Dual boot Mac and Windows

April 5, 2006

Apple fans can now dual-boot into either Microsft Windows XP or the Macintosh operating system (Mac OS X). Today, Apple announced the beta release of Bootcamp, a boot-time utility that lets you create a 2nd partition to hold the Windows operating system. Then at bootup you simply hold the option key which will then give you a choice of which operating system to load into. Now that Apple is using Intel processors, there is no need to use virtual emulators which use software to emulate Windows programs. Now Windows software can run in its native format using the Intel processor. Mac users are a loyal bunch, but wouldn't it be ironic if Mac users all of a sudden found themselves booting into Windows more often than the Mac OSX operating system since there are more applications for Windows than Mac? Ok Mac users, flame away!

In the meantime, check out what Apple has to say about this beta software:

More and more people are buying and loving Macs. To make this choice simply irresistible, Apple will include technology in the next major release of Mac OS X, Leopard, that lets you install and run the Windows XP operating system on your Mac. Called Boot Camp (for now), you can download a public beta today.
As elegant as it gets

Boot Camp lets you install Windows XP without moving your Mac data, though you will need to bring your own copy to the table, as Apple Computer does not sell or support Microsoft Windows.(1) Boot Camp will burn a CD of all the required drivers for Windows so you don't have to scrounge around the Internet looking for them.

System Manager
Optional alt. At startup, hold down the option key (alt) to choose between Mac OS X and Windows.

Run XP natively
Once you’ve completed Boot Camp, simply hold down the option key at startup to choose between Mac OS X and Windows. (That’s the “alt” key for you longtime Windows users.) After starting up, your Mac runs Windows completely natively. Simply restart to come back to Mac.


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» Apple's 30th Anniversary show number one: Boot Camp from Computerworld Blogs
In case you missed it, this month is Apple's 30th Anniversary. Those Apple fans and watchers among us are expecting big things, for example a new video iPod. But today Apple made a surprise, but comparatively subtle, announcement: Boot Camp. The softwa [More]

Tracked on April 5, 2006 12:01 PM

» An “App-dowsâ€? computer on my desktop? from Computerworld Blogs
Well, it didn’t completely catch me by surprise that Apple would come out with software that will allow users to run Windows on an Apple machine now that it has started switching its products over to using Intel chips. And, as this CW article points [More]

Tracked on April 6, 2006 9:56 AM

» Apple <3 WinXP dual-boot (and pig olympics) from Computerworld Blogs
Blimey, guvnah! It's IT Blogwatch, in which Apple officially allows Windows to boot on the new Intel Macs. Not to mention the 2006 Pig Olympics... [More]

Tracked on April 6, 2006 2:08 PM

Comments to Dual boot Mac and Windows


  1. shaggy :
    May 5, 2006 10:56 PM

    Interesting, but can you install OSX on a PC rather than installing XP on a Mac?


  1. VoIP Forum :
    May 6, 2006 2:53 AM

    Won't it hurtthe security apsect of the MAC PC. Windows are known to prone to hacking, virus, worm attacks. Would this dual OS utility make our systems more vulnerable. The best selling of point of MAC systems over windows OS is security..


  1. Paul :
    September 12, 2006 7:49 PM

    The Mac OS is no more secure than the Windows OS, its just that more people target Windows. Anyway, the two OSs would be on separate partitions and run completely differnt native systems. Meaning...if your Windows environment becomes compromised it is isolated to windows...it will not affect the Mac OS side.


  1. Nish Vamadevan :
    September 25, 2006 5:28 PM

    To answer shaggy's question, it is possible to install OS X on an X86 PC, but it needs to have its own Drive, i.e. you can not install it on a partition.

    The Following URL would explain it.

    http://www.360insider.net/forums/showthread.php?t=143


  1. K Divyesh :
    January 23, 2007 2:29 AM

    Dear all,

    Greetings ,
    I'm looking for a solution as i want to install Windows XP (SP2) on Apple system wich is already having Mecintosh , whenever it comes up to setup system goes hang and then nothing can be done ... could you please help me out ...

    K Divyesh


  1. Andy :
    April 24, 2007 9:09 AM

    When starting up my macbook pro it runs automatically to windows platform, isnt it suppose to be booting from Mac instead of windows? anybody can answer my question?


  1. toys :
    March 3, 2008 9:52 PM

    it is sweet. andy, it is strange that your startup goes straight to windows, mine gives me an option whether to go to windows or mac


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