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Installing Windows vista on my MAC PRO

waelbahbahani

waelbahbahani

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 1, 2009
13
0
Hi,

I have new mac pro desktop with ( Two 2.26GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon Nehalem), And I want to install windows in it

Will the windows performance in MAC Pro be as same if it was installed in PC?
 
The performance will be very nice and you allways have the choice between OS X, which came with the Mac Pro and Windows. Both operating systems can live on the machine if you install Windows with Apple's Bootcamp software.

So it is not advised to install Windows instead of OS X. You will also notice a few differences between the Mac Pro and a PC when it comes to the nuts and bolts. Apple uses a different firmware (not BIOS) and some relics of hardware like Floppy Disks and PS2 connectors for keyboards which are still present on PCs are not available.

As your machine has multiple hard disks it is sensible to use a separate HD for Windows although it can be installed to a separate partition on the same HD as OS X.
 
I've only just started using Vista under boot camp myself I installed the 64-bit version which runs smoothly and also the fact I can actually see all the installed ram not just a fraction of it as with XP so if your after doing this I wouldn't hesitate go for it
 
waelbahbahani said:
Hi,

I have new mac pro desktop with ( Two 2.26GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon Nehalem), And I want to install windows in it

Will the windows performance in MAC Pro be as same if it was installed in PC?
Click to expand...

I have this very slight suspicion Apple have done some secret stuff
in their firmware to slow Windows down. But that's mostly paranoia,
probably. It would be nice if someone could remove that suspicion
entirely, by way of a persuasive argument ( hint hint :) )
 
Infrared said:
I have this very slight suspicion Apple have done some secret stuff
in their firmware to slow Windows down. But that's mostly paranoia,
probably. It would be nice if someone could remove that suspicion
entirely, by way of a persuasive argument ( hint hint :) )
Click to expand...
The only thing I can think of, would be the result of the BIOS emulation on top of the EFI.
 
Infrared said:
I have this very slight suspicion Apple have done some secret stuff in their firmware to slow Windows down.
Click to expand...
Apple makes their money off hardware, not really off the OS. The OS causes people to buy the hardware. If people buy Macs to run Windows, Apple still makes a ton of money - a lot more than if people buy a PC and hack it to run OS X.

So... Apple would love it if Macs ran Windows faster than any other PCs. They'd never cripple the speed.
 
nanofrog said:
The only thing I can think of, would be the result of the BIOS emulation on top of the EFI.
Click to expand...

Yeah. And that's written by a third party, I understand (InsydeSW).

If Apple were doing any dodgy stuff, I think they'd keep it in-house.

I think any problems (e.g., AHCI) are most likely due to lack of care,
rather than anything more malign.
 
jsw said:
Apple makes their money off hardware, not really off the OS. The OS causes people to buy the hardware. If people buy Macs to run Windows, Apple still makes a ton of money - a lot more than if people buy a PC and hack it to run OS X.

So... Apple would love it if Macs ran Windows faster than any other PCs. They'd never cripple the speed.
Click to expand...

Not intentionally, perhaps. But there was this:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/223679/
http://forums.macworld.com/thread/74715

And then this:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/377724/

And now this:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/703885/

That's 3 generations of Mac Pros with speed-sapping SATA issues.

Curiously, one of the original discussions on Apple's forum seems
to have ... err.. disappeared or something:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=604611
 
Infrared said:
Yeah. And that's written by a third party, I understand (InsydeSW).
Click to expand...
I hadn't heard or seen anything about any of the firmware components being 3rd party developed. :eek:

Infrared said:
If Apple were doing any dodgy stuff, I think they'd keep it in-house.

I think any problems (e.g., AHCI) are most likely due to lack of care,
rather than anything more malign.
Click to expand...
Maybe. I tend to think more on limited time and enormous pressure to get the code and hardware components developed to the point a product can ship ASAP.

Bugs? Deal with it later in an update. :eek: :D :p
 
nanofrog said:
I hadn't heard or seen anything about any of the firmware components being 3rd party developed. :eek:
Click to expand...

I may be over-interpreting. What I read:

pipomolo42 said:
http://forum.onmac.net/showthread.php?t=2739

I also started to look more closely at the Mac Pro EFI firmware:

The compatibility BIOS is included in it, as GUID 1547B4F3-3E8A-4FEF-81C8-328ED647AB1A. It starts with the strings "Copyright (C) 1998-2004 Insyde Software Corp.", "SYS CORE", "5.31.DT", "07/29/05".
Click to expand...

Insyde Software's site is here:

http://www.insydesw.com/products/products.htm

On reflection, it's not clear to me whether they would have written
the firmware themselves, or provided a kit for that purpose. Or are
Insyde implicated in some other way?

And, of course, I'm not referring to all of the firmware. Just the BIOS
emulation part.

ps

I hope I don't come across as way too negative about the Mac Pros.
I have been in hypercritical mode for the last few days. It's genetic,
alas, I think :)
 
Infrared said:
I may be over-interpreting. What I read:



Insyde Software's site is here:

http://www.insydesw.com/products/products.htm

On reflection, it's not clear to me whether they would have written
the firmware themselves, or provided a kit for that purpose. Or are
Insyde implicated in some other way?

And, of course, I'm not referring to all of the firmware. Just the BIOS
emulation part.

ps

I hope I don't come across as way too negative about the Mac Pros.
I have been in hypercritical mode for the last few days. It's genetic,
alas, I think :)
Click to expand...
It could be either, as they offer both a developer kit and development services. Either way, Apple licensed something. ;)

Actually, I don't think it's hyper-critical at all. Some may need to get that in depth for various reasons, such as compatibility for a specific use/software package. Others may just be really curious. Personally, I like knowing such details. Rather handy sometimes. ;) :D

Thanks for the links BTW. :)
 
Infrared said:
I have this very slight suspicion Apple have done some secret stuff
in their firmware to slow Windows down. But that's mostly paranoia,
probably. It would be nice if someone could remove that suspicion
entirely, by way of a persuasive argument ( hint hint :) )
Click to expand...

That is more than obvious when you consider that the firmware forces you to run SATA in legacy mode when you run under Linux or Windows. Only under OS X the ODD-SATA ports are functional and the the HDD ports work full speed. It is a pain in the neck to install the Intel driver for SATA management. They should install automatically but EFI prevents that. To not fix that issue over 3 years and 3 product launches speaks for itself.
 
^ just boot into your Windows install DVD by holding C on startup, install Windows on your empty hard disk and then install the Boot Camp drivers off the Leopard install DVD :).
 
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