Looking for a Vista driver for my 2011 MBP

[Cammer]

I'm able to install Vista via a Bootcamp partition on my new MBP, but I have been completely unsuccessful in my search for drivers. I can get Vista to come up and run just fine, but I am unable to create an internet connection. I really just need one driver.

I really don't want to purchase Win 7, but it looks like Apple is forcing me to buy Microsoft software. How ironic.

Does anyone have a link to the previous generation of Vista drivers? All I really need is a driver for my wireless card so that I can register my current Vista install. Once I do this I can upgrade it to Win 7 using my student upgrade license.

I have searched for literally hours so I don't expect anyone to say "Here it is!" but I figured I might as well give it a shot.

 

[Detrius]

Have you tried installing the BootCamp drivers that are on your Mac OS X install disc?

 

[snaky69]

Vista and XP are no longer supported as of this generation MBP, you're stuck with 7 if you want to bootcamp.

Sorry.

 

[mac00l]

I'm able to install Vista via a Bootcamp partition on my new MBP, but I have been completely unsuccessful in my search for drivers. I can get Vista to come up and run just fine, but I am unable to create an internet connection. I really just need one driver.

I really don't want to purchase Win 7, but it looks like Apple is forcing me to buy Microsoft software. How ironic.

Does anyone have a link to the previous generation of Vista drivers? All I really need is a driver for my wireless card so that I can register my current Vista install. Once I do this I can upgrade it to Win 7 using my student upgrade license.

I have searched for literally hours so I don't expect anyone to say "Here it is!" but I figured I might as well give it a shot.

Since you are student, most colleges have volume licensed versions of Win7. You should check that out

EDIT: You can also install Vista through Virtualization (VirtualBox is free), get your license, and use it in your bootcamp version.

 

[Snesley Wipes]

I'm able to install Vista via a Bootcamp partition on my new MBP, but I have been completely unsuccessful in my search for drivers. I can get Vista to come up and run just fine, but I am unable to create an internet connection. I really just need one driver.

I really don't want to purchase Win 7, but it looks like Apple is forcing me to buy Microsoft software. How ironic.

Does anyone have a link to the previous generation of Vista drivers? All I really need is a driver for my wireless card so that I can register my current Vista install. Once I do this I can upgrade it to Win 7 using my student upgrade license.

I have searched for literally hours so I don't expect anyone to say "Here it is!" but I figured I might as well give it a shot.

Ok...boot into bootcamp/vista, go to device manager, find your wireless card, unistall drivers and or card from devicemanager, reboot, then device manager again, install driver for card.

Try this let me know.
Snes

 

[Cammer]

First of all, Thank you VERY much for the comments and help guys!

Have you tried installing the BootCamp drivers that are on your Mac OS X install disc?

Thanks, that was the first thing I tried, but right away it says that Win 7 is required. I was hoping that there was a work around available for this, but seems to be not possible. The Vista drivers are not found on the OS X disk anymore apparently.

Vista and XP are no longer supported as of this generation MBP, you're stuck with 7 if you want to bootcamp. Sorry.

Yep, my experience seems to bear this out. I was hoping that since I am just going to use Vista as a basis to upgrade to Win 7 I don't need a full driver install, just the one driver for an internet connection so that I can register my copy of Vista.

Since you are student, most colleges have volume licensed versions of Win7. You should check that out

EDIT: You can also install Vista through Virtualization (VirtualBox is free), get your license, and use it in your bootcamp version.

I already purchased an upgrade disk for the 64 bit Win 7 using my student discount. I ordered the upgrade because I had wrongly assumed that my old copy of Vista would work on my Mac and it would be an honest and legal upgrade. However, since I am unable to register my copy of Vista, I am not sure what to do at this point. The Win 7 upgrade disk should arrive tomorrow (I didn't DL the image), so I will try to install it over my unregistered copy of Vista. Hopefully it will work. I have heard that there are workarounds where I can do a Win 7 install on a clean disk so I'll give that a try.

I'll look up this Virtualization VirtualBox thing. Your comment is the first I have heard of it.

I remain very much a Mac noob since this is essentially my first one. I have been a PC user for years and recently switched over, so I'm still learning.

 

[ddehr026]

What's your wireless card? I'll find one. You don't have to buy 7.

 

[Cammer]

Ok...boot into bootcamp/vista, go to device manager, find your wireless card, unistall drivers and or card from devicemanager, reboot, then device manager again, install driver for card.

Try this let me know.
Snes

I'll give that a try. Where do I look for the card driver? That is what has been holding me up.

 

[Cammer]

What's your wireless card? I'll find one. You don't have to buy 7.

Well I really don't want to use Vista. I have already ordered Win 7 anyway. I was just going to use the Vista install as a basis to use the Win 7 upgrade disk. How do I find out what wireless card I have in my Mac? It's a current gen MBP as listed in my sig file.

 

[ddehr026]

Well I really don't want to use Vista. I have already ordered Win 7 anyway. I was just going to use the Vista install as a basis to use the Win 7 upgrade disk. How do I find out what wireless card I have in my Mac? It's a current gen MBP as listed in my sig file.

Go to device manager in vista and click on network adapters, or something to that effect. I should say the model or your wireless card right there.

 

[Snesley Wipes]

I'll give that a try. Where do I look for the card driver? That is what has been holding me up.

You dont, you just right click (make sure you have internet via hardwire or whatever) and install driver, then there will be a "search internet" or something that will find it for you automatically.

 

[Cammer]

Go to device manager in vista and click on network adapters, or something to that effect. I should say the model or your wireless card right there.

Device manager isn't even showing a network adapter, or anything listed similar to that. It's like Vista can't see the network card. Even when I'm hardwired with my ethernet cable into my modem I'm unable to find an internet connection.

I'm still waiting for the Win 7 upgrade disk to show up. Hopefully that will help me through this issue.

Thanks for the help guys. I appreciate the effort.