows for buying WoA licenses, you can get a fully supported release version of Windows in your VM.
3. Bare metal, native Windows on Apple silicon is unlikely but possible in the future.
Probably not. And I am OK with that. And it all depends on Microsoft. If they allow it then it might happen. Now that they are a hardware vendor too it is not in their interest to run on Macs anymore.
There are stable versions available now, and I've been told that they use retail licence keys.
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Really? Since when? This is the last update I remember seeing is this:
There's No Windows for Arm Macs Yet Because Microsoft Has Secret Exclusivity Deal With Qualcomm
Microsoft has declined to make a version of Windows 11 available for Apple's M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max Macs that are built on an Arm architecture,...
www.macrumors.com
And there were no non-OEM licenses available.
Link?
I've slightly revised my post as I haven't actually tested the licensing myself. However, for example, the "Latest Public Release Build" on https://uupdump.net is a stable version, as far as I'm aware.
There's some discussion about licensing here. I don't know where to find something more 'official' but I have no reason to think that that post is incorrect.
There's some discussion about licensing here. I don't know where to find something more 'official' but I have no reason to think that that post is incorrect.
Ah okay the technical preview versions may include release versions BUT I’m pretty sure they’re not licensed, or supported, as such. This confusion is why at least one VM company themselves don’t support Windows on ARM for Apple Silicon (though I think you can still get it to run).
Parallels 17.1.1 introduced the ability to download a retail Windows 11 ISO (from MS) and install it in a VM. See here and many links in MR. No Insider and no UUPdump.net.
This can be activated with Windows 10 keys or via your Microsoft account. I had two Win 10 keys which were linked to my Microsoft account and I activated using my MS account.
After using this method, Windows Update has continued to regularly update with new OS versions and all the stuff Windows Update normally does.
The words "Supported", "Activated" and "Licensed" cause a lot of confusion. The installs done this way are clearly 'activated'. Microsoft has never 'supported' any form or version of Windows on Macs in the sense of solving problems. No change there. Parallels are providing technical support as they always have. Some corporate users in these forums say that it would fail a software audit because of the EULA, so 'licensed' is moot.
I am obsessive about not using illegal software, but I am not losing any sleep over this. MS have activated my Windows 11 VM using my MS account, and they know full well I am using an Apple Silicon processor in a Parallels VM. If they wanted to stop me they could. My original Windows licences were 7 and 8 and I paid full retail for them.
This can be activated with Windows 10 keys or via your Microsoft account. I had two Win 10 keys which were linked to my Microsoft account and I activated using my MS account.
After using this method, Windows Update has continued to regularly update with new OS versions and all the stuff Windows Update normally does.
The words "Supported", "Activated" and "Licensed" cause a lot of confusion. The installs done this way are clearly 'activated'. Microsoft has never 'supported' any form or version of Windows on Macs in the sense of solving problems. No change there. Parallels are providing technical support as they always have. Some corporate users in these forums say that it would fail a software audit because of the EULA, so 'licensed' is moot.
I am obsessive about not using illegal software, but I am not losing any sleep over this. MS have activated my Windows 11 VM using my MS account, and they know full well I am using an Apple Silicon processor in a Parallels VM. If they wanted to stop me they could. My original Windows licences were 7 and 8 and I paid full retail for them.
I have a stable build installed. Windows keys work but AFAIK it’s not entirely legal using those with woa in vm. Even installing windows with parallels is somewhat a grey area
Boot Camp was just a partitioning program with drivers or links to updated drivers were involved! One did back then before Boot Camp was to patriot yourself formatting the partition to Fat32! Tis was the Windows CD would see that and format that partition before installing NTFS Ann d from Windows going to the Apple site to download the Windows drivers!
I would say for most people Bootcamp is not necessary, running Windows in a VM works great and along side your Mac OS. I use it daily and now use Windows 11 ARM on my M1 Max. It runs the one old app I needed to run well and speed is great booting up and down. Windows 11 is hit and miss with X86 emulation, have had a few things refuse to install, but generally it seems most things run pretty well and from some youtube reviews I have seen Windows 11 ARM runs better on a M1 Mac then it does on a native Windows ARM computer.
With Apple's new secure enclave, it would take work from both Microsoft and Apple to get Bootcamp to work again, and I suspect that wont ever happen. It was easy when Apple used a standard boot environment (which Microsoft still uses, even on Arm PC's), but it's no longer easy.
I suspect we will eventually be able to buy WoA licenses, or the EULA will be changed to allow any Windows key, not just OEM, and running Windows in a VM will be an okay experience for those of us that need Windows for whatever. I've been using VM's for a very long time and for the most part, it's just as good as running on bare metal if your machine has enough resources to begin with. For now, use at your own risk and remember, if you have a work issued machine, your employer might be liable in a licensing review. For now, I'm going to use remote desktop into a real machine for any Windows work.
There is some hope that UTM (which uses QEMU) to run x86 versions of Windows in a decent enough way to be usefull. (it's like the old Power PC way of running Windows) That's where most of my spare time testing is going to go.
As noted, you are not limited to a insider build anymore. They have released code. One would wonder why they have that and do sell it. But they do! It’s available for corporate people who have the correct corporate license program. It’s only a matter of time before they treat it just like x86. But I expect that it will be vm only for the foreseeable future. And with the hyper viser work that Apple has done, that’s just fine.
Yep - all this is true - retail versions - regular updates - full participation in betas or developer insiders - fully activated with retail license - no need to go to uupdump.net any more..
