Solved! How to install Win10 on a 2011 Macbook Air?

[PRebelo]

I have a 2011 Macbook Air (this model) which is running win7 installed from bootcamp.
This is a company laptop and needs to be reinstalled.
The issue is bootcamp only takes win7 ISOs and the company no longer has any win7 licenses available, only win10...
How can I install win10 on this laptop?
Will I loose any laptop features? If so which?
Thanks

 

[Paul NZ]

You'll need a version of Bootcamp that support 64 bit Windows 10. And obviously a licence

 

[PRebelo]

I have the corporate Win10 licenses and I can download the ISO from Microsoft, problem is bootcamp on this Macbook Air only takes Win7 ISOs. How can I run the win10 ISO?

 

[Paul NZ]

You'll have to find the version of Bootcamp that supports 64 bit Windows 10

 

[PRebelo]

Acording to the bootcamp page my Macbook air is not supported:
https/support.apple.com/en-us/HT204990

When I do a straight search for 64Bit Bootcamp I get this one which doesn't support Win10 and mentions support for 2013 Macbook Air only (mine is older):
https/support.apple.com/kb/dl1720?locale=en_US

Could you please link me to the proper bootcamp version?

 

[spdragoo]

It sounds like there isn't a "proper" version of Bootcamp that a) supports 64-bit Windows 10 and b) supports your particular Macbook Air. You will probably just have to obtain a Windows 7 license in order to use Bootcamp on your Macbook.

 

[PRebelo]

We can't get Win7 licenses anymore since this is a corporate contract and it was upgraded to Win10.
Either I find a way to install Win10 or I can't reinstall this machine since the company is not going to buy an individual Win7 license just to keep an old laptop running...

 

[spdragoo]

OK, may have found part of the problem.

http/www.pcworld.com/article/2058683/new-windows-8-1-requirements-strand-some-users-on-windows-8.html

The article is referring to Windows 8.1, but apparently 64-bit Windows 10 has the same requirement for compatibility with the CMPXCHG16b instruction. The article indicates there's a problem with some Core 2 Duo systems, because the CPU supports the instruction, but some of the motherboards didn't support the feature. Maybe this is the problem that Bootcamp is running into.

That being said...have you considered just getting 32-bit Windows 10? The primary reason to get 64-bit Windows is to have access to more than 4GB of RAM, but it looks like the max your Macbook Air can take is 4GB anyway. That seems to be a workaround for some people with the older Core 2 Duo Macbook Airs (https/discussions.apple.com/thread/4904594)...

 

[PRebelo]

Thank you spdragoo
It makes sense that the problem is related to the mobo, not the CPU.
I have no problem running the 32bit Win10 (I believe the license is the same) but the bootcamp issue remains because it only takes win7 ISOs. I need to figure out a way to either make bootcamp take the win10 ISO or avoid bootcamp altogether.
I've been searching and apparently it's possible to run win10 on these macbooks since some people managed to do it, unfortunately none shared the method...

 

[Paul NZ]

Only thing is I dont think Bootcamp for Windows 10 has a 32 bit option. Only 64 bit