Question

Is there a way to completely remove Mac OS X from MacBook Pro and replace it with Windows 7? I’m not talking about Boot Camp, I’m talking about completely wiping disk of any files and partitioning it for Windows installation. Any BIOS, booting, compatibility problems? I know it’s rare to replace Mac OS X for Windows, but I have this one situation where this is needed so I would appreciate any help. Thanks!

Answer 1

If you do a clean install and format your disk with a MBR, it should be possible to install without either OS X or Bootcamp. Also note, that you will need the windows drivers from the OS X discs.

I haven’t tried it, so I can’t assure that it works, but see for ex. [1] and [2], resp.

Answer 2

No, Macs don't use BIOS they use EFI. Because of that, you need to use OSX + Bootcamp to run Windows.

Answer 3

Yes, its possible.

Insert Mac OS X Install Disc (this part should work with OS X 10.4 Tiger or OS X 10.5 Leopard discs).

Reboot. Hold down C key during reboot Do not start the install. From the Utilities menu, select Disk Utility.

Select your hard drive from the list and then click the Partition tab / button.

Click the Options button and select “Master Boot Record” as the partition scheme. Click OK.

From the Volume Scheme drop down list, select 1 Partition. Select MS-DOS (FAT) for the format (not that this matters since you will reformat it using NTFS during the Vista install).

Click Apply.

Reboot. Hold down the Alt/Option key turning reboot.

When the graphical boot menu appears, hit the eject button. Take out the OS X Install Disc and put in your Vista with SP1 install disc.

Proceed through the Vista install.

When you come to screen titled “Where do you want to install Windows,” select Disk 0.

There will be a message saying that you cannot install to that disk because it is not formatted using NTFS.

Click the Drive Options link. Click the Format link. Click OK in the confirmation dialog.

Now select Disk 0 and click Next.

The Vista installation should proceed as normal.

Once Windows is installed and loaded, insert an OS X 10.5 Leopard disc and install the Windows drivers from Apple.

Thanks to "Derek Hatchard's Information Flume Ride"

Answer 4

what i did is i had a copy of windows 7, i put it in while i was still on the mac os x, i then went to start up disk preferences ,and hit restart as foreign disk, and you load up the windows 7, and when it asks you to choose a partition you can just either select the mac one, and hit format, or if all else fails, you can delete everything . then click create new. it will make a 200mb ish harddrive for the system and then will make a harddrive for windows which will be whatever gigs your computers hard drive is