Boot Camp for Mac OS X on Intel-based Macs

April 6, 2006 on 1:42 am | In Apple |

Apple recently released the Public Beta of Boot Camp for Mac OS X. Boot Camp allows owners of Intel-based Apple computers to install and run Windows XP on their hardware without having to apply the hacks described in many a webcast available on the net.

By allowing Windows XP to boot on its hardware, Apple is offering a very attractive alternative to other PC-compatible computers. People will be more inclined to invest in its products with the knowledge that they can benefit from Apple’s renowned product quality while still having access to their favourite Windows software.

This release is also very welcome by software development specialists. Developers can now use a single platform to develop and test software for both Windows and Mac OS X. Many programming languages, such as Java and PHP, are avaialble for both operating systems. With this release from Apple, programmers can now switch seamless from one to the other.

While hackers have been successful at running Windows XP on the MacBook Pro, the Intel iMac and the Intel Mac Mini for some time, it is widely known that the procedure is not for the neophyte. Also, some applications, such as certain communication software, have been reported as not working properly. With Boot Camp, Apple is now officialising its support for Windows XP, which also means that better support will soon be available for third party software.

To install Boot Camp on his Mac, a user will need to have the latest version of Mac OS X Tiger (10.4.6, downloadable from Software Update) and the latest firmwarre (available from the downloads section of the Apple web site). Boot Camp also requires at least 10 GB of free hard disk space, a CD to burn it on and the original Windows XP installation disk.

The Public Beta designation of Boot Camp should sound a cautionary bell to users, though. The software is still prone to errors that could result in data loss and the need for complicated data recovery procedures. Already some users have reported problems with Boot Camp, including Mac OS X not booting after Windows XP has been installed. As always, the recommendation is to wait for more feedback to come in before installing it on your own Mac.

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