installing Windows on my Mac without sighted assistance

Submitted by Tayo on Tuesday, May 26, 2020.

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macOS & Mac Apps

Hi:

So I’ve had my Mac for a while now, and enjoy using it. However, quite a few games run only on Windows, so I’m considering installing Windows on my Intel-based Mac. Is there a way to do this without sighted assistance? The Bootcamp utility itself seems quite accessible, but I keep hearing that the audio drivers for Windows are not initially installed. I have a Macbook Pro 2017, a pair of Beats studio headphones, and no sighted help. So, is there w way to do this without making my computer inaccessible when it boots into Windows?

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Plugging Headphones into the Headphone Jack Worked for Me

In my experience, with recent versions of Windows 10, you can get speech just by plugging in a set of headphones and launching Narrator right on the first setup screen. I recently reinstalled Windows 10 on a 2015 MacBook Pro, and I had speech the entire time. Note that when running Windows on a Mac, the Command Key acts as the Windows key, so to start Narrator, you would press Control-Command-Enter. Assuming there are no oddities specific to the 2017 MacBook Pro (I don't know why there would be any), you should be able to plug in your headphones and start Narrator as soon as the computer reboots into the Windows install.

I understand

Ok, as stated above. How should I partition my 256 gb of hard drive space?

I've got a 256 GB 2015 MacBookPro and have different setups

on my mac, innisicially when I bootcamped the first time, had it split in half. that was in 2016. now, in 2020, I've got 60GB for Windows and the rest for macos. it really depends on what you use windows for how much you'll need. since you are a gamer, go high, but be carful, as you cannot do anything to the windows partition when it is create, thus, if you later decide you need mor e space on windows, or more space on macos, you have to remove the bootcamp partition and resetup everything. on may 30th, windows 10 2004/may 2020 update will be reliesed. for that update to run, you need to update your graphics drivers. I'm not sure if the 2017 MacbookPro has intel drivers, but most macs do. anyway to do that, downloaded the intel driver and support assistant, let it scan your hardware to tell you what it needs, and install what shows up. the only people who know of this update are Windows Insiders, and I am one on the fast ring. if you need any help with this update or anything else, email me at daniel.angus.macdonald@gmail.com.
regards,
Daniel

regarding your beats studio headphones and windows speech

in my experience, beat headphones are not good for sinthasized speach. I've got a pare of beats executive headphones, and speech comes through really bassy with them. but since there the only ones you've got, failing earbuds, their have to do but are not optimal.
regards,
Daniel

Thanks for all the help

So, one last question. Is there a quick way to clear off all the documents that are on my Mac's hard drive? I spent a good part of last night deleting files one by one until i have about 130 gb of free space, but I get the feeling that isn't enough.

So, if I gave Windows 80 gb of space and left the rest for MacOS, it should work?

running into the audio problem

So, I've downloaded Windows and partitioned the disc, and the Windows installer is loaded but ... I have no sound. The reason I know the Windows installer is loaded is because I used Seeing AI to read the screen, which gives me bits of information not much else. I know that I've enabled Narrator using the shortcut key, and I've plugged in headphones, but I'm still getting no sound. What can I do about this? All the sighted people around me are unable to help.