TechStuffCanada

jargon-free tech news for non-technical people

Boot Camp brings Windows to Macs

April 5, 2006 › Sandy McMurray | comment

Apple has announced official support for Windows on Mac hardware, via new software called Boot Camp.

The just-released free beta version of Boot Camp makes it possible to exit Mac OS X and "reboot" in Windows XP. (You need a new Intel-based Mac, plus a real copy of Windows XP software to take advantage of the Boot Camp software.)

From the official press release:

Apple today introduced Boot Camp, public beta software that enables Intel-based Macs to run Windows XP. Available as a download beginning today, Boot Camp allows users with a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc to install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac, and once installation is complete, users can restart their computer to run either Mac OS X or Windows XP. Boot Camp will be a feature in "Leopard," Apple's next major release of Mac OS X, that will be previewed at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference in August.

"Apple has no desire or plan to sell or support Windows, but many customers have expressed their interest to run Windows on Apple's superior hardware now that we use Intel processors," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "We think Boot Camp makes the Mac even more appealing to Windows users considering making the switch."

Boot Camp simplifies Windows installation on an Intel-based Mac by providing a simple graphical step-by-step assistant application to dynamically create a second partition on the hard drive for Windows, to burn a CD with all the necessary Windows drivers, and to install Windows from a Windows XP installation CD. After installation is complete, users can choose to run either Mac OS X or Windows when they restart their computer.

April 5, 2006 › Sandy McMurray | comment on this item