Boot camp with windows 8

[derrickgoh]

Any folks here running win 8 or 8.1 on bootcamp? Have a few queries.

 

[PetPet]

Am on 8.1.
Ask away.

 

[derrickgoh]

Cool. Im using a 2013 imac so i guess i should get the 64 bit version of 8.1?

Did they bring back the start button? Not used to the new UI. Do i need to buy original full version? Or can i get original upgrade, oem upgrade or oem full version? Thanks.

 

[PetPet]

Get the 64 bit.
The start button brings you back to the metro interface.

I'm unsure if the OEM works. I got the full version.

 

[derrickgoh]

Do u recall how much it costed?

 

[speedster4005]

Got the retail Pro Version from MS Online Store US for 199.00 USD.

Here's the Singapore pricing for retail version:

Microsoft Store - Shop Windows

 

[derrickgoh]

$219 is full version rite? I recall vista or was it win 7 was more.

 

[derrickgoh]

Ah crap just remembered my imac 2013 has no disc drive. Do u guys get apple super drive or any ordinary external drive?

 

[speedster4005]

Ah crap just remembered my imac 2013 has no disc drive. Do u guys get apple super drive or any ordinary external drive?

219 is full version - and can transfer (one installation at a time) from one machine to another (unlike OEM).

If you buy online, the default is downloading an ISO installer, and you can opt in for a disk to be mailed too. So CD drive is not required.

 

[derrickgoh]

219 is full version - and can transfer (one installation at a time) from one machine to another (unlike OEM).

If you buy online, the default is downloading an ISO installer, and you can opt in for a disk to be mailed too. So CD drive is not required.

Unless memory fails me if not after running the Boot Camp installation within OS X it rebooted and I had to insert Win 7 CD which it booted off and then installed Win 7.

So if its an ISO installer, how do I boot up? Save the ISO on thumbdrive? But can OS X even boot off a thumbdrive?

Also I notice the box says Windows 8.1 full version is for Windows 7 users only. But if its a full version not an upgrade, why does it say for Win 7 users only?

 

[speedster4005]

Unless memory fails me if not after running the Boot Camp installation within OS X it rebooted and I had to insert Win 7 CD which it booted off and then installed Win 7.

So if its an ISO installer, how do I boot up? Save the ISO on thumbdrive? But can OS X even boot off a thumbdrive?

In the Bootcamp Assistant screen, tick the box that says "Create a Windows 7 or ..." option. Once you proceed, it will ask you to point it to the ISO image and also requires you a USB thumbdrive where it will create the Windows 8.1 installer. In the next reboot, the BootCamp assistant will point to that thumbdrive as the boot-up drive.

Also I notice the box says Windows 8.1 full version is for Windows 7 users only. But if its a full version not an upgrade, why does it say for Win 7 users only?

I didn't notice that. Base on the product page, it says full version. The upgrade is much cheaper than 219.00 SGD. I got one too. Not using it.

 

[derrickgoh]

In the Bootcamp Assistant screen, tick the box that says "Create a Windows 7 or ..." option. Once you proceed, it will ask you to point it to the ISO image and also requires you a USB thumbdrive where it will create the Windows 8.1 installer. In the next reboot, the BootCamp assistant will point to that thumbdrive as the boot-up drive.

Meaning after I download the ISO file from Windows store I save it on a thumbdrive then when it asks for location I point it to the thumbdrive? Does it say how large a thumbdrive you need? Also, is there anything special I need to do or just download the ISO file from Windows store and dump it in thumbdrive?

I didn't notice that. Base on the product page, it says full version. The upgrade is much cheaper than 219.00 SGD. I got one too. Not using it.

So you have no issues with the S$219 ""full" version?

Ok I know this depends on how much stuff one downloads but if its just Windows 8.1 and a few games, do you figure 100 GB partition is enough? Or overkill? Maybe 50 GB? Or is that too little?

 

[speedster4005]

Meaning after I download the ISO file from Windows store I save it on a thumbdrive then when it asks for location I point it to the thumbdrive? Does it say how large a thumbdrive you need? Also, is there anything special I need to do or just download the ISO file from Windows store and dump it in thumbdrive?

Save the ISO somewhere else, like your back-up drive or in your desktop. The thumbdrive will be formatted by BootCamp Assistant to become your Windows 8.1 installer, which you can keep for re-use.

The ISO is around 3.5GB. The thumbdrive (which becomes the Windows 8.1 installer) that I use is 8GB - to be safe.

So you have no issues with the S$219 ""full" version?

That should be sufficient. But the one I bought was the Pro version. I needed the BitLocker encryption.

Ok I know this depends on how much stuff one downloads but if its just Windows 8.1 and a few games, do you figure 100 GB partition is enough? Or overkill? Maybe 50 GB? Or is that too little?

I have 120GB on BootCamp, 156 on OSX. I have Steam/Origin installed for Battlefield 4 and MoH, These games are huge. I have MS Office and some work-related apps. Can't add more. So yeah, you need to find out each app's space consumption. Cumbersome to re-install when space not enough (I don't do restore anymore - MS has got crappy restore of system drives - system go slow after restore).

 

[derrickgoh]

Wait so i need 2 thumbdrives? 1 for win 8 iso the other for the apple drivers for installing in win 8?

 

[speedster4005]

Wait so i need 2 thumbdrives? 1 for win 8 iso the other for the apple drivers for installing in win 8?

Only 1 thumbdrive. If you tick "Download drivers..." And "Create Windows 7..", Bootcamp will put the installer and driver on the same thumbdrive.

 

[derrickgoh]

Only 1 thumbdrive. If you tick "Download drivers..." And "Create Windows 7..", Bootcamp will put the installer and driver on the same thumbdrive.

I see. Thanks. Wish me luck!

 

[derrickgoh]

Ok after paying on the online store I was asked to download this file:

OSGS14-WindowsSetupBox-32bitand64bit-English-4141408.exe

Double clicked it but it wouldn't run. It says The Unarchiver: The contents of the file can not be extracted with this program. Do I need to download some other extraction software or is there a problem with the download?

Or is this exe file the ISO file you were talking about? The one which I'm supposed to save on my thumbdrive with the Apple Bootcamp drivers?

 

[speedster4005]

The file has an extension of .ISO. I think that application will download the ISO. Is there any other option that says ISO download instead of an .EXE download?

 

[derrickgoh]

The file has an extension of .ISO. I think that application will download the ISO. Is there any other option that says ISO download instead of an .EXE download?

No option. When I click on install/manage, it auto downloads the exe file. Didn't this happen to you?

Am using Safari though I doubt that makes any difference.

I think the problem is I need to be in Windows to be able to run an exe file but ironically I can't install Windows because can't run this exe file.

 

[derrickgoh]

Sh*t this is so dumb. Apparently you need to run the exe file on a PC to extract the ISO file. Great if you own a PC but what about us Mac users?

How to get a Windows 8 ISO image file for Mac bootcamp (mavericks) - YouTube

How do the rest of you guys do it? You all bought the DVD?