Is Windows fine with MacBook keyboard??

[Mais78]

At the moment I use a Mac Mini connected to a PC keyboard in both OSX and Windows environment and it is fine. Only difference is that in OSX the Windows key works as command key and its position is swapped with Alt.

My question is: is the reverse also true? I.e. does windows run fine with a mac keyboard? Unlike OSX (where you can set the keyboard option to PC) I don't recall the ability to tell Windows you are using a Mac keyboard.

Bottom line I would like to use Excel on Macbook Pro in Bootcamp and I am unsure whether the keyboard will work fine (thinking about the F keys for example, can I hit F2 to get into a cell and Esc to get out? or need to hit Shift/Fn to get the F2 function as the primary function of that key is brightness?). I worked too many years on Excel for windows and I am not productive on the Mac version.

Thanks

 

[mKTank]

To access F keys, there's an option in Boot Camp settings (in control panel) that lets you pick between having to hold down Fn or not.

As for key mappings: copy paste is done through control C and control V (instead of command C and command V). The command button acts as the Start button in Windows. That's about the only difference I noticed.

Alternatively, you may consider using Parallels. The way I have mine set up is each OS has is own "desktop space," requiring a three-finger-swipe to move between operating systems. Drag and drop works across (thanks to Parallels). Another nice thing is that Parallels remaps the keyboard when Windows is running as a VM: the keys are reverted to command C and command V. Performance hit is minimal; Windows is still really fast with Parallels. Probably not for anything graphics-intensive (games, etc.) but it handles all my programming with Eclipse and LC3 just fine. Obviously the battery is pretty much halved as you're running two OSes, so you might want to be plugged in.

Parallels can run Windows off of your existing Boot Camp installation. This means that you can choose to run Windows through Boot Camp natively or through Parallels via VM - same Windows installation.

 

[saturnotaku]

As was mentioned, you can change a setting in the Boot Camp control panel to make the function keys behave as standard; also the command key becomes the Windows key. This creates an issue where what functions are done with command in OS X are done with control in Windows, and there's only one control key on a MacBook keyboard.

If you have the means and space, I would hook up an external keyboard. With few exceptions, any USB keyboard will offer inter-OS compatibility.

 

[Gjwilly]

My coworker has a DOS program that requires the insert key that the Mac keyboard doesn't have.
In Bootcamped Windows I can hit FN Enter to get the insert key but he's using Virtual Box and he says that that doesn't work for him.
Anybody got any other suggestions?

 

[dyt1983]

edit: To remove personally identifying information not relevant to the thread.

 

[Mais78]

Thanks guys, what about Parallels? I see that the 2015 MBP does not support my Windows 7 copy. When using Parallels will the keyboard switch automatically from "OSX mode" to "Windows mode"? Depending on active window?

 

[saturnotaku]

Thanks guys, what about Parallels? I see that the 2015 MBP does not support my Windows 7 copy. When using Parallels will the keyboard switch automatically from "OSX mode" to "Windows mode"? Depending on active window?

That's how it works in VMWare. Parallels should be the same way.

 

[dyt1983]

edit: To remove personally identifying information not relevant to the thread.