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True or False?

J

jrockford

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 30, 2010
8
0
I switched to Mac after I got the blue screen from my Dell, as well as most of my Windows computers. For two years I have not had any issues with my MacBook Pro or my iMac. I have special software for work that requires me to run in Windows.

True or False.

My Windows computers have hard drive failure because of the way Windows read and write to them. Mac does a better job of handling data and maintaining it. If I install Windows on my MacBook Pro it will create future problems with my hard drive. I should not install Windows onto my Mac but rather just keep my Windows computer.


Thanks for the input.
 
Hard drive failures rarely, if ever, have any correlation to usage, OS, or any non-physical factors. Mostly, it's down to random chance, essentially, though obviously dropping or impacting a drive will likely cause problems, as can electrical issues. Now, if you had a low-quality PC that didn't have a very good power supply, that could result in hard drive issues (including outright failure), and the power supplies in Macs are all designed well, so you wouldn't have that problem, but it's unlikely you had a PC that was quite that bad, I'd guess.

jW
 
False

"The Blue Screen of Death (also known as BSoD, Blue Screen, or bluescreen), known officially as a Stop Error [1] or a bug check, is the error screen displayed by the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems upon encountering a critical error, of a non-recoverable nature, that causes the system to crash. The term is named after the color of the screen generated by the error. In Unix-based operating systems, a similar term is kernel panic.

Stop errors are hardware or driver related, causing the computer to stop responding in order to prevent damage to the hardware or data. In the later versions of Windows (Windows NT and later) the screen presents information for diagnostic purposes that was collected as the operating system performed a bug check." - Wikipedia

Its sort of like a Kernel panic but has more to do with your hardware or drivers, you won't damage your computer from using Windows on your Mac.
 
jrockford said:
I switched to Mac after I got the blue screen from my Dell, as well as most of my Windows computers. For two years I have not had any issues with my MacBook Pro or my iMac. I have special software for work that requires me to run in Windows.

True or False.

My Windows computers have hard drive failure because of the way Windows read and write to them. Mac does a better job of handling data and maintaining it. If I install Windows on my MacBook Pro it will create future problems with my hard drive.


Thanks for the input.
Click to expand...

Incorrect. There are tons of causes of HD failures: Virus, Shock, electrical (cheap power supply, surge, accessories installed with the computer (e.g. optical disc drives, card readers, USB devices...etc), , physical condition of your home, system cooling, system usage, and the design of the hard disc itself. The OS plays little role in causing pre-mature failure of HD.

jrockford said:
I should not install Windows onto my Mac but rather just keep my Windows computer.
Click to expand...

Yes. I always recommend people not to put 2 operating system onto the same computer. It's a personal issue.
 
jrockford said:
I switched to Mac after I got the blue screen from my Dell, as well as most of my Windows computers. For two years I have not had any issues with my MacBook Pro or my iMac. I have special software for work that requires me to run in Windows.

True or False.

My Windows computers have hard drive failure because of the way Windows read and write to them. Mac does a better job of handling data and maintaining it. If I install Windows on my MacBook Pro it will create future problems with my hard drive. I should not install Windows onto my Mac but rather just keep my Windows computer.
Click to expand...
False. See also coincidental versus causal.

Takashi said:
Yes. I always recommend people not to put 2 operating system onto the same computer. It's a personal issue.
Click to expand...
I always recommend that people make such decisions based on their own needs/wants and not just based off those of some random forum user. At least clarify your "personal issue" so others can determine if it is in line with their own preferences or not.
 
Takashi said:
Yes. I always recommend people not to put 2 operating system onto the same computer. It's a personal issue.
Click to expand...

It may be a personal issue, but there's no technical issue and no reason to recommend that to others. Do what you want with your own machine, but there are many reasons why someone may want to install Windows on their Mac. For the record, I have not, but that's mostly because I have no need for Windows. For the OP, it may make sense to install Windows on their MacBook Pro.

jW
 
False. If you need to use Windows on occasion, there's no reason why you shouldn't install it on your Mac. It in no way increases the likelihood that your hard drive will fail.
 
That was quite insightful. I appreciate the replies. When I have used Windows in the past, it seemed I would always have issues with drivers. I rarely have issues with my Mac. Is that just a coincidence? And last, if I install Windows, what software and should I get some kind of security software?

Thanks to all who have replied.
 
here is the fundamental difference between OSX and windows, at least as I see it. Windows has to support a ton of hardware, hence all the drivers and all the issues therein. OSX only has to (officially) support all the hardware in Apple's walled garden, which means that they can make sure the drivers are super stable/built straight into OSX. that is what makes OSX so much more stable.
 
There's really nothing wrong with Windows.

I don't seem to be an elitist or anything, but it seems the only people who 'hate' Windows are people who don't know much about computers in the first place.

I use OS X and Windows 7 every day and honestly, I just don't see the difference in stability or anything else besides UI.
 
Adamantoise said:
There's really nothing wrong with Windows.

I don't seem to be an elitist or anything, but it seems the only people who 'hate' Windows are people who don't know much about computers in the first place.

I use OS X and Windows 7 every day and honestly, I just don't see the difference in stability or anything else besides UI.
Click to expand...


I agree that there is nothing wrong with Windows, and especially running it alongside OSX on your Apple gear.

I disagree with the ideal that people whom hate MSFT are those that know nothing about computers. I find it to be just as much true to the extreme as well. The people who really seem to know the most about computers hate Windows for its archaic philosophies and big brother practices, especially those since Vista. You want to change something hardware wise on your system, well then you need to re-register your OS (and if it is a key component such as processor or MB we are going to say the copy you bought is now ineligible to be registered, even though the other computer is no longer is use or existence and you changed due to failure of said hardware). I am sorry but we are not going to make a version of IE that works with anything other than our OS. We are using a proprietary disk control system, (NTFS) that we will not license for anyone else to use. We are going to maintain a registry of all drivers, software, actions, settings, etc that will grow over time and never be purged or unloaded, even if the reference no longer exists on the system. We are also going to make it so cryptic that it is not easy to maintain.

It is the above mentality that makes me have a great disdain for MSFT and its practices. Although some of Apple's policies get me just as mad (stance on jail breaking, no OS allowed on non-Apple gear, no pre-Lion non-server OS in a VM, etc) and the big one about royalties and the app store I find it funny that the Steves got their start by breaking the law and being innovative, yet want to stifle that in regards to the use of their designed products

Let's face it all computers have become "Big Brother" in one way or another.

*Sorry, rant off and back to the regularly scheduled topic.

The information you asked is false.
 
squeakr said:
I agree that there is nothing wrong with Windows, and especially running it alongside OSX on your Apple gear.

I disagree with the ideal that people whom hate MSFT are those that know nothing about computers. I find it to be just as much true to the extreme as well. The people who really seem to know the most about computers hate Windows for its archaic philosophies and big brother practices, especially those since Vista. You want to change something hardware wise on your system, well then you need to re-register your OS (and if it is a key component such as processor or MB we are going to say the copy you bought is now ineligible to be registered, even though the other computer is no longer is use or existence and you changed due to failure of said hardware). I am sorry but we are not going to make a version of IE that works with anything other than our OS. We are using a proprietary disk control system, (NTFS) that we will not license for anyone else to use. We are going to maintain a registry of all drivers, software, actions, settings, etc that will grow over time and never be purged or unloaded, even if the reference no longer exists on the system. We are also going to make it so cryptic that it is not easy to maintain.

It is the above mentality that makes me have a great disdain for MSFT and its practices. Although some of Apple's policies get me just as mad (stance on jail breaking, no OS allowed on non-Apple gear, no pre-Lion non-server OS in a VM, etc) and the big one about royalties and the app store I find it funny that the Steves got their start by breaking the law and being innovative, yet want to stifle that in regards to the use of their designed products

Let's face it all computers have become "Big Brother" in one way or another.

*Sorry, rant off and back to the regularly scheduled topic.

The information you asked is false.
Click to expand...

Well I understand your complaints, but every corporation has its annoying policies.

Apple for instance has the annoying philosophy that only one iTunes library should be able to sync to an iDevice at any given time and Sony believes that they still own the PS3s they sell. Different companies just employ certain practices that they believe will be to their advantage.

But then again, I wasn't talking about morality of these companies, I was talking about the usability of their operating system, and I don't see any advantage of OS X over Windows 7 and vice versa.
 
jrockford said:
When I have used Windows in the past, it seemed I would always have issues with drivers. I rarely have issues with my Mac. Is that just a coincidence?
Click to expand...
It's not causal in the way that your question seems to attempt to imply. In other words, it's not just a matter of operating system. I've rarely had problems with drivers on my Windows machines, including my MBP with Bootcamp. There could certainly be other factors that played a major part in the problems that you have experienced. Could be the drivers themselves (which are not the OS itself). Could be the hardware. It's impossible to tell just from reading your posts. Just be careful attempting to draw broad, sweeping conclusions from just your own experiences.

Adamantoise said:
I don't seem to be an elitist or anything, but it seems the only people who 'hate' Windows are people who don't know much about computers in the first place.
Click to expand...
Sounds elitist to me. Like/hate of Windows isn't directly tied to computer knowledge. There are plenty of experts that like Windows. There are plenty of experts that hate Windows. Same goes for novices and everything in between as well.
 
Last edited:
takeshi74 said:
Sounds elitist to me. Like/hate of Windows isn't directly tied to computer knowledge. There are plenty of experts that like Windows. There are plenty of experts that hate Windows. Same goes for novices and everything in between as well.
Click to expand...

Well if you think it is elitist then you're entitled to your opinion.

When I see people badmouthing Windows on this forum, usually they don't seem to know what they're talking about, they just reiterate buzz words that they heard from someone else or read on some arbitrary blog online.

It is for this reason that I have come to that conclusion. You are right though, in saying that there isn't necessarily a connection.
 
GuitarG20 said:
here is the fundamental difference between OSX and windows, at least as I see it. Windows has to support a ton of hardware, hence all the drivers and all the issues therein. OSX only has to (officially) support all the hardware in Apple's walled garden, which means that they can make sure the drivers are super stable/built straight into OSX. that is what makes OSX so much more stable.
Click to expand...
That is a sort of misinterpretation.
Microsoft only supplies some generic drivers it doesn't have to support anything. The responsibility for drivers lies with manufacturers like Dell, Acer, Asus, Sapphire, synaptics, HP, ... who make custom logicboards, graphiccards, mice, keyboard, touchpads and what not.
The difference between Apple and them is that Apple ONLY opperates in the highend market. If people who complain about drivers on Windows had bought a decent but certainly more expensive Dell Latitude, HP Elitebook or Thinkpad T Series instead of the cheapest plastic crap they good get there hands on, the experience would be very different.
It has little to do with Windows and mostly just with manufactures who don't waste time and money on extensive testing and stable drivers for the cheap lowend stuff. The difference in Testing that an HP Elitebook needs to go through compared to some HP dv6 is 1:10 according to some engineers.
Yet only business cares for stabilty most consumers are just to stupid they don't want to pay for it and thus they don't get. End of story.

For this whole reason MS put in some programs to increase driver quality. They did help some.
 
dusk007 said:
That is a sort of misinterpretation.
Microsoft only supplies some generic drivers it doesn't have to support anything. The responsibility for drivers lies with manufacturers like Dell, Acer, Asus, Sapphire, synaptics, HP, ... who make custom logicboards, graphiccards, mice, keyboard, touchpads and what not.
The difference between Apple and them is that Apple ONLY opperates in the highend market. If people who complain about drivers on Windows had bought a decent but certainly more expensive Dell Latitude, HP Elitebook or Thinkpad T Series instead of the cheapest plastic crap they good get there hands on, the experience would be very different.
It has little to do with Windows and mostly just with manufactures who don't waste time and money on extensive testing and stable drivers for the cheap lowend stuff. The difference in Testing that an HP Elitebook needs to go through compared to some HP dv6 is 1:10 according to some engineers.
Yet only business cares for stabilty most consumers are just to stupid they don't want to pay for it and thus they don't get. End of story.
Click to expand...

Yes you're right, but I won't call them stupid.

Some people simply cannot afford the better products, not everyone is as fortunate as you are.

They have a choice between a $400 laptop that might have problems once every 2 months, or a $1000 laptop that will might problems once a year.

I mean, sometimes people just cannot afford the good stuff.
 
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