Either
Apple isn't operating on the Gregorian calender, or these updates are just
straight-up late. Either way, we're pretty stoked to see the suits in Cupertino finally wise up and allow Microsoft's best OS ever to work on its machines, as it has today issued new Boot Camp software (v3.1) for both 32-bit and 64-bit users of Windows 7. The updates add native support for Win7 Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate, and in case that wasn't enough, they also fix "issues" with the Apple trackpad and add support for Apple's wireless keyboard and
Magic Mouse. You'll also find model-specific drivers floating around to add even more support, and the Boot Camp Utility for Windows 7 Upgrade is said to "safely unmount the read-only Macintosh volume on Windows Vista" when upgrading from Vista to Windows 7. Hit those links below for all the bits and bytes that you've been so desperately waiting for.
Update: we're hearing reports that the 27-inch iMac is responding to Windows 7 with the Black Screen of Death, so make sure you use
this tool from Apple before installing Windows 7. Too late? Then you'll have to manually remove the offending default ATI drivers by starting from point 4 on
this page (hold down Option key while booting up to select the Windows install disc, by the way), and then try the Boot Camp update again.
posted January 19th 2010 5:53PM
'bout time.
@sintricate:
You're damn right about time, Apple promised this by the end of 2009...they're 19 days late. Unacceptable, especially when the beta of Windows 7 was available for so long and the final gold code was released to manufacturers months before Windows 7 general availability.
@Jordan
This is Apple we're talking about. There is no "late" when looking at it from their point of view, which is "you'll get it when you get it."
@sintricate
meh!.
the previous bootcamp SUPPORT windows vista and windows 7.
So, with the exception of custom (and overexpensive) apple peripherals, i don't think that this new bootcamp is bringing new drivers.
Finally macs will be worth it, oh wait they are still overpriced and underpowered compared to what's available in the market.
@magallanes
Yeah, I'm confused about that. I didn't even realize I was waiting for this, the beta ran fine until I got sick of it wasting space and deleted it. Guess they took a step back and disabled it or something to perfect it? Meh.
@GoogleCEO
cuz you can what, run... Windows on it?
LMFAO
@sintricate
Windows 7 looks nice on a Mac.
But so does OSX...
I want an ALT+Tab between OS's.
@sintricate if only they had included fan drivers so my mbp wouldn't hit 85C while playing half-life 2...
@sintricate This update does not work on my 2009 MBP. Going from BC 2.2 to 3.1 on Windows 7 Ultimate x64 all it installed was outdated Nvidia drivers. Boot Camp still says it is version 2.2 under "About Boot Camp." All it did is take away my ability to adjust the keyboard backlighting and after I restarted the color on my screen was completely messed up.
@Anthony Joel It's called VMWare Fusion - unity mode and it's awesome.
@Anthony Joel You can't alt+tab, but you can Command+Leftarrow.
Run windows 7 (i don't know how well OS X will work, I've not tried) in a sun virtual box, and install the guest additions, then enable spaces, and there you go. one space for windows, one space for os x.
I do the same cmd+arrow for ubuntu with 7, windows with mac, mac with ubuntu, mac with red hat, and about every other mainstream OS. its pretty seamless, but the programs won't share properly unless your using parallels.
@sintricate
I wan't Microsoft to sabotage Windows 7 so that it doesn't boot on Apple PCs.
@sintricate Although I can see the utility of having Windows available for software not available for OSX, I can't imagine this is very high on the priority list for most Mac users.
You don't pay a 30% Apple tax PLUS the cost of an extra license just to run the same OS as on all the similar hardware out there.
@Jordan
It's only 18 days late. You can't count today because it's out now. Gee (new sarcasm punctuation mark)
@sintricate Amen to that. I was getting rather tired of Apple zealots telling me "Why youz complainin?! Why youz neeed Windoze on the Mac?! Windowze SUXXXXX!!!"
And yea there was much happiness and smiling!
@TonyMontana2367 Its included with windows 7, Its one of the default ones, just look around.
Microsoft should "pull an Apple" and block them like Apple blocks my Pre from syncing with Itunes
@goatlover i'm going to assume you are anti-apple from your comment
if you are anti-apple then why do you want to use iTunes?
if you consider yourself smart enough with computers that aren't apple, why don't you know of a different method of syncing your music to your Pre?
@goatlover: Why do that? Every time an Apple customer installs a Microsoft product, MS puts just that much more money in the bank. I'm sure they have no issues making sure their operating system will install on a wide array of hardware. Apple on the other hand . . .
@goatlover Maybe Palm should "pull an Apple" and develop it's own popular media browser/player/sync. If you're so worried about iTunes syncing you should have bought a phone that supports it.
@everyonereplyingtome
I know of alternatives like DoubleTwist (or drag and drop) but it doesn't mean I wouldn't want the general public to have the opportunity to sync their Pre with iCrap if they didnt know any better.
@goatlover
I understand the revenge tactic, but Microsoft rely on software to make their billions, Apple rely on their hardware and software. If Microsoft block Apple hardware they'd be shooting themselves in the foot.
Also, iTunes is free and pretty damn awesome, Apple need the iPod revenue to justify its zero price point. The iTunes music store is run a little bit above break even point, so money must come from somewhere else. If you ask me, i'd say apple are being generous in their offerings.
@G5 Power
What apple hardware?
@goatlover The USB Implementer's Forum took Apple's side for a reason - Palm were going against their guidelines and falsely representing their devices to iTunes. Should I start whining that Sony's MediaGo doesn't support my iPod? Or that Palm's Desktop software didn't let me sync my calculator?
What Boot Camp does is entirely distinct from the issue you speak of. iTunes music no longer carries DRM, if you really want access to it, convert it to MP3 and sync it with Palm's software.
@goatlover
Wow, way to not think before you posted. Windows can be installed on anything because that's what it's about. iTunes blocking Pre makes sense... the Pre was breaking the agreements of iTunes.
@goatlover
Firstly, Microsoft doing such a thing would be detrimental to their business. As GeekPI and G5 Power said, MS make money whether their software is installed on a Apple, Dell, of HP. To MS, Apple is just another hardware vendor.
Secondly regarding the Pre/iTunes situation. Palm should have cut a deal with DoubleTwist from the off and saved their customers from all the cat 'n' mouse crap.
@G5 Power:
"Also, iTunes is free and pretty damn awesome"
As soon as you said iTunes was pretty damn awesome, you lost all respect with me. iTunes is one huge POS.
@Jordan
Only on PCs... I've fallen in love with iTunes since I used it on a mac.
@goatlover
LOL. Do go to bat a lot for the general public? Nice get out
@Yoda
I agree, having used iTunes on Windows (for many years) and recently in it's native OS X I must say the experience on Mac is much better.
Even running them on the same machine (uMBP 13" 2.53), there is a very noticable spped diference between OS X and Win7 x64.
Sadly though, some aspecs of the store are a nightmare on both sides.
@goatlover haha right on man. apple is a control freak with their products. sometimes it's a good thing, but there are other times when i just have to laugh at their stupiditiy and close-mindedness
@G5 Power I think everyone tends to forget that this is just a game played by two very smart individuals or teams, Steve Jobs(Apple) and Bill Gates(Microsoft). The marketing genius behind fanboyism is absolutely incredible to constantly spread propaganda so that at any given time one seems up and one seems down, but stock keeps going up is amazing. We all eat it up, it just like a pro athlete that plays for your favorite team, if they loose and you actually could confront him about it he would tell you, he really doesn't care, "it's just a game" and that's all it is to this companies. Think about it if Apple really hated the PC don't you think by now they would have created there own office base software that would be used throughout the industry, and if Microsoft really hated Apple do you think they would allow their product to help out consumers that have a Mac but still need office. "It's a game, and we're the sheep"
@MikeWard1701 Couldn't agree more. This is truely a win for MS as they can say their OS runs greats on PCs and Macs and Mac...they just keep singing the same old tunes.
@goatlover
In a simplistic way - yes - MS wants to have Windows installed on as many machines as possible - regardless of the hardware vendor.
BUT ... when you enable Windows to run on a Mac I believe you are helping increase Apple market share. Why? Let's say MS shuts down bootcamp installs. Now a user that needs an MS OS (plenty of reasons - most software just won't run on Macs) is forced to make a choice. Either buy TWO machines (one PC, one Mac) or just stick with a PC and lose the Mac. I would imagine for most they can't afford 2 machines - especially when one is a want (Mac) vs a need (Windows).
I'm sure the suits on MS have looked at this and decided that they are still better offer allowing Bootcamp. Yet, I can still see a very strong argument for taking the opposite approach.
@bjsguess
I can see your point, but it stil wouldn't be in Microsofts' best interests.
When a customer decides to install Windows in Boot Camp they more often than not go out and buy a retail copy, costing $100 plus. When Dell sells a PC with Windows, MS only makes around $50 because the copy is OEM and subsidised.
So Boot Camp is good business for MS becuase they make more money per Boot Camper than they do Dell/HP/etc sale.
Thank goodness. I've got a uMBP with Vista premium that I have essentially done nothing with - waiting for 7 support and therefore upgrade. I'll let the reviews run first, but I'm looking forward to it.
Strange: I'm running Win 7 64b on my Macbook Pro and my Mac Pro without any issues. Curious about the changes here....
that took a damn while. Oh well. Thanks.
So is there an advantage to me in reinstalling windows 7 under boot camp 3.1 to get Native support for EFI or no advantage (or am i getting it magically & automatically) ? I have so many games under 7 Installed on MBP it would suck to have to re-install.
@IvanP91 You don't have to reinstall /anything/, you just have to install 3.0 if you haven't already and then restart, then run the 3.1 update and you're good to go.
I am kind of new to bootcamp do you have to download and burn into CD.
@Mcyoda You need to OWN the operating system
@tvick47
I "own" all my OSs ;)
@Mcyoda if u own a Mac with either Leopard (10.5) or Snow Leopard (10.6) then u already have boot camp in your "Utilities" folder.
Best Utility out there, IMO, allows u to install Windows XP, Vista, 7 Or linux if u so choose.
Like I mentioned earlier I installed 7 under Boot camp and got alot of Games on my Laptop.
@IvanP91
how did you get linux working in boot camp? nvmd gotta go look that up...
@Mcyoda Since nobody really answered your question, yes, you'll need a Windows install disc. You run the Boot Camp program from OSX, it has you create a new partition on the hard drive, then it has you insert the windows disc and it reboots and boots from the windows CD and from then on it's just like a normal Windows installation.
@Mcyoda:
Since I believe everyone continues to misunderstand your question, the previous version of Boot Camp (the one I used on my machine) required that the Boot Camp drivers be burned to CD before installation. I'm not sure if the current version has the same requirement, but I'd bet it does.
So does this mean I'll be able to buy a magic mouse sometime soon and use it on my Win 7 machine, because that would be snazzy.
@Souness
naah, that's completely unrelated. well maybe... if the drivers on it are hacked. but no, not officially. unless it's a mac.