Installing windows into an iMAC as a single boot

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sram

[H]ard|Gawd
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Hello,

Don't ask me why, but it is like the title says. Can install windows on an imac and remove the mac OS? I don't want dual boot. I just want windows and only windows on the computer. Is it doable or u must have mac OS and use bootcamp in order to have windows on an apple system?

Thanks
 
It is possible, but you need to have OS X for any firmware updates that may need to be done to the machine.
 
ExplodingTaco said:
Why? ;)
Click to expand...

So you can't take it without me saying? Well it is something like this: there is this guy who just can't stand PC's and is only used to dealing with apple computers. He even went into the trouble of buying an imac from his own money so that he can hook it to the company domain network. It was a wrong decision of course but it happened. The company uses windows server of course and only allows windows installation on the clients. He can sell it of course or use it for something else but he doesn't want to. He loves the external imac design.

So, there u have it!
 
acfrazier said:
It is possible, but you need to have OS X for any firmware updates that may need to be done to the machine.
Click to expand...

Can u save me the trouble of searching and show me exactly how? From the little search I did, it seems like bootcamp will only allow windows 8 installations now. This is a bad sign! The company's approved OS is windows 7, and u probably know why they wouldn't switch to 8.

And I wouldn't worry about firmware updates.
 
sram said:
So you can't take it without me saying? Well it is something like this: there is this guy who just can't stand PC's and is only used to dealing with apple computers. He even went into the trouble of buying an imac from his own money so that he can hook it to the company domain network. It was a wrong decision of course but it happened. The company uses windows server of course and only allows windows installation on the clients. He can sell it of course or use it for something else but he doesn't want to. He loves the external imac design.

So, there u have it!
Click to expand...

Dual booting will not allow you to connect it to a domain?
 
sram said:
Can u save me the trouble of searching and show me exactly how? From the little search I did, it seems like bootcamp will only allow windows 8 installations now. This is a bad sign! The company's approved OS is windows 7, and u probably know why they wouldn't switch to 8.

And I wouldn't worry about firmware updates.
Click to expand...

Apple only dropped Windows 7 support for the new Mac Pro. The iMac still supports Windows 7 64-Bit

I recommend keeping OS X, install Bootcamp, partition most of the drive for Windows 7, install Windows7, and set the default OS to Windows. It will boot straight into Windows.

By "company's approved OS is Windows 7", is this a custom image? You may run into installation problems if it is.
 
ExplodingTaco said:
Dual booting will not allow you to connect it to a domain?
Click to expand...
It will allow me, but what will happen if he boots into the mac OS? I won't be able to control his access to the network, right? Or can i perfectly do it? Or do something to prevent him from connecting to the domain while in in mac os?
Mr. Miyagi said:
Apple only dropped Windows 7 support for the new Mac Pro. The iMac still supports Windows 7 64-Bit

I recommend keeping OS X, install Bootcamp, partition most of the drive for Windows 7, install Windows7, and set the default OS to Windows. It will boot straight into Windows.

By "company's approved OS is Windows 7", is this a custom image? You may run into installation problems if it is.
Click to expand...

It is an image of course but i will do a custom installation for him so that i can install drivers.
 
have you considered installing it in a VM for him? you'll still be able to control when and if he can connect to the network
 
sram said:
Or do something to prevent him from connecting to the domain while in in mac os?
Click to expand...

You can block internet access if he is not connected to the domain correct?

That is what my co. does. If i just plug up my Mac to the wall I get nothing. I have to log in on a properly images computer first.
 
If he can't stand PCs, it's probably because of Windows itself. The hardware is the same. The Apple stuff is prettier, absolutely, but this is likely a case of an ID-10T error, and he'll probably just be depressed at the end of the day.

Since it doesn't look like you know how VMs work particularly well, you should probably let his corp IT guys handle his problems, since they're "letting him" do this. (Or they're not and he's making the bold assumption they will, most companies would tell him to blow it out his ass.)
 
These are the people that will always give you problems. We used to have someone like that and fired him 6 months later because as soon as 1 'personal' problem was fixed another occured. Then they start whining about the work and more shit.
 
You know, you can connect it to the AD domain. I'm not up to date on how much it'll follow GP though.
 
mope54 said:
have you considered installing it in a VM for him? you'll still be able to control when and if he can connect to the network
Click to expand...
I did consider that actually, but what's the point? We don't want him to use a different OS while plugged into the domain network.
ExplodingTaco said:
You can block internet access if he is not connected to the domain correct?

That is what my co. does. If i just plug up my Mac to the wall I get nothing. I have to log in on a properly images computer first.
Click to expand...
The domain network is a private one. It doesn't interface with the internet.
mwarps said:
If he can't stand PCs, it's probably because of Windows itself. The hardware is the same. The Apple stuff is prettier, absolutely, but this is likely a case of an ID-10T error, and he'll probably just be depressed at the end of the day.

Since it doesn't look like you know how VMs work particularly well, you should probably let his corp IT guys handle his problems, since they're "letting him" do this. (Or they're not and he's making the bold assumption they will, most companies would tell him to blow it out his ass.)
Click to expand...
It is fine. I want to help him and learn something new in the process.
Ruoh said:
You know, you can connect it to the AD domain. I'm not up to date on how much it'll follow GP though.
Click to expand...

You mean connect the mac OS to the domain? I need to know how much it will follow Group policies like you mentioned if that's perfectly doable.
 
acfrazier said it is possible to have only windows on the imac. So nobody knows how here? Or you know what? Let's change the problem little bit. How do I completely prevent him from booting into the mac OS if he is--lets say-- dual booting windows 7 and mac OS currently?

Thanks.
 
sram said:
acfrazier said it is possible to have only windows on the imac. So nobody knows how here? Or you know what? Let's change the problem little bit. How do I completely prevent him from booting into the mac OS if he is--lets say-- dual booting windows 7 and mac OS currently?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I could be wrong since I haven't done it in a while, but I want to say that you can do that in OSX by going System > Preferences > Startup Disk > select Windows partition as your boot.

From here, I think the only way he can re-select the OSX partition is if he holds down the option button during start up. Even then he'll need the password to re-select the boot partition.

Again, I could be wrong, someone feel free to correct me on this if I am.
 
Set windows as the primary partition, set administrator account password with no guest, turn on file vault, set firmware password. Then all he can do is boot into windows with out knowing all the passwords.
 
sram said:
I did consider that actually, but what's the point? We don't want him to use a different OS while plugged into the domain network.
Click to expand...
If you virtualize the environment that connects to the network you can disallow his access from OS X based on his MAC address and allow it via the virtualized MAC address.

With Parallels he can use any Windows programs in Coherence mode and it looks/feels like a native OS X application so everyone would "win" in that setup.
 
Archer1212 said:
Set windows as the primary partition, set administrator account password with no guest, turn on file vault, set firmware password. Then all he can do is boot into windows with out knowing all the passwords.
Click to expand...

Why file vault? This will only encrypt files while in mac OS, right?

looks like your solution is the best....


Thanks.
 
sram said:
Why file vault? This will only encrypt files while in mac OS, right?

looks like your solution is the best....


Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yes, it does do only the Mac OS side, but it's really just an added later of protection to keep him out of the Mac side for you. If you can, hide the Mac partition in windows too.
 
there are a few solutions already mentioned in the thread that would allow him to use the software he's used to and paid for without compromising network security. Locking him out of OS X doesn't give you a chance to help him or for you to learn anything new like you stated as goals earlier. Allowing him to work in a familiar environment could enable greater productivity, too.
 
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