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
Mac looks a lot more better with Windows 7. Can't believe it.
@dgman
nothing strange. After all, the "new" Snow leopard is still using the same interface featured in Cheetah almost a decade ago (just with some minor tweaks). In opposite, there are a noticeable difference in the interface of windows 2k and windows 7.
@magallanes and in that decade how many times have you had to relearn how to do something in Windows, my guess is after every major upgrade. I used to repair Computers in the US Navy, and my experience with operating systems taught me to avoid windows whenever possible and if not possible avoid any version of Windows with (Home) in the OS name... Personally I like the fact that the Mac OS X UI has not changed much in the 10 years that I have been using OS X. If it works why change it... The only feature that I really liked about Windows 7 Aero Snap, is available on OS X as a third party add on called cinch, and it works great.
That's great, now all of the editors at Engadget will finally get a chance to try it out on their Macbooks.
@sonicyoof hahahaha hilarious. i agree. HEY ENGADGET STAFF. PLZ STOP SUCKING ON STEVE JOBS' APPLE-BRANCH. BIASED. BIASED. BIASED. gah it annoys me so much... i like apple as much as the next guy but give Microsoft credit when it's due, editors! and HARSHLY criticize apple's issues and failures (COUGH-apple tv-COUGH).
@allanPINEDA My current MacBook Pro is the worst computer I have ever gotten from Apple in the fifteen years that I have been buying Apple products, that being said its still better than the best Windows PC that I ever owned. Apples tech support if you talk to a live person on the phone is the best support service you can get. I will continue to buy Apple products based on my personal experience with them and their products that I have previously bought. At least the failure rate of Mac's does not come close to the failure rate of Xbox 360's...
@AlaskanHandyman You must have owned a really cr*py windows PC then.
I've just bought a Mac Book Pro 13 and love it. It's the first time I've used OSX. At the same time I love my Sony VAIO TX2HP that has been used every day for the past 4 years. Macs and Windows PC's in the right configuration are as good as each other.
It's Apples stinginess and you can only use our stuff practices that keeps me away from their products. On top of the over priced factor. I jusst can't stand them. Their a perfect example of what's wrong with corporate America
@JezerVenti9
market leader in portable audio, awards for advertising, awards for design.
yea TOTALLY fucked up..
@acme64
"awards for advertising"
"awards for design"
So they can sell their glossy, shiny products real well, but there's nothing to them? All flash, and no substance? I completely agree.
Still no ambient light sensor support? Damn.
Finally! :)
still didnt fix my keyboard backlight. its kind of annoying when i cant fully turn it off :(
Had some issues with Windows 7 accessing Airport Disk in Airport Extreme.. connections dropouts, unable to use explorer kept going back to the root etc. Has anyone faced this? or has it been resolved already?
And yet they still haven't patched out a buffer overflow vulnerability that's been known about since June of last year. Mozilla and Google have patched it out in their browsers, and BSD has patched it out from OS.
And about ~6 months time later, we still have nothing from them. Way to go apple...
leopard is better who wants windows 7 on a mac
Ah, Companionship
Where does engadget get the wall papers they have on all the devices and computers they show? They are always awesome
I STILL seem to get a high pitch wine when I turn my screen brightness between around 30% - 90%. I know this was an issue in XP and you had to roll back the NVIDIA driver but my Macbook Pro still has this issue in Windows 7 WITH the Bootcamp 3.1 update.
Any solutions?
I have a random question that has nothing to do with the windows vs mac thing. The background that is being used at the beginning of this article...anyone know what it's called and where you'd find it? Also, how do you get the windows to become completely transparent like that? Thanks!!
Uhh they should also repair their network bugs. It is just horrible how badly Snow Leopard performs on windows based networks... All the Apple fans always are touting how bug free the system is yet I have had far more problems with it than any other OS I have used. Sure it boots fast and is fun to use until something doesn't work like it is supposed to be...
Why cant install OSX on PC :/
Just downloaded and installed the update (all 380megs of it) on my 2008 iMac running Windows 7. And was it worth waiting for?
No. My external speakers STILL aren't working in Windows 7. Great job Apple. >:(
LAME!!!
First they're late - which in and of itself isn't THAT big a deal. What is a big deal is that they release these updated keyboard, mouse, bootcamp drivers but then they include old versions of NVIDIA's Drivers, REALTEK'S AUDIO DRIVERS, and I'm guessing the BLUETOOTH DRIVERS as well! I had to go back to Nvidia's site and reinstall the latest 9600GT drivers because the one included with bootcamp didn't bother to check to see if i had a newer version and neither did the audio drivers.
You can - look up the OSx86 project on Google/MSN/Yahoo/Whatever.
probably last minute updates for next weeks release
Microsoft cant figure out how to take advantage of the power saving hardware features on the macbooks; big surprise! Win 7 runs much better as a virtual machine within OSX 10.6!!!!!!