Blue Screen!

[LinkyLoo]

I am currently running Windows XP with Boot Camp on my MacBook Air, because I have to have Windows for my school software.

Lately, however, when I'm in the middle of doing schoolwork, I get this blue screen on the upper left side of my computer. It basically tells me to shut it down and restart my computer. When I do so, it has to run this "disk check" which takes forever, and regardless of it saying that you can press any key to skip it, it never works.

I don't know why this is happening, or if there is anything I can do to fix it.

Please help!

 

[jamesr19]

Try running windows as a VM instead of bootcamp. I find it's more stable and I still get to use Mac. The battery life is better when running it through Parallels than bootcamp even though you're running two OS's at the same time.

Parallels or VMware - Give them a try on trial and get the one that you prefer (I recommend Parallels)

If you prefer to stick with Bootcamp then make sure your Bootcamp drivers are up to date.

 

[LinkyLoo]

Try running windows as a VM instead of bootcamp. I find it's more stable and I still get to use Mac. The battery life is better when running it through Parallels than bootcamp even though you're running two OS's at the same time.

Parallels or VMware - Give them a try on trial and get the one that you prefer (I recommend Parallels)

If you prefer to stick with Bootcamp then make sure your Bootcamp drivers are up to date.

How do you check the Bootcamp drivers to make sure they're up to date?

 

[kilonet]

Latest Vmware 4 is great.

 

[johnhurley]

I am currently running Windows XP with Boot Camp on my MacBook Air, because I have to have Windows for my school software.

Lately, however, when I'm in the middle of doing schoolwork, I get this blue screen on the upper left side of my computer. It basically tells me to shut it down and restart my computer. When I do so, it has to run this "disk check" which takes forever, and regardless of it saying that you can press any key to skip it, it never works.

I don't know why this is happening, or if there is anything I can do to fix it.

Please help!

You might want to ditch xp in bootcamp and upgrade your bootcamp setup to win 7. Another option is to use a vm type of solution ( like virtual box ( free ) or parallels or vmware ) and run your windows apps underneath ( concurrently ) with mac os x.

In the meantime you can try restarting your xp setup in safe mode. Sometimes that fixes things ... see if you can get it logged in safe mode and then restart it. Use event viewer to get details on what the blue screen was for exactly if you can.

 

[ericrwalker]

Is there any downfalls using parallels?

Pros vs Cons?

BTW: Parallels is on sale today only for $54.99 http://www.techbargains.com/news_displayItem.cfm/272831?f=f

 

[jamesr19]

How do you check the Bootcamp drivers to make sure they're up to date?

When you boot into Windows there should be an apple software update. If you haven't installed the bootcamp drivers this won't appear so you'll have to google to find the drivers (3.2 is latest I think)

If you do want Bootcamp, yeh upgrade to Windows 7 and hope it works better!

Is there any downfalls using parallels?

The only really problem you might face is performance in comparison to using Bootcamp. You won't have as much CPU power or RAM as if you were running from bootcamp but you get the ability to easily switch between Mac and Windows. I find no issues running Photoshop on Mac and then MS project/excel or anything in Parallels.
The battery life improvement is a bonus feature in parallels if you're on the go and not doing too many power intensive tasks!

 

[3dflyboy1]

I am currently running Windows XP with Boot Camp on my MacBook Air, because I have to have Windows for my school software.

Lately, however, when I'm in the middle of doing schoolwork, I get this blue screen on the upper left side of my computer. It basically tells me to shut it down and restart my computer. When I do so, it has to run this "disk check" which takes forever, and regardless of it saying that you can press any key to skip it, it never works.

I don't know why this is happening, or if there is anything I can do to fix it.

Please help!

I assume that this is the "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD). It's generally a random occurrence, and doesn't (or shouldn't) happen too often. Maybe try reinstalling the OS or upgrading to win7, as others have already suggested.

 

[cluthz]

VirtualBox is free and runs good on my 2011 MBA.
Windows XP isn't supported on macs after 2010 i think.

 

[ericrwalker]

Thanks, I probably will go will parallels. I don't even own a MAC, I am on the verge of buying a MBA, but I am waiting to see if they update the MBP first. I will own a 13" MAC soon enough.

The only really problem you might face is performance in comparison to using Bootcamp. You won't have as much CPU power or RAM as if you were running from bootcamp but you get the ability to easily switch between Mac and Windows. I find no issues running Photoshop on Mac and then MS project/excel or anything in Parallels.
The battery life improvement is a bonus feature in parallels if you're on the go and not doing too many power intensive tasks!

 

[2IS]

Try running windows as a VM instead of bootcamp. I find it's more stable and I still get to use Mac. The battery life is better when running it through Parallels than bootcamp even though you're running two OS's at the same time.

I can't say my experience is the same. Running Win 7 via bootcamp I get nearly the same runtime as I do in OSX (only a few minutes less). Running it via Parallels decreases it quite a bit faster.