An accessible way to completely replace OSX with windows?

By ftealucard, 17 April, 2020

Forum
macOS and Mac Apps

Hello all
I've enjoyed using my late 2013 macbook pro now for many years but it will soon be discontinued and the voiceover bugs are driving me crazy. As the subject says, I would like to install windows 10, completely removing OSX in order to use entire SSD. It has been installed through bootcamp a few years ago so I don't need a license key. I have a copy on a USB drive ready to go.
Any accessible ways to do it? I am thinking using bootcamp assistant, getting in to win install with narrator and working with partitions from there? Unless that's not the best way?
I apologize if this is off topic but I don't know where else to turn.
Thanks

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Comments

By Brandt on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 - 10:27

Hi ftealucard,

I have done exactly what you stated above. Got the relevant drivers threw BootCamp assistant, then opened the Windows installer, loaded Narrator and wiped the drive. The 2012 Mac book Air I did this to is living happily on the second desk in my home office running Windows 10 like a champ.

By ftealucard on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 - 10:27

@brandt Thanks so much! I'm 99% sure I'm gonna do this. So you just let bootcamp run normally, reboot in to windows installer?
I just remembered windows won't like the new APFS file system but I'm sure I can google that.

By Matt T on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 - 10:27

How would you do this with the 2018 Mac mini? I've been thinking of doing this. myself.

By Maldalain on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 - 10:27

Today I installed Windows 10 on Mac Air 11 Inch. What was really good about the process is that I could wipe the entire MacOS SSD and install MS Windows. So I was benefiting from every MB available on my SSD. Goodbye MacOS forever!

By Maldalain on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 - 10:27

Something more to note here, I did not get Narrator speaking once the setup start screen where you are required to choose the language for the OS. However when I plugged in 3.5 headphones I could get speak. Note that the left alt on Mac keyboard is just the left Windows button, and the left Windows button is the left alt key. So to start narrator you need to press ctrl+Left windows+Return, the left windows key is just next to the space bar. Of course you can remap these keys after you are fully logged on including the application key!

By Chloe on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 - 10:27

Hi,

I already have an installation of Bootcamp on my Mac. Do I have to re-create the partition and re-install Windows to do this?

By Maldalain on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 - 10:27

Yeah, probably you will have to start from the scratch. If I understand you correctly, you want to wipe MacOS from your drive that it has BootCamp drive on it. Maybe with some repair techniques you can go around the crashed boot loader files. Sorry I am not the best here to explain how you can fix problems arising from this.

By Chris on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 - 10:27

Go through the normal setup process. When you get to the Windows installer, choose the delete button next to all the partitions of your disk. Keep doing this until Narrator reports that there is only one partition called unallocated space. Choose the next button and let Windows install normally.

If you want to restore macOS, the easiest way to do it is to connect the computer to a wired Ethernet connection using a USB or USB C to Ethernet adapter, and then reboot into Internet Recovery. If the Mac ran at least Sierra 10.12.4 or later, press and hold Command Option R to have the Mac download the latest version of macOS or the latest version that's compatible with your Mac. Since Windows 10 is officially supported on 2012 or newer machines, this will download the latest version of Catalina. Wait about 5 or 10 minutes and try turning on VoiceOver. You should be in macOS Recovery. From here, proceed with the macOS installation. The reason I suggest using a wired connection is because you won't have to deal with inaccessible prompts to connect to Wi-Fi. Everything should just work.

Enjoy your new Windows system. Macs make awesome Windows computers! I've switched toWindows exclusively on my 2013 MacBook Air and it runs like a champ!

By Justin on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 - 10:27

Oliver,
I agree completely with ya on this. Running windows on a mac works, but there are limitations. From what I've heard, windows runs less efficiently on macs than it would on a dedicated box. What I mean, is it is a resource hog. Correct me if I am wrong on this, but somebody told me somewhere that windows runs hotter than the macOS does on their machine. And, yeah, apple will probably move to arm processors, which I am happy for. I've said it for years now, I'll never dual boot my Mac. If I want windows, I'll buy a dedicated dell or toshiba laptop and be done with it. For those who dual boot, fine and if it works, great... But I just don't feel comfy dual booting a Mac that is designed for MACOS and not specifically windows.
Nuff said, have fun...

By mority on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 - 10:27

Hi.

Ok, I'm stumped. If all of you decide to use windows either by completely whiping the drive of your computers or booting into it anyway and leave Mac OS aside, why in Thors name did you even shell out the money for a Mac? There is far cheaper hardware with windows already installed. If the design of the MBs is what your looking for, heck, there are enough sub notebooks or business devices that look almost exactly like an MB.

Greetings Moritz.