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Bought MacBook - which version of Windows for Bootcamp?

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plaidhippo

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 30, 2007
89
0
Hi,
I just got my wife a macbook for school (white, 2.4ghz, 2gb). She needs to run some windows software and I'm just wondering about the best version of windows to get to run in bootcamp. Do I need vista? Do I need a 64-bit version of either one? Obviously i can't use an "upgrade" version, so I need to buy the full version. OEM should be ok, right? Does anyone have a good pointer to a good price? The software she will run is very basic for nursing school (medical packages). Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks
Ashish
 
Congrats on your buy for your wife

Go with Windows XP SP2 Home Edition, Vista is good I have no complaints on it. Windows XP should be easy for her and no compatiblity issues, plus if shes never used OS 10 or Vista it will be quit a new learning experience for her so XP should be fine for her. If it asks in parrels or VMWare to use 32 bit or 64 just use 32 bit. OEM might work, however I remember trying to use it and got an error while it was installing mainly because you have to give your product key before the install of the os.

Pricing:
I personally like VMWare but I have tried Parells too and like it.

Here is a link to buy VMWare
http://store.apple.com/us/product/TP185LL/A?fnode=home/shop_mac/software/utilities&mco=MzUxMzcw


I think Microsoft canceled Windows XP so the only way you'll get that is if you know someone who has it and use theirs. You could try ebay just check thier feedback so you don't get one that the license expired or anything like that.


Good luck and let me know if I can help more
-Cam
 
Ask her what are the software requirements, some software havent rolled out vista copies yet, I think Windows XP Pro is a good choice, as this was the latest and greatest before Vista screwed it up. Obviously, if the software is XP but doesnt say anything about Vista, go XP to insure greatest compatibility. I use XP Pro (rarely) and it's great. In short, go with what her software requires as an OS.
 
I have had Xp for a long time and now I have vista, vista is way better.. Also looks better and its sleek
 
I would go with Win XP if you can scrape a license from somewhere. If you have an old computer running XP that you don't use, you can uninstall windows from there and then install it in either bootcamp or use some visualization scheme (Parallels, VMware, VirtualBox) using the license from the bottom/side of the old computer. This is what I did for my virtual XP machine.

Also, you might want to consider installing a virtual machine instead of bootcamp. It sounds like your wife would be just fine considering her software needs, and you wouldn't have to continuously reboot.
 
Thanks!

Thanks all for the quick responses!
I think I will stick with Bootcamp, as it is already installed and that is one less item to have to pay for (saving what little I can is critical at this point!). Looks like I'll try to find an OEM or full version of xp home. She has used my powerbook for years now so she is familiar with macs, and uses PC everywhere else, so she knows both well enough. But since this software is old and doesn't even mention vista, I think I will be safer with XP for now. I can get an upgrade to vista later, but if it doesn't work for the software we need, I'd still have to buy a new copy of xp to get her program to work. So, here I go looking for xp home! If anyone has more suggestions, please feel free to pass them on!

Thanks for the assistance!
 
There's a free beta of vmware fusion 2 up on their website at the moment. I use it and have found it really good so far...
 
I have used Vista and personally I like it.

It comes down to a personal choice though. I don't like using any MS product, but I think Vista is the best they have so far.
 
for what its worth

I just got VMware for the first time yesterday since rebooting to use windows gets pretty annoying.

anyway so i set it up with a copy of windows vista 32-bit that i had and it gave me all kinds of problems, so i deleted that virtual machine and installed windows XP proffessional SP2 and it works flawlessly.
 
By the way they still sell XP at my local Best Buy and I'm sure they have it online. I'm sure you can pick it up from a number of places online. I hear that many people have downgraded from Vista to XP. It boils down to what your wife likes.
 
XP just works better

i have vista and xp. Xp just works better. It is supported by more programs and it just works. Vista is pretty, but you can't even use the aero glass effects. Xp is better. Pro if you can Home if you have it already.
 
Go for a Windows XP Performance Edition. These are essentially stripped down versions of XP which cut the fancy and bloaty crap.

Even though they are not the best things to look at, you cannot fault 100Mb of RAM usage after install.
 
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