Boot Camp lets Macs run Windows ... officially

If you want to run Windows on your Intel-based Mac but found narf and blanka's solution a little too intimidating, you now have another option -- and this one's from Apple. The company has released a public beta of a technology called Boot Camp, which will be included in the next version of OS X. As its name implies, Boot Camp is essentially a boot manager, and allows Mac owners to install Windows XP and choose whether to run OS X or Windows at startup. It also includes a selection of Windows drivers for common Mac hardware, along with a utility to let you burn a CD to run the installation and partitioning tools. Yes, you still need your own copy of XP, but it looks like Apple's taken most of the pain out of dual-booting. Great job Steve, but we're sorry to tell you that the $13K bounty's already been won.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Andrew Stone @ Apr 5th 2006 9:20AM]

And finally, i can ditch the HP, get a MacBook, and have only one computer.

[Joshua 'Z' Hernandez @ Apr 5th 2006 9:21AM]

LMAO. To everyone who scrambled, spent sleepless nights, donated to the bounty, punditized this NEVER happening, I have one thing to say:

Suckers!

[Nick @ Apr 5th 2006 9:25AM]

It seems like Apple is now ready to mainstream their computer products. There are a lot of people who want to buy a Mac, but are not familiar with the OS, now if they can get a Mac and use XP on it and learn how to use the Mac OS over time, more people will deffinitely buy it.

Personally I think I may buy one as well, just because an XP Mac sounds like a fun toy.

[Andy Bouchard @ Apr 5th 2006 9:26AM]

This is great news! Now I don't have to buy that ugly bulky PC I was going to get this summer!

[Eric @ Apr 5th 2006 9:26AM]

ROFLMAOMFGWTFBBQMACOSXP~!

Apple is gonna laugh in all ya faces, cos those hu didnt get the bounty would be pissing themselves for the sleepless nights they tried for the 13K!

hahaha

[Joe @ Apr 5th 2006 9:27AM]

I'm quite amazed by this and VERY happy. Like the other guy said, this might take me to one laptop! F my Dell laptop!

Joe

[Kendall Sutton @ Apr 5th 2006 9:29AM]

Wow. Talk about awesome.

This is a great surprise, and a good indication of where Apple is heading. A++ for Steve and company for listening to what their customers want, and letting them do it, even if it's unorthodox.

[Erin @ Apr 5th 2006 9:29AM]

Woah! Apple's doing smart buisness! They are going to make out huuuuuge with this.

[fred @ Apr 5th 2006 9:31AM]

this is excellent I cant believe they did it surely apple would rather make its own os much better and make more money.

forgive me if i'm being naive

[SL @ Apr 5th 2006 9:31AM]

so....where can I download this? anyone has the link?

[Sinzen @ Apr 5th 2006 9:32AM]

Sweet! Now I can finally make the switch and justify the price for one of these. Just in time too as we are in the market for a new computer and I've had this Apple in my eye for sometime now. Might hold off and get myself one of them fancy Core Duo iMacs and do it up. :D

[daniel @ Apr 5th 2006 9:32AM]

What performance hit does it take, as I see that to switch between osx and xp you hit the Alt key, meaning that both os's will be running at the same time, and do you guys think wil be able to install only the xp version?

what about vista?

[Chris @ Apr 5th 2006 9:33AM]

And the devil had to phone the heating company to ask "Can you fix my boiler? I know it must be out 'cause it's a bit nippy in here today!"

[Modano @ Apr 5th 2006 9:35AM]

http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/
No link, Engadget?

[jaemz @ Apr 5th 2006 9:36AM]

Thanks Apple, I am going to work on talking my employer into letting me get a mac to replace my P4 when the time comes.

Has anyone tried this to see how the video drivers work under XP?

[Bee Geez @ Apr 5th 2006 9:37AM]

Does this mean that there's still hope that a MacBook Pro will one day sport TWO mouse buttons?

[foxone @ Apr 5th 2006 9:38AM]

now if only apple would come out with a tablet i could have all my work & play in one computer

[Aaron @ Apr 5th 2006 9:41AM]

daniel, you hold down the alt key when you boot to select which operating system you want to use. They arent running at the same time

[jrubzer @ Apr 5th 2006 9:42AM]

Vista? Apple can worry about that for version 3.0 of boot camp in 4Q '07.

[zoara @ Apr 5th 2006 9:43AM]

They should have released this last Saturday. Everyone would have thought it was an April Fool's joke.

[Modano @ Apr 5th 2006 9:44AM]

"What performance hit does it take, as I see that to switch between osx and xp you hit the Alt key, meaning that both os's will be running at the same time, and do you guys think wil be able to install only the xp version?"

They don't run concurrently- press alt at startup to choose which OS you want to boot. Hence the name BOOT Camp.
Also, they specify that it's XP only. No MCE or Vista (yet).

[ydgmdlu @ Apr 5th 2006 9:46AM]

Perhaps Steve can use his Reality Distortion Field to convince the online community that he was the first to get dual-boot working and that narf and blanka don't exist.
Steve: "Score! $13,000!"

[Andrew @ Apr 5th 2006 9:47AM]

I wonder how many people will buy a Mac because of this new feature and then never get around to installing Windows because they like OSX so much?

[Leon @ Apr 5th 2006 9:48AM]

I really like the wording on the website:

"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."

"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."

Wouldn't it be great if all manufacturers were this bashful and humo(u)rous about each others products

[JT @ Apr 5th 2006 9:49AM]

#17. You may plug any two mouse button and it will work in OSX. I have a logitech MX Laser and the shipped driver lets me use all buttons.

[Dennis @ Apr 5th 2006 9:49AM]

As I predicted, Apple is supporting XP on Macs. What I would like to know is, did they plan on doing this, were they triggered by the success of the contest winner, did Apple do this in their company lab several months ago or what?

[Chris @ Apr 5th 2006 9:50AM]

Love the disclaimer/warning:

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.

[Jonathan Keim @ Apr 5th 2006 9:50AM]

This is GREAT and the stocks went up 10% in just after hours! To bad I didn't get in last week when it was 58 :S

[Mat @ Apr 5th 2006 9:51AM]

"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."
HAHAHA, man there are some cocky folks working down at Camp Apple...
Bravo though, great solution.
Can people please offer up suggestions on how i can justify a new laptop purchase to my wife !!!!

[Tristan @ Apr 5th 2006 9:52AM]

I wonder if Leopard will require dual booting or allow Virtualization? Also... Not to start a flame-fest, BUT... I really hope Apple sticks to the Single button trackpads, they feel SO much better! Ctrl-Click in great!

[HouseDigital @ Apr 5th 2006 9:58AM]

This is a beautiful thing. It really is.

[sinisterdesign @ Apr 5th 2006 9:59AM]

[quote]I cant believe they did it surely apple would rather make its own os much better and make more money.[/quote]
this doesn't impact OSX in the least. they're not SWITCHING to Windows (thank you very much Dvorak), just allowing people to boot Windows easily.

[John @ Apr 5th 2006 10:00AM]

The apple mighty mouse has two buttons doesn't it?? That should work with XP on a mac

[jon @ Apr 5th 2006 10:04AM]

Now if only Apple will make Ipods and Itunes compatible with WMA and WMV formats...

[Matt @ Apr 5th 2006 10:04AM]

I can see how this is really cool and all, but what is the point?

People buy macs not for the hardware, but for the OS. If I buy a MBP and throw windows on it, there is no difference now then if I went out and bought a dual-core Toshiba or Sony. Wouldn't it be more effcient for Apple simply to create a Virtualization environment for software rather then create a whole new dual booting system?

For me I just can't seem to understand why people would buy a mac simply to put XP on it. Why waste your time, when you could just buy a perfectly capable PC laptop?

[Mike @ Apr 5th 2006 10:06AM]

I'm just wondering who is going to be the first to install Windows XP Media Center Edition on a Mac Mini and create the media center experience we've always wanted!

[TZK @ Apr 5th 2006 10:15AM]

Well, this is very good. I would imagine sales will go up :)

Though, will peopel really dual boot? Sure, two OS's can exist, but will people really go back and forth?

Maybe thats a good Engadget poll to have! Might show some interesting results.

[Marlos Hill @ Apr 5th 2006 10:18AM]

I can finally plunk down a whole lot of money on a couple macs.

YEE!

[David @ Apr 5th 2006 10:19AM]

The Macbook does support multiple mouse buttons via the trackpad. There are several ways to go about this - holding down the "control" key during a left-click results in a right-click. You can set up the trackpad tap to act as a right-click. Or you can set up the track pad to be context aware-ie., one finger on the trackpad invokes a left-click when the button is clicked, two fingers on the trackpad invokes a right-click. Or you can reverse the previous option and do a left-click via trackpad tap and right-click via the button. It's up to you. There's no reason to necessarily have a physical second button other than the fact that it isn't blatantly obvious that there is a right click available. But when taken into the context of the user, it simplifies the process by providing a simple one-click solution for less tech savvy folks and multiple methods of customization for those who will actually use a right click. You can also customize the trackpad for scrolling horizontally or vertically.

[Russ @ Apr 5th 2006 10:19AM]

I want to see this in action. Someone with an Intel Mac try this out. Oh my GOD!!!!!!! Apple you rule. I would not be surpriseed to see a boost in Apple shares today, along with a drop in HP, Dell, and Sony shares. Please please please hurry and post a video. You're falling behind the curve peep's let go!!!!!! :)

[Kyle Banas @ Apr 5th 2006 10:23AM]

I'm installing XP using this on my MacBook Pro right now.

And it's freaking sweet as hell. It's flawless.

[Jia @ Apr 5th 2006 10:23AM]

不错哦，但是很多的时候我是想 os x 和 win xp 一起用，我想 在os x 上运行 xp 的程序应该是 另一个 很好的选择哦。再说 os x 也是苹果电脑吸引人的一部分。

[mavrick @ Apr 5th 2006 10:24AM]

Is a two button mouse going to be offered as well with the new OS/BootCamp?
For some reason im thinking this is a bad move by apple. There was nothing wrong with OS/X besides that there was no apps for it. But it was a good base for Unix applications. Now apple is going to be selling ipods and white boxes with windows on them.
Once again prop's to Bill Gates for being a smart business man.

[Sweet @ Apr 5th 2006 10:26AM]

Windows running on Intel Macs?! That sucks!!! I don't like that.

[mpmaley @ Apr 5th 2006 10:26AM]

@ # 24, Leon.

"Wouldn't it be great if all manufacturers were this bashful and humo(u)rous about each others products"

Yes it would :D

Glad to see this happening. I'm not a fan of OSX and like the setup of Windows more.

[Doug @ Apr 5th 2006 10:29AM]

The hard drive partitioning confuses me. Are both drives at least mounted in each OS? Can I see my JPG files sitting on my Mac portion from XP when I boot into it?

Someone find these things out. I'm at work!

[Ryan @ Apr 5th 2006 10:29AM]

For all of you laughing at the volunteers who came up with the dual-boot hack... Their efforts may have been essential in pressuring Apple to release an "official" version. The bounty also served to demonstrate a strong amount of consumer demand for this feature. If the blogosphere hadn't been clamoring for dual-booting, do you really thing it would have happened so soon?

[warrenpeace� @ Apr 5th 2006 10:29AM]

Um, WMA and WMV sucks. iTunes doesn't need it.

[nigel frost @ Apr 5th 2006 10:31AM]

So how long before Apple drop OSX ? Its FAR superior, but it had lost the race before it started.

[Ryan @ Apr 5th 2006 10:33AM]

But dear lord, can we have two built-in buttons on the MacBook Pro yet? I don't *want* to have to cross my eyes, hold down the Control key, and tap dance my big toe on the trackpad just to freakin' right-click in Windows. Nor am I going to hook up an external mouse and try to use it while sitting on the couch.

I mean, geez, look at the length of #35's post. In a perfect world, it would simply say: "To right-click, press the right mouse button, dummy."