How to install Windows 7 on an iMac?

[Heather5]

Hello friends, I have an iMac which is running on OS X 10.4 operating system. I heard from my friends that Windows operating system can be installed on the Mac system and can be used without any problems. Hence I want to know How to Install Windows 7 on an iMac? Also I want to know if it is possible to read the Mac files from the Windows installation? and if it is possible, how to go about it. Please shed some knowledge about the issues if you have any. Can the system be configured in Dual boot mode?

[Devasis]

Yes it possible to install Windows Operating system on the Mac system. There are some applications which are available which when installed on the Mac system help the user to install Windows operating system. But the use of this applications is not recommended by the apple as it may create the problems with the proper functioning of the operating system. Hence I would suggest that you dont try to install the Windows operating system on the Mac system to avoid any problems which would be faced later.

[MrChris-]

You will need to download and install the Bootcamp utility on your iMac to be able to install the Windows Operating system on the iMac. After installing the Bootcamp utility, make some space on the hard drive depending on your requirement for the Windows Installation. Windows 7 takes up about 16gb of hard disk space if all the components are installed. Now Run the bootcamp utility and create a new partition on the Free space for the Windows Installation. After the partition is created, restart the computer with the Windows 7 install disk inserted in the drive. Now the installation procedure will start, follow the onscreen steps to complete the installation of Windows 7. Remember to install Windows 7 on the partition which is created by the Bootcamp utility as it will not get installed on any other partition.

[Solomon]

It is possible that you may face some problems while installation of Windows 7 on the Mac system. If the Windows installation freezes midway and does not continues further then restart the computer and try to install the Windows again. If the installation stops midway again, then you will have to delete the partition which you have created using Bootcamp. Once the partition is deleted, check the consistency of the drive and then create the partition again. After recreating partition you will not face problems during installation of the Operating system.

[Calvin K]

It is possible to read the Mac files from Windows installation but it is not as simple as you think. Once the Windows Installation is complete on the system load all the drivers of the System and then restart. Once the system is restarted, insert the Install disk of the Mac OS X which you are using and then copy all the Boot camp drivers for the current OS X into windows installation. Once the drivers are copied you will be able to view all the Mac files in the Windows Operating system.

[rezcraze]

Try the following steps :

1. Make space on ur harddrive ( around 20 GB shud dom preferably more)
2. Download bootcamp from apple website while running OSX and run it. This would partition your harddrive. Also compatible drivers wud be downloaded for ur imac by bootcamp.
3. restart ur system with Win7 dvd inside and boot to the setup. Choose custom installation and choose the partition which you created for win 7 installation in bootcamp.
4. After installation, install the drivers.

Now you shud be able to use both windows and osx in the same system.

[SalVatore]

Mac system can only be used in dual boot mode if you have to install Windows operating system on it. Once both the operating system are installed the system will give a option as in which operating system to use. You can also make the Windows installation as the default operating system of your iMac. If you make Windows as the Default operating system then the system will not give the option for which operating system to boot. To make Windows operating system as default, you will have to make the Bootcamp partition as the Default partition.