Quote - AHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Just the person I want to talk to. Can you recommend a GOOD step by step tutorial on installing Win7 to a MacBook Pro?  I tried and for some reason the serial number wouldn't take. Not sure if it's because I got an invalid serial number or what, but I refunded the download order and am now waiting for a boxed version to come with a new serial.

I'd LOVE to run Snow Leopard and Win 7 in 64-bit so I can upgrade my RAM from 4 to 8 GB.  Is there a "Windows 7 to Mac for dummies" page anywhere?

Hi,

I can help you out here as I have done several installs just to try different ways because I'm such a tech guy. :) Anyway, since you are using a MacBook Pro, you will need to have done a boot camp partition or else I would HIGHLY recommend going the dedicated drive route for each OS.

First, I think your last method would have worked, but there is a trick to doing it. You will NOT be able to upgrade with a clean install over the Windows 7 RC since most of them are "Ultimate" builds and you may have bought a lower end version like Home or Professional. You did not say which version you are trying to install so I will need to know that. Now, assuming you have a prior install, like Windows 7 RC, you can do a "clean" install by this:

1. Boot from install Windows 7 DVD and choose your boot camp partition.

2. Once the Win 7 install screen appears, do the install but do NOT type in your serial number. It will enter demo mode and be valid for 30 days (I think that is the time) for you to try. This is what you want.

3. Assuming the install went well and it says you have "30 days to activate Windows" nag message, you now do ANOTHER install over this install from within Win 7. But this time when you get to the Win 7 install screen do a "custom install" select clean install AND input your serial number this time.

Basically, the workaround is to do an install without serial number which puts it in trial mode, then do the upgrade install over the current install WITH the serial number.

That worked when I tried it.

4. Once Windows 7 has been properly installed with serial number and activated, you need to install the boot camp drivers from your Mac DVDs.

5. Run the check for updates MAC utility for boot camp and it should find updated 64 bit boot camp drivers from Apple. Follow prompts and directions and install those.

I can help more if you can post any issues or problems where you are stuck at just post here and let me know.

Jeff

Development on: Mac Pro 2008, Duel-Boot OS - Snow Leopard 10.6.6 & Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit, 2 x 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon , 10GB 800 MHz DDR2 RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT.