Apple: Official Boot Camp Support for Windows 7 Coming Later This Year

[MacRumors]

With the release of Windows 7 today, Apple has posted a new support article announcing that official support for running Windows 7 on Macs using Apple's Boot Camp solution will be coming later this year.

Apple will support Microsoft Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate) with Boot Camp in Mac OS X Snow Leopard before the end of the year. This support will require a software update to Boot Camp.

The document also notes that a number of early Intel-based Macintosh computers will not support Windows 7 running in Boot Camp.

Note: The following models will not be supported for use with Windows 7 using Boot Camp.

- iMac (17-inch, Early 2006)
- iMac (17-inch, Late 2006)
- iMac (20-inch, Early 2006)
- iMac (20-inch, Late 2006)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2006)
- MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2006)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2006)
- MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2006)
- Mac Pro (Mid 2006, Intel Xeon Dual-core 2.66GHz or 3GHz)

While Boot Camp currently officially supports only Windows XP and Vista, many users have had success installing and running Windows 7 already, but official support from Apple should streamline the process and provide consumers with resources to assist them with setup and use.

Many users also prefer to run Windows virtually rather than turning to the Boot Camp dual-boot solution. Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac already includes support for 32-bit Windows 7, and VMware Fusion 3, scheduled to launch next week, will offer full 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 support for virtualization under Mac OS X.

Article Link: Apple: Official Boot Camp Support for Windows 7 Coming Later This Year

 

[NeverhadaPC]

Does bootcamp support 64-bit W7? or only 32-bit?

 

[CptnJustc]

Erp... guess I should have made sure before ordering it for my old MBP-15. Anybody have any experience putting it on the old Core Duo laptops?

 

[whooleytoo]

Booooh. My MBP is on that list.

Admittedly, I use Parallels more than Boot Camp; and haven't upgraded to 4.0 anyhow; but still, it's never nice having someone disrespectin' your Mac like this.

 

[Vol7ron]

I have been using the Windows 7 Ultimate RTM since August running on my June 2009 17in Macbook Pro without any issues. And i am using the 64bit version as well. Runs great. Of course, i only use it to play games that don't run well in Mac. Still think that OS X is better

 

[rdowty]

You'd think a touchpad driver wouldn't kill them and its not like nobody heard of Windows 7 until today. I guess I'll stick with Vista. I'd be happier with XP except I need IIS7 for development.

 

[hiimamac]

Does bootcamp support 64-bit W7? or only 32-bit?

Yes. If you get tge 64 bit version.
Speaking if msft, with no advertising according to the news, they just showed the first ever msft store grand opening today. Ummmmm, as a 90-99% mac user and without MS Courier.

The store was packed. Standing room only and had like 700 people the night before trying to get in. Wow.

 

[iSee]

They're making me feel bad about my Mac:

Note: The following models will not be supported for use with Windows 7 using Boot Camp.
...
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2006)
...

Until now I thought it was still a pretty good machine.

 

[lender30]

Have MBP 13". Using Boot Camp to run Win7 @ 64 bit. Works fine.

 

[Roessnakhan]

Have MBP 13". Using Boot Camp to run Win7 @ 64 bit. Works fine.

Ditto. Had a hiccup with the first install that kept crashing, but all is well now.

 

[Fastshutter]

They're making me feel bad about my Mac:



Until now I thought it was still a pretty good machine.

Don't worry, Apple will find many more ways to artificially diminish the value of your Mac over time.

 

[johnmcboston]

It's times like this I wish the imac would have a model number or something. I have no idea when I bought mine - and going by 'release date' isn't the most helpful way to identify products...

flame off

 

[darwinian]

So ... why are they not being supported officially?

 

[mbprouser]

The key word here is "supported". Doesn't mean you still can't run Windows 7 on those machines, it just means if you have problems with the drivers, Apple won't offer support on it.

 

[Vol7ron]

Correct, the only minor issue i have is with the touchpad. Aside from that, it runs flawlessly. However it will be nice once the driver is out for the touchpad. It is annoying when i need to scroll and it jumps all over the place.

 

[ingenious]

So is there any technical reasoning behind this decision?

 

[funkyp56]

I think they are dropping support due to lack of true 64-bit on those models. meaning they have the cpus for it but not the logic boards needed. thats why you cant hit 4gb of RAM.

However. I am running Windows 7 32 on two of the Late 2006 models, drivers off the SL Disk worked fine, system runs great.

 

[acurafan]

It's times like this I wish the imac would have a model number or something. ...

they do...

> About this mac > more info... > hardware > model identifier

 

[Cromulent]

I haven't used Boot Camp in years. So the fact that my machine is unsupported seems to make little difference.

 

[BongoBanger]

Hmm...

No Leopard support? Oh well. I better get round to buying a copy of SL - they should have fixed the worst of the bugs by 10.6.2.

 

[christall109]

They're making me feel bad about my Mac:



Until now I thought it was still a pretty good machine.

Me too.....

This is Apple signalling, "Get your credit cards ready!"

I had the beta installed on mine and it ran fine. I don't see why it won't this time around with the 32bit version.

 

[dvince2]

I've been using the x64 Pro version on my early 2009 MP, and the x86 version on my early 2008 macbook.

On the Mac Pro, Windows 7 had drivers for everything already except for special Apple Only things, like the eject key on the keyboard.

 

[hiimamac]

Booooh. My MBP is on that list.

Admittedly, I use Parallels more than Boot Camp; and haven't upgraded to 4.0 anyhow; but still, it's never nice having someone disrespectin' your Mac like this.

I like fusion myself but since I have a mbp and 24" HDMI CABLE/Satilite ready. I use Fusion most of the time but if I were doing audio on a newer iMac, I would use bootcamp or my PC rig attached to mbp via a kvr switch.

I think my next move might be a 8 core hackntosh since there are benchmarks that run circles around the pro with the exception of rendering and it's not that bad considering now you can run all mac updates without new hacks, boot to Win 7. Ubuntu or OSX, and save $2000 and have a system with any GPU and as much Ram as your motherboard support. Google osx86. SAid this was going to happen all the way back when Apple was still PPC and needed liquid cooled. Now a low end MacBook is faster. Dope man, far out cool. But I like the new hack script that once installed, you can use d/l any updates.
I think Apple let's thi go on as I've read 25% oe more of hack users ended up getting a mac. Plus it allows Apple to monitor which 3rd party hardware works with little or no problems. My prediction is thY someday OSX will license the OS to some OEMs. And rememeber, everyone told me "no way Apple gies to Intel" and, well, they were wrong. Just a matter if time unless Apple releass 4-8 core mid range headless with choice if any GPU and non server, non ECC memory. I think happens if msft tkes off and or the Courier turns out ti be true.

Peace all.

 

[jaw04005]

Wonder why my MacBook (Late 2006) is supported? That's weird.

 

[Fuchal]

Lazy. Apple should have had this today, on day one.

Kind of annoying especially considering my 13" Macbook Pro's audio + webcam don't work properly in ANY Windows at the moment (XP, Vista, or 7) without hacked drivers.