Installing Windows 10 on old MacBook? Despite Apple does not support it, you may still able to install latest Windows version on your old MacBook laptop.
First step is to install Windows to your Apple laptop, second find right drivers. Some people prefer use only Windows operating system, in this case, if you are in a hurry, you could just take out the MacBook’s hard disk, connect it to your desktop PC, begin install then shut down after first setup restart. Put it back to the MacBook and finish the installation. If you want to do it “the right way”, you need to prepare your USB drive with BootCamp support from your current Mac OS X system. Read here more about it on official Apple website: Install Windows on your Mac using a USB hard drive or flash drive.
After the Windows installation you have to find your drivers. Apple provides Boot Camp Support Software. You may also use: Free driver installation tools.
In our case we installed Windows 10 to MacBook A1181 late 2007. We tried both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 10 and for some reason 64-bit performance was slower than the 32-bit version. Probably it has to do with automatic Windows 10 video drivers update. After the installation download Boot Camp Support Software 4.0.4033 and extract it. Navigate to BootCamp\Drivers\Apple, then right click BootCamp.msi and select “Properties”. Now you have to enable “Run this program in compatibility mode for” a “Previous version of Windows”. You will need to use cmd (commander) with administrative rights in order to install it.
- Press Windows key + X and select “Command Prompt (Admin)“.
- Navigate to your BootCamp directory with cd command, for example: “cd C:\Users\Winpro\Downloads\BootCamp4.0.4033\BootCamp\Drivers\Apple” and press “Enter“.
- Now type “BootCamp.msi” and again press “Enter“.
- Follow onscreen instructions and finish installation.
- You may still be missing some drivers, navigate other directories in the BootCamp\Drivers\ and install missing audio for example which in our case was in RealTek directory.
For never MacBooks you may need to use 64-bit version and never Boot Camp Software versions.
This should help installing Windows 10 on old MacBook. Have some suggestions? Leave a comment below.
Can’t find zip file bootcamp 4.0 to install win on A1181. Help…Thanks
The article here references from Apple Support, which of course indicates that older models such as the A1181 will not work. Yet the article says it can. Is there anything done differently than what’s mention in the apple Support Windows 10 Install. I have successfully install Win 10 on my older a1181 Macbook and get it running, but after getting to the desktop in windows 10 on the next restart cause it to crash and become unbootable. Getting startup repair after that. I am then forced to delete and reinstall the OS. I’ve repeated 3 times leading me to believe their is something I’m missing in for the actual installation.
It must have something to do with your partitioning, if it is ok for you to have only Windows 10 on your Mac try completely delete all partitions and then recreate. Windows setup will create all necessary partitions.
Any word on what build of windows 10 they used?
Hi, i believe it was Creators Update, but it should not make any difference. I have tried it few days ago with latest Win 10 version, it still works.
Works flawlessly!
I installed linux mint on my old school macbook 2,2 and it works like a dream. Brought new life to an outdated machine.
i have a late 2007 mbp 3,1. it would allow me to update to windows without a DVD windows install disc? can i get around this and use a USB? I’ve tried various methods to no avail. thanks so much for your time writing this!!
If you are ok with having only Windows on your MacBook you can take out the hdd form Mac pluh it to other PC or laptop start installing Windows and after first reboot turn it off. Then just place the hdd back into Mac and finish the install.
I have a older a1181and it’s been old reliable.. just want to install windows on it .. can I install it on a external drive and install it in the MacBook after I’m done .. where can I find the easy way to do that ??
Email me seeuthere62 at yahoo.com
I have a older a1181and it’s been old reliable.. just want to install windows on it .. can I install it on a external drive and install it in the MacBook after I’m done .. where can I find the easy way to do that ??
Email me seeuthere62 at yahoo.com
Thank you
use ctrl+shift+enter to trigger the menu to use admin right of cmd, if no right-click function
How to macbook a1181 windows 10 boot camp drivers walibaz46@gmail.com sand me
After my son messed up the obsolete 10.7.5 installation by trying to install Linux (he deleted the OSX’s partition). I decided to install Windows 10. I did not use bootcamp but instead installed Windows 7 Ultimate directly from the DVD, using it to delete all partitions and create a new one. I then used Windows Update Assistant and now have a fully functional Windows 10 Pro machine. A bit slow on the boot, but works fine. And it only has 2 GB RAM so I won’t be doing any video processing but it works fine for browsing, online chess, word processing, and Zoom. I did have to find the drivers for the camera but that was easy..
Sorry, this was for a Black 2007 A1181