Windows on a mac

[Dazzle]

Looking at getting windows for my Macbook I have tiger 10.4
is bootcamp free and will any version of windows do ? or is there a mac specific version of windows for bootcamp.
Only really need it for windows only workshop discs and garmin map conversions

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

Windows on a mac ?

you'll have the fanboi's after you

 

[stolzy]

Any old windows will do

Bootcamp is free - if not already installed, its on the disc that came with your mac.
Windows XP with service pack 2 or any later version will do it.

Piece of cake to install bootcamp.

Good luck

 

[(RIP) Tunneruk]

Running Windows on a Mac is equal to ...........................
....................Putting a Vespa engine in a GSA!

 

[Slowdown]

Buy VMWare Fusion. you'll never realise you're running a windows applacation on a mac after a very short while. It's not free, but it works extremely well.

 

[ianf]

If you need to interoperate between windows and mac, parallels desktop is the way to go (faster than vmware). If you just need to dual boot to do the odd job, go with bootcamp.

 

[judge]

Bootcamp is Apple's subtle way of discouraging you from sullying their kit with nasty OS's. VMware Fusion is bliss though and with Unity I have Window's apps sitting in the dock alongside Apple Apps and you don't know the difference.

Of if you want a free VM then Sun/Oracle's Virtual Box is worth a light too

 

[stolzy]

Sorry its a no-go

There is no bootcamp for tiger - leopard (10.5) was the first version which has bootcamp

 

[ianf]

Macbook = Intel, so cheaper to buy (snow) leopard than VMware or Parallels.

 

[Dazzle]

Thanks for all replies so my main question really is if I can get hold of windows.
It's just a normal version not mac version like my office ?
Thanks don't really want to do it but saves me keep borrowing my sons laptop to do the odd little task
Seems bootcamp will be fine good excuse to go to snow leopard

 

[stolzy]

Any version of windows will do (there is no special version for Mac). As ong as it is Windows XP SP2 or later.

Windows is actually easier to nstall on a Mac than on a PC because of the restricted range of hardware and a single supplier of drivers.

The one advantage of Winows on a Mac is that it reminds you how much better a Mac is.

 

[Dazzle]

Been in the apple shop to buy a copy of snow leopard, they told me I needed the pack of ilife as well which comes to £140,
The guy told me that non of the other programs iphoto ical etc will not run
I seem to remember some of you guys upgrading and not mentioning problems was he bluffing ?
I have tiger 10.4 at mo as you know
cheers Darren

 

[wknight]

I am running Snow Leopard and I don't have iLife so he is WRONG. Once I installed Snow Leopard new versions of iPhoto etc appeared to support 10.6

I would also vote for the latest version of vmware (I think its 3) as it really takes advantage of the 64bit processor and switching between mac and windows is a dream. Sometimes it worth paying a bit extra.

As to your original question, I would go for Windows XP which is what I have it you have one. definitely not Vista, its the reason I went to Mac. Of course there is Windows 7 but no experiences in that area.

 

[andyclift]

they told me I needed the pack of ilife as well which comes to £140,

Not familiar with older Macs but can't see why iLife would be needed to upgrade to Snow Leopard except maybe older versions may not work with new OS.

Windows 7 is no problem incidentally. I am running Snow Leopard with Windows 7 initially installed on Bootcamp. Since have installed Parallels which automatically found the Windows 7 installation and linked to it.

One point though. After the initial installation Windows 7 automatically registered on line. After installing Parallels Windows assumed a change in PC and required reregistering. No problem, just some additional aggro of phoning Microsoft to get a new serial number.

Windows 7 works perfectly and vastly better than Vista - not nearly as good as Snow Leopard though and only use it for a couple of bits of software that have no Mac equivileant

 

[DollyRocket]

+1 for VMware.

I use it with both XP & Sys 7. Sys 7 runs quite fast under Vmware but does have the occasional wobble. XP is more stable.
You can also put Linux, or any other compatible OS under Vmware (including further virtual machines). I like the way that you can pause / suspend and swap between OS's as well as docking windows apps alongside normal mac kit.

Just don't expect to use Office2007 on a mac and remain sane.

 

[cookie]

Been in the apple shop to buy a copy of snow leopard, they told me I needed the pack of ilife as well which comes to £140,
The guy told me that non of the other programs iphoto ical etc will not run
I seem to remember some of you guys upgrading and not mentioning problems was he bluffing ?
I have tiger 10.4 at mo as you know
cheers Darren

the proper full upgrade disc for tiger to snow leopard only comes with iLife and iWork and is £125 IIRC, but maybe it's £140 now? this is the one you should buy to comply with the EULA (licensing agreement).
some may say that only this version will upgrade tiger or even do a clean install. i say the £25 upgrade disc is exactly the same item, which is the same as the disc in the Family Pack too

iLife/Work 08 (current is 09) works on snow leopard. can't say about earlier versions.

 

[andyclift]

Just don't expect to use Office2007 on a mac and remain sane

Dollyrocket, What's the problem, I've never found one other than the program itself is a bit of a learning curve as it's very different to earlier versions of Office.. The program itself is OK. I use it on two Windows laptops, one with XP and the other with Win 7 and on the Mac, either as a Mac window using Parallels or as a clean start with Bootcamp. It works the same however I use it.

 

[DollyRocket]

I actually quite like Office 2007 - I use it every day for work on a normal P4 3Ghz PC - however, I find it dog slow on the Mac under VMware (not too bad when run singletasking - so much so, that I don't really bother with it and prefer to use the native iLife packages or OpenOffice instead.

 

[andyclift]

My Office 2007 is running on a 27" iMac with Windows 7 and Parallels. Can't see any difference between running it there than on my Windows laptop.