Mac OS X: Do Macbooks really run with Windows for FREE?

Microsoft charges for its OS too

In reply to: Of course you have to pay to 'use' Windows. by udayan71 

Just to reinforce what Udayan said, Apple has made it possible to run a Microsoft OS on its new machines. Microsoft makes its money from software so, yes, if you want to run Windows XP (for instance), it's up to you to obtain a licensed copy from Microsoft.

The answer is yes and no.

You can download the BootCamp software from Apple for free - this enables you to dual-boot your system so that you can install Windows XP. However you still have to buy a copy of Windows XP and install it. Neither Apple or Microsoft supports this and you'll probably have to get an anti-virus and anti-spyware application to protect your system (how come they don't mention THAT in those "I'm a PC - I'm a Mac" commercials?) I have mixed feelings about the whole thing - I have older Macs and I like the machines but I use PCs as well and being able to use both operating systems on a single machine sounds nice, but I'm not sure that it's as practical as they say.

Boot Camp for Intel Macs is currently free for the download

The answer is an unequivocable "Yes, at the present time".

And contrary to GraveDigger27's opinion, Boot Camp Assistant is very practical and easy to use. In fact, I prefer it over virtualization software such as Parallels Desktop for Intel Mac. Needless to say, VPC7/Mac does NOT work at all with the Intel Macs, nor will Microsoft rewrite it for the Intel Macs. VPC/Mac is DEAD as far as the Intel Macs are concerned.

Boot Camp Assistant is currently in Beta (Beta 2), and Apple offers it as a free download.

Whether they will offer it as a stand-alone download once Leopard is released is a different question, however.

It WILL be built into Leopard, as the finished product, so to use it once it comes out of beta, it will cost at least $129 (the normal price for a Mac OS), unless Apple provides it as a free, standalone product after it comes out of beta.

It is NOT necessary to purchase another copy of XP, UNLESS:
1) You have no copy of XP at all, or your copy is pirated.
2) Your copy of XP does not contain SP2 (but it is quite easy to slipstream SP2 into your current copy.)
3) Your copy of XP is NOT
a) a so-called "FULL OEM" (or "Generic OEM, manufactured by Microsoft), or
b) a "Full Retail" copy.

It IS necessary IF:
1) Your copy of XP is a BIOS-locked OEM, provided by the manufacturer of your Wintel.
2) Your copy of XP does not contain SP2. Again, it is a simple matter to slipstream SP2 into your copy if necessary.
3) Your copy of XP is a "Retail Upgrade" copy. Not possible to use such disks, since the Apple eject key is not accessible from within the XP installaton program.

I DO advise you NOT to use so-called "free downloads of XP". These are ALL pirated copies, and you will be UNABLE to activate such software, thus making it IMPOSSIBLE to pass Windows Genuine Advantage inspection, and make it IMPOSSIBLE to get ANY updates from Microsoft. All who use such software make it more difficult for everyone else who DOES use an authentic copy. It maked Microsoft OSes more expensive for us who do use genuine Microsoft software, and it keeps malware in circulation.

Anyone who uses XP should KNOW by now that you will have to provide decent AV protection. There are so-called "free" solutions, but in my experience, you get EXACTLY what you pay for. If you pay "nothing", you get "nothing".

And MAKE SURE of these five things:

1) Update XP IMMEDIATELY. There will be no need to immediately Activate it, unless you want to. You WILL have 30 days in which to try it out, before it refuses to start normally (It will only start in "Safe Mode" after the intial 30 days if you REFUSE to Activate it. I assure you, anyone who has used XP in "Safe Mode" did NOT enjoy it.)

NOTE: "Activation" is NOT "Registration". Registration is an OPTIONAL process, while "Activation" is MANDATORY.

2) Your AV solution scans ALL EMAIL when it is DOWNLOADED, not AFTER it is downloaded or WHEN you open it.

3) You MUST be sure to update your AV solution IMMEDIATELY, since the distro packages SELDOM have up-to-date virus signatures.

4) If you opt for a commercial product, I suggest you surf on over to http://www.wilderssecurity.com and get expert opinions on the best AV protection.

5) Last, but not least, make SURE you activate the XP firewall IMMEDIATELY upon installation of your OS, even BEFORE you go online (other than the Microsoft Update site) for the first time. This will protect you against Network viruses, which are CONTINUALLY circulationg on the Net. It has been found that an UNPROTECTED newly installed Windows will be infected by such viruses within 20 minutes of going online the first time. The XP firewall is completely sufficient for all incoming attacks. If you keep your XP partition virus/trojan free, you will not have to worry about dialers, etc, although several packages protect against such malware.

I won't go into the necessity to use safe surfing habits, since anyone should know that if they have half a brain.

Unfortunatly Windows controls a large portation...

A long story short I am and will always be a die hard Amiga fan I use to run Amiga and Mac software at the same time on my computer without poroblems in order to run the PC/Windows software I needed to purchase an upgrade card that had an Intel '286 CPU on it. I am using windows right now. Windows is pretty lame look at all the stuff that Commodore or Apple developed and brought to the market that Windows is still trying to do that those two companies did back in the late eighties (some before windows was even developed.) Don't try to run Windows crap on a MAC, Windows is what I am using right now and Windows sucks. One day SGI machines will be a lot cheaper than they are currently and we will be able to purchase something with a lot more power for a lot less. YOU SHOULD NEVER INSULT A MACINTOSH WITH THE INSTALLATION OF WINDOWS. I HAVE NEVER SCENE A VIRUS ON A MAC SO WHY INSTALL ONE!!!!!!!!!! Good day!

(NT) pretty sure he meant as in de-portation.

by udayan71  - 8/25/06 3:33 PM

In reply to: "portation" as in.. by R. Proffitt