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Apple Adds Vista Support to Boot Camp

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

March 28, 2007, 5:52 PM

Apple on Wednesday pushed an update to its Boot Camp dual booting feature, providing support for the 32-bit version of Windows Vista, as well as updated drivers for various hardware included with Intel Macs.

While Windows Vista could be installed on Intel Macs even before the update, some of the drivers provided by Apple for Windows XP would not work with Microsoft's latest operating system.

Boot Camp 1.2 addresses this, while also making the process of installing drivers smoother and including a new feature called Apple Software Update. The application will allow users to update drivers and Apple software from within Windows.

Support for the Apple Remote from within Windows has been added, and the Cupertino company said it will work with both Windows Media Player and iTunes. Additionally, a new system tray application allows for easy access to common actions and information, the company said.

Keyboard support has been improved for Korean, Chinese, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Russian, and French Canadian languages as well.

The update is the second to Boot Camp since Apple introduced the functionality in April of last year. It has said BootCamp will be included in Leopard, but it is still not yet clear how tightly the functionality will be integrated into the operating system.

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By indiecraig

edited Jan 25, 2008 - 11:39 PM

I have just installed Vista Business 64-bit onto my Macbook, replacing Vista Ultimate 32-bit, and it works perfectly using the drivers from the new Mac Pro version of Boot Camp (torrent them!). I had to get the video card drivers off intel's website and it works flawlessly - no driver issues at all. I haven't done any benchmarks, but I can now play Portal without the frame rate dropping to an unplayable level when you, you know, fire a portal, which always happened with 32-bit Ultimate. Apparently source games benefit from 64-bit quite a lot. Also, all 4GB of ram can now be seen. I say it's worth a try.

Here's some proof:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/indiecraig/2220143058
View full size and it should be self explanatory.

P.s. If you're thinking of doing this, check the search box in the top right of the screen shot.

Score: 0

By AntiochMedia

posted Mar 30, 2007 - 7:09 PM

sweet =)

Score: 0

By Program86

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 9:58 AM

Not that I would run Vista but boot camp kicks ass.

Score: 0

By THZGryphon

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 12:20 PM

How would you know?

Score: 0

By wincement

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 5:47 PM

As one who has used Vista for about two weeks (just after launch), I don't plan on touching it again until SP1. XP is serving me just fine for my Windows box.

Score: 0

By THZGryphon

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 5:55 PM

I have been using it as well on multiple machines and have had no trouble with it all.

But I'm not sure how that relates to my previous comment to Program86.

Score: 0

By Joe Dirt

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 9:21 AM

Apple kicks ass!

Score: 0

By Maestr0

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 8:00 AM

But they can't get iTunes to work with Vista? lol.

Score: 0

By Program86

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 9:57 AM

If you actually do your research, you would see that just recently MICROSOFT fixed the problem because their code was not written correctly to allow third party apps to run on Vista. Duh.

Score: 0

By THZGryphon

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 12:19 PM

Wow, talk about doing research, you might want to try doing that yourself. Read more than the headlines.

Score: 0

By testman

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 11:17 AM

You clearly haven't a clue how Windows works. 3rd party apps can and do work on Vista, doh! Some apps need to be updated by the developer to work fully though, but that's their fault if they don't update their apps!

Score: 0

By terminalx

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 10:54 AM

Once again you are blinded by fanboyism, the only thing Microsoft fixed was unplugging the device "safely remove" issue there are still some issues with itunes on vista mainly video even apple admits that vista had problems with the previous version of itunes.

Score: 0

By frankwick

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 10:51 AM

Let me correct you...

Apple released a new itunes that corrected several problems with Vista compatibility.

Microsoft posted a fix for the "safely remove hardware" function. This function, although rarely used by ipod users, could cause a problem.

So, if you actually do YOUR research, you would see that the specific itunes/ipod problems were indeed corrected by apple. Duh.

Score: 0

By terminalx

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 11:02 AM

damnit beaten to the punch

Score: 0

By frankwick

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 10:54 AM

BTW, Program 86, you should know this. I just read on another story where you spouted the same drivel and someone corrected you. Now that I've corrected you, maybe it will sink in.

Score: 0

By dhjdhj

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 6:35 AM

Yawn

Score: 0

By smarterthanyou

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 4:16 AM

Apple should be focusing more on 64-bit Vista drivers just like every other hardware company should be doing. The only reason a 32-bit version of Vista even exists is because a small number of people were using older, almost obsolete processors without AMD64 or IA-64e support. The 64-bit version of Vista is superior in every way to 32-bit Vista.

Score: 0

By cap737

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 11:54 AM

Yeah, but aren't people having a hard time running 32-bit software on vista64? or is it just the driver issue? I'm sure the evolving concept of using the 64-bit version is a lot better but 10.5 will be run 64-bit natively and able to run 32-bit processes.

Score: 0

By DudeBoyz

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 5:35 AM

Tons of folks use 32 bit for a wide variety of reasons, including much broader driver support.

I think you have it reversed. The marketshare of 64 bit users is so small, Apple rightfully doesn't see it as a priority.

Score: 0

By cap737

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 12:04 PM

true! and doesn't the software need to be compiled for 64-bit or will the os be able to run it in compatability mode?

Score: 0

By testman

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 5:33 AM

"a small number of people..." um wrong. Most people are using 32-bit processors actually.

Score: 0

By smarterthanyou

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 1:37 PM

Most people are using 32-bit processors that also support AMD's (or Intel's) 64-bit x86 extensions. The vast majority of people running Vista probably aren't using one of the older discontinued 32-bit only processors since most of these processors are too slow to get any decent performance out of Vista.

Microsoft should have created a double layer DVD for the retail versions of Vista that had both the 64-bit and 32-bit versions of Vista on the same disc. This way the Vista installation program would have been able to see if your processor supported 64-bit x86 extensions and automatically install 64-bit Vista. This would likely force hardware companies to create more 64-bit drivers.

Score: 0

By TurningWorm

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 3:43 PM

I understand your point, but I think your are still mistaken. According to all the surveys I've read (and personal experience in corporate support) the installed base of pre-64bit and 64bit-disabled Intel processors still outnumbers IA64 chips by a large margin, especially when you count laptops.

I can also say that memory and video power has a LOT more to do with Vista performance then processor speed. I have an AthlonXP system with 1gb ram and a 256mb x1600 card that feels lightyears faster with Vista Enterpise then the new integrated 6300 Dells we are getting at work.

Score: 0

By smarterthanyou

posted Mar 30, 2007 - 2:40 AM

I had a computer with an AMD Athlon XP 1.8GHz CPU, 1GB RAM and an ATI Radeon 9700 AGP 8x graphics card w/256MB video memory. The computer got a overall Windows Experience Index score of 1.0 because of the processor, not to mention it crawled with Aero Glass enabled. I replaced the motherboard and upgraded the CPU to an AMD Opteron Model 240 processor, still with 1GB RAM and the same ATI Radeon 9700 graphics and the overall Windows Experience Index score jumped to 3.0 because of the processor. I haven't had any slowdowns with Aero Glass enabled either since the upgrade.

Score: 0

By DudeBoyz

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 8:03 PM

I agree - he is very mistaken.

Score: 0

By testman

edited Mar 29, 2007 - 3:28 PM

Actually you will find that the retail discs have both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista on the same disc. If you have a 64-bit processor it will give you an option of installing either version.

I think you will find that most PC users are actually running 32-bit processors. The number of people who are running any sort of processor that can run 64-bit Windows are very few and far between, considering how long 32-bit processors have been out compared to how long any processors that support 64-bit extensions. 32-bit processors that are too slow to run Vista go back years, certainitely processors sold in the last 5 years (the clear majority which are straight 32-bit processors such as Pentium 4 with HT) will definitely run Vista perfectly fine. Processors that have 64-bit extensions such as Core 2 Duo are only relatively recent.

Score: 0

By smarterthanyou

posted Mar 30, 2007 - 2:31 AM

With the exception of Vista Home Basic which only has the 32-bit version of Vista in the box (with a mail in offer for 64-bit Vista Home Basic), all other retail versions of Vista include two DVD's. One with 64-bit Vista and a second disc for 32-bit Vista.

As for 64-bit x86 processors, those have been available for about 2-3 years at least in the form of AMD64 processors (for PC's not made by Apple anyways). In any case, there are very few Intel Mac's that can't run 64-bit Vista.

Score: 0

By testman

posted Mar 30, 2007 - 8:37 AM

I stand corrected about the boxed retails copies, thank you.

However, you are right about 64-bit x86 processors, but 2-3 years is waaaay too short for most people in the world to have suddenly converted to these processors in that amount of time, especially as PC reliability is relatively good (consider the amount of businesses that are still running Windows 2000 as a server and workstation, their machines are almost certainitely over 3 years ago). You will find that most people will still own processors/PCs from over 3 years ago. And as for Intel Macs, Apple only changed just over a year ago, again most people are still running old PowerPC-based Macs (which is obviously evident by virtually all major Mac applications being made available as a Universal Binary).

People don't have the money or time to change their PCs every 2-3 years so at the end of the day, most people are still on 32-bit-only processors.

Score: 0

By Niro

posted Mar 28, 2007 - 8:57 PM

Wait I thought the EU said 3rd party applications don't work with Vista, or any MS Products for that matter?

Score: 0

By wincement

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 5:48 PM

ROFL

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted Mar 28, 2007 - 9:12 PM

Then you're a moron, because the EU never said anything like that. Stick to facts, rather than fantasies in your head.

Score: 0

By wincement

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 5:49 PM

You're fighting a losing battle, man...

Score: 0

By Niro

posted Mar 28, 2007 - 9:16 PM

LOL what happened your boyfriend works at the EU and I offended you or something?? :)

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 1:51 AM

Keep digging, troll. :)

Score: 0

By cap737

posted Mar 29, 2007 - 12:06 PM

oh geez...not the troll thing again....

Score: 0

By DudeBoyz

posted Mar 28, 2007 - 7:36 PM

Still can't get bootcamp to work with a partitioned hard drive on my iMac. Parallels works fine though.

Score: 0

By dn2004

posted Mar 28, 2007 - 7:25 PM

Direct download
http://wsidecar.apple.com/cgi-bin/bc/nph-bc

Score: 0

By dn2004

posted Mar 28, 2007 - 6:31 PM

about time :)

Score: 0

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