Apple has now introduced something that they call "Boot Camp (for now)" which is currently a public beta. This new technology will be included in OS X Leopard and it will allow you to dual boot Mac OS X and Windows XP!
This will completely change the face of computing as we know it. Apple is betting big on this to help persuade more people to try OS X. Now there really is no problem to. Gamers can get Mac OS X and still play their favorite games. This is what many people envisioned when Apple announced that they would make the switch to Intel but no one expected them to support having XP on Macs. Apple has repeatedly stressed that they wouldn't dissuade people from trying to put XP on Macs but that they wouldn't support it themselves.
You can currently download the public beta for OS X Tiger.
Apple has been kind enough to provide drivers for the following so that Windows XP will work perfectly:
- Graphics
- Networking
- Audio
- AirPort wireless
- Bluetooth
- The Eject key (on Apple keyboards)
- Brightness control for built-in displays
You will need Windows XP SP2 as well as an Intel-based Mac. You will also need 10GB of free hard drive space because you will have to partition your hard drive so Windows XP can go on one side. Here is what you need to do (step by step):
- Update your OS X Tiger to the newest version and download the Boot Camp Public Beta
- Burn a CD with all the Windows drivers on it (provided in Boot Camp download)
- Also, with Boot Camp you will partition your hard drive and you can set how much space you would like to allocate
- Next, just insert your Windows Installation CD. Apple would like you to note: "The only tricky part is selecting the C: drive manually. Be sure to get this right, or you could erase your Mac files accidentally."
- After you have installed XP you'll need to insert your drivers CD that you burned earlier. And just pop it in and let it install all the drivers you need. Now, you're finished!!
Apple on the side also stated something really important:
EFI and BIOS
Macs use an ultra-modern industry standard technology called EFI to handle booting. Sadly, Windows XP, and even the upcoming Vista, are stuck in the 1980s with old-fashioned BIOS. But with Boot Camp, the Mac can operate smoothly in both centuries.
I have heard reports that the upcoming Vista will have EFI support so maybe Apple is wrong about this.
As well as:
Word to the Wise
Windows running on a Mac is like Windows running on a PC. That means it’ll be subject to the same attacks that plague the Windows world. So be sure to keep it updated with the latest Microsoft Windows security fixes.
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