Anyone running Windows on the new Macbook?

[Eric S.]

I'd like to hear if anyone's experience installing/running Windows on the new Macbook is different than the old Macbook.

[Clancycoop]

I am running Windows XP home edition with VMware fusion (I have to to do my online math assignments) and it works great. (On a 2.4 Alum Macbook)

My buddy is running XP through parallels and seems to like it (he just converted with the release of the new MacBooks, and is still weening off Windows). He is also running Ubuntu.

[PCTired]

And have had problems in my MacBook Pro.

I will explain. The MSN Messenger does not work inasmuch as I cannot use the camera for videoconferencing...no video...no voice.

Can anyone explain to me why this is not possible?...or at least explain to me why Microsoft is still angry with Apple and does not allow its Messenger be compatible with the Apple software....do we have to continue using...the aMSN software...which by the way it is a great piece of software....only that it has not been polished to use voice over its video camera.....you have to mimick.

[Darth.Titan]

I'm using XP Pro SP3 in both Bootcamp and via Fusion, and everything is working great. My only complaint is that the trackpad drivers in Bootcamp aren't quite up to snuff yet.

[Eric S.]

I'm using XP Pro SP3 in both Bootcamp and via Fusion, and everything is working great. My only complaint is that the trackpad drivers in Bootcamp aren't quite up to snuff yet.

In what way? No multitouch?

[jdwingnut]

My buddy is running XP through parallels and seems to like it (he just converted with the release of the new MacBooks, and is still weening off Windows). He is also running Ubuntu.

I just moved my VMware files over to my new Macbook and all seems to work well.

I did try to install Ubuntu (from the Live CD) on the new Macbook, but found it would not install all of the drivers needed for this new model of Macbook. I would think that, somewhere, some Linux developers are busy at work on this as I type.

I am for now, running WinXP, Ubuntu and Kubuntu through VMware Fusion.

[ScrewzLuse]

In what way? No multitouch?

I'll post what I posted earlier on it:

I find the trackpad sucks in Windows. When you try to click, it allows your finger to slide slightly. It means I misclick ALOT. The right click works ok. I sometimes find it inconsistent with recognizing how many fingers are on the trackpad at once. Kind of annoying. All in all, I find the trackpad pretty crappy in Windows. Really needs a driver update.

[Eric S.]

I wonder if today's Trackpad Firmware Update will improve this performance for Windows.

[SnowLeopard2008]

^ nope, it just fixes an issue where it would not click under Leopard.

[fuzzycuffs]

I've tried installing XP in Parallels 4.0 on my new macbook and it's alright, but I still haven't gotten the built in iSight to work. I think Apple changed up the iSight camera with this revision, and there isn't a driver for it yet on the Windows side.

The old iSight drivers floating around won't work. If you force it, Windows will complain and say that the drivers aren't compatible. If anyone has a fix (maybe some edit to the .inf file?), that'd be awesome.

Or Apple just get off their butts and release a Windows driver for it. :)

[jbg232]

I'm using vmware fusion with my macbook for office 2007 and it is AWESOME in unity view. I just keep it on and windows in my dock and it does the rest as if I have office 2007 on my mac (which is infinitely more superior than microsoft office 2008 for mac).

[Eric S.]

I'll post what I posted earlier on it:

I find the trackpad sucks in Windows. When you try to click, it allows your finger to slide slightly. It means I misclick ALOT. The right click works ok. I sometimes find it inconsistent with recognizing how many fingers are on the trackpad at once. Kind of annoying. All in all, I find the trackpad pretty crappy in Windows. Really needs a driver update.

I finally got my new Macbook and I echo your complaint. The trackpad performance in Windows is dismal. It often acts as if two fingers are on the pad instead of just one - scrolls up and down instead of just moving the pointer. Selecting a block of text is nearly impossible. Dragging objects is also difficult; in the middle of dragging it stops, as if the finger has been lifted from the pad.

Other than that I have no major complaints with Windows as yet. I hope Apple has plans to fix these trackpad issues.

[Wolfpup]

I'm using XP Pro SP3 in both Bootcamp and via Fusion, and everything is working great. My only complaint is that the trackpad drivers in Bootcamp aren't quite up to snuff yet.

Sorry, this is really old, but the thread got bumped.

No issues? No crashes? I keep hearing that Windows on these new Nvidia chipsets is unstable.

ALL my systems use Intel chipsets because they're just rock solid, so I'm not thrilled about this change (though I love Nvidia for GPUs!)

[idonotliketostu]

multi touchpad is driving me nuts on windows
also my ethernet driver is missing.. somehow

[Wolfpup]

You installed the drivers from the CD and the updates from Apple's site?

[Eric S.]

You installed the drivers from the CD and the updates from Apple's site?

What updates?

[jon31rm]

The increased pressure necessary to physically click the trackpad on the new MacBooks compared to older models makes it nearly impossible to double-click under Boot Camp.

Anyone on a new MacBook who is used to the older MacBook or MacBook Pro button, just try physically double clicking and you'll realize how much longer the action takes simply because the button is now the entire trackpad, making it more difficult to click - let alone double click.

I won't be satisfied with the new MacBook/Boot Camp setup until Apple releases working drivers allowing users to tap to click/double click.

[Wolfpup]

What about:

-Wifi/bluetooth-anyone know for sure if you can actually get it powered down in Windows? Not just have Windows ignore it?

-Crashes/data corruption? Sounds like a lot of people are just complaining about the trackpad. I'm fine with that since I'll just use a real mouse anyway...but any instability/data corruption from the non-Intel chipset (and it's drivers) is a big no no for me.

[robanga]

I had a last gen MBP, but have installed Windows on an older MB that a coworker had. I have installed it on my new MB. No change in experience really, the new MB does seem to provide better performance (Graphics related?) both on a bootcamp partition and running under VM Fusion.

[Eric S.]

The increased pressure necessary to physically click the trackpad on the new MacBooks compared to older models makes it nearly impossible to double-click under Boot Camp.

Anyone on a new MacBook who is used to the older MacBook or MacBook Pro button, just try physically double clicking and you'll realize how much longer the action takes simply because the button is now the entire trackpad, making it more difficult to click - let alone double click.

I won't be satisfied with the new MacBook/Boot Camp setup until Apple releases working drivers allowing users to tap to click/double click.

At least half of the time that I single-click it registers as a double-click. :(

What about:

-Wifi/bluetooth-anyone know for sure if you can actually get it powered down in Windows? Not just have Windows ignore it?

-Crashes/data corruption? Sounds like a lot of people are just complaining about the trackpad. I'm fine with that since I'll just use a real mouse anyway...but any instability/data corruption from the non-Intel chipset (and it's drivers) is a big no no for me.

I've seen one BSOD on the new Macbook, but the screen disappeared so fast I couldn't read anything of what it said. I was clicking on the trackpad at the time so who knows. I was also connected wireless to a virtual private network, but I 've done that at other times too.

Other than that, after a week of working with the new MB under Windows I haven't seen any problems, as long as I use a mouse and not the trackpad.

[Wolfpup]

At least half of the time that I single-click it registers as a double-click. :(



I've seen one BSOD on the new Macbook, but the screen disappeared so fast I couldn't read anything of what it said. I was clicking on the trackpad at the time so who knows. I was also connected wireless to a virtual private network, but I 've done that at other times too.

Other than that, after a week of working with the new MB under Windows I haven't seen any problems, as long as I use a mouse and not the trackpad.

Okay, thanks...that sounds fairly promising. Could just be terribly written drivers for the trackpad at issue causing crashes too.

I don't know...generally I love Nvidia, but I had no luck with an Nforce 3 board (well...actually that was probably a hardware problem not related to the chipset), and I've heard of data corruption issues with their SATA/IDE drivers.

Hmm...how about powering down wifi and bluetooth? Does it seem to work? Actually shut down, or just Windows ignoring it...I suppose we couldn't tell without checking for interference or something.

[Eric S.]

Hmm...how about powering down wifi and bluetooth? Does it seem to work? Actually shut down, or just Windows ignoring it...I suppose we couldn't tell without checking for interference or something.

As for wifi, I can enable/disable it without any problems, but I can't say if it actually shuts off. I never use Bluetooth for anything, either on MacOS or Windows, so I can't say. (I have a Mighty Mouse but it quit working months ago and I've never figured out why.)

BTW, this is using XP not Vista, if you care. I have no experience with Vista.

[yatman]

I have windows vista ultimate 64 running just fine on my new macbook. The only issue I have is with the trackpad and the one button deal.

I solved the right-click problem by installing a program called auto-hot-key and reprogrammed the right command button to act as a right-click.

[kainjow]

I am using BootCamp and it works fine except that I'm unable to set the Windows partition as the boot device using /usr/sbin/bless. With my other Macs it has worked fine, but they changed something (firmware?) with the MacBook Air and the new unibody MB/MBP.

sudo bless --legacy --setBoot --nextonly --verbose --device /dev/disk0s3
It no longer works, even though Terminal doesn't display any errors. Not sure why. Doesn't help with the --folder option.

Any one able to get this working?

[ayeying]

I have windows vista ultimate 64 running just fine on my new macbook. The only issue I have is with the trackpad and the one button deal.

I solved the right-click problem by installing a program called auto-hot-key and reprogrammed the right command button to act as a right-click.

or you can use two fingers + click.

[yatman]

Good luck with that.

Have you tried that 2-finger solution on the no-button mouse pad from teh new macbooks. Doesn't work. I've found taht if you put 3 fingers, click the trackpad and hold, and release the 3rd finger, you will get the right click options.

HOWEVER, that doesn't work for the task bar and start menu.

WAY too complicated.

[ayeying]

Good luck with that.

Have you tried that 2-finger solution on the no-button mouse pad from teh new macbooks. Doesn't work. I've found taht if you put 3 fingers, click the trackpad and hold, and release the 3rd finger, you will get the right click options.

HOWEVER, that doesn't work for the task bar and start menu.

WAY too complicated.

Try the new patch. allows 2 finger taps. and I have tried it because I'm on it right now. Its not as accurate but it works.

[Eric S.]

Try the new patch.

What patch is that?

[akm3]

What patch is that?

They just released new Windows trackpad drivers.

[yatman]

You can set windows as the boot device by going into system preferences, opening up the bootcamp icon, and selecting the windows partition as the default boot.

You can also hold down the option button at boot, select windows to boot, and in the system tray, there's a bootcamp icon that you can set windows as the boot device too.

No need to mess with the with the command line

[budkid]

I am running Vista Business. So far so good.

[crazyxzer0]

i also run Vista Business since School provided a free cdkey.

The trackpad was utterly useless with the bootcamp drivers. I just resorted to a logitech mouse to temporarily solved that problem. VMware with my bootcamp partition has no issues with the trackpad.

I had a couple of BSOD in vmware..but havent been able to reproduce it to find the problem.

[Wolfpup]

You can set windows as the boot device by going into system preferences, opening up the bootcamp icon, and selecting the windows partition as the default boot.

You can also hold down the option button at boot, select windows to boot, and in the system tray, there's a bootcamp icon that you can set windows as the boot device too.

No need to mess with the with the command line

Yeah, I was thinking I sure remember it being a LOT easier than that!

[Eric S.]

They just released new Windows trackpad drivers.

Cool. I just saw that it shows up in Software Update.

[Wolfpup]

Cool...under software update in Windows? That's really cool if that's how they handle it!

[Eric S.]

Cool...under software update in Windows? That's really cool if that's how they handle it!

Exactly. You run Apple Software Update.

[Wolfpup]

Wow, that is very cool. That's actually, if they keep stuff up to date, probably better than how anyone else does it.

[EricJD]

The new trackpad update is absolutely wonderful.

[akm3]

The new trackpad update is absolutely wonderful.

I concur. The trackpad went from being unusable in Windows to very serviceable.

[Eric S.]

It's a lot better but nowhere near perfection. Thankfully, it is now at least possible to select a block of text. But the biggest problem for me is that when the thumb is on the trackpad it is treated as an extra finger. Resting the thumb on the pad is not a problem in OS X, but in Windows it will cause the screen to scroll instead of the pointer merely moving. Just as bad, clicking on a particular spot is frustrating because any movement of the thumb causes the pointer to move. But all in all it is now possible to live with the problems where it was completely unusable previously.

[Bengt77]

Vista 64 is running silky smooth, natively (using Boot Camp) on my new MacBook.

[yatman]

Well the update did make the trackpad more stable and responsive but didn't solve the right click problem - especially in the task bar/start menu areas. Has ANYONE gotten the right click to work in those areas using the purported technique that is listed by Apple? Seems wierd that it's only NOT working it those particular areas.

[Eric S.]

Well the update did make the trackpad more stable and responsive but didn't solve the right click problem - especially in the task bar/start menu areas. Has ANYONE gotten the right click to work in those areas using the purported technique that is listed by Apple? Seems wierd that it's only NOT working it those particular areas.

What is the technique listed by Apple? Two-finger click works for me as right-click in taskbar/start menu. Not always, but most of the time.

[akm3]

Well the update did make the trackpad more stable and responsive but didn't solve the right click problem - especially in the task bar/start menu areas. Has ANYONE gotten the right click to work in those areas using the purported technique that is listed by Apple? Seems wierd that it's only NOT working it those particular areas.

Did you try three-finger click? That seriously works for me, I'm not being flippant.

[yatman]

Yes - i have a 3-finger technique where i place 3 fingers on the trackpad, press down and hold, remove 1 finger.

This seems to generally activate the right click option. But when I try that on the task bar or on any of the icons in the start menu, it doesn't register.

The response I see is that of a basic click. Again this is only happening on the start menu and the task bar icons. Anywhere else, it is behaving as a right-click.

VERY strange. The two finger click just isn't working at all for me. Even Eric S. indicated that the two-finger click works SOMETIMES for him.

SOMETIMES is not a solution Apple. Make it work!!