Windows 7 works great on the MacBook Pro
Summary
Topics
-- Installing 64-bit Windows 7 on the MacBook Pro was easy, just use the Boot Camp Assistant that's bundled with Mac OS X.
-- After installing Windows 7, install the Boot Camp drivers from the Mac OS X installation disc. The drivers are needed for operating the special function keys, like for controlling screen brightness and keyboard backlighting.
-- The Mac OS X Snow Leopard installation disc (just released last week) comes with updated Boot Camp drivers. You should install these drivers so that you can access your Mac OS files from Windows. Also when I upgraded my Mac OS X to Snow Leopard, I was able to access my Windows files from Mac OS X. Very useful when you need to work with both Windows and Mac OS X.
-- The MacBook Pro was able to run Windows 7 on battery power for roughly 3.5 hours, while running Microsoft Outlook and a HSPA Mobile Broadband Modem. This is roughly half an hour of battery life less than Mac OS X.
-- The backup utility bundled with Windows 7 Ultimate couldn't backup my hard drive for some reason - the backup always failed with the error "The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002)". I'm still looking for a solution to this problem.
-- The Cisco VPN client is not supported on 64-bit versions of Windows. Fortunately Windows 7 provides a Windows XP Mode for running legacy applications. The Cisco VPN client works fine in Windows XP Mode on the MacBook Pro.
Overall, 64-bit Windows 7 works very well on a MacBook Pro - Windows 7 boots quickly, feels very responsive, and it seems to take full advantage of the fast solid state hard drive and the huge amount of installed RAM (8GB). Kudos to Microsoft for an operating system that's very nicely done.
This article was originally posted on Mister Tech on ZDNet Asia.
Talkback Most Recent of 64 Talkback(s)
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I concur
I've been very happy with Windows 7 on my MBP. I also just ordered Snow Leopard for the improved Windows drivers. Don't get me started on having to pay for a driver upgrade since I'm rarely (never?) going to use Snow Leopard itself. Only Apple would have the nerve.
NonZealot31st Aug 2009 -
Windows 7 is best MS has ever done
They finally got it as close to right as anyone ever has with Win7. It's a shame the marketing department, with their 5 version fiasco, had to ruin what could have been the most successful product Microsoft ever shipped. Instead of being a soaring victory, it now just feels like another ripoff effort by Microsoft.
BillDem31st Aug 2009 -
5 version fiasco? What BS...
First of all, most people will only see 2 versions, not 5. They *might* see a third if they buy a netbook.
Two versions are simply the same version licensed differently. Neither one of which will matter to Joe Sixpack.
In fact, Joe is likely to have *1* choice. That's soooo hard, how will he ever manage?
So lets call this 5 version nonesense what it is: someone who can't handle choice whining. Choose Home or Pro. *rrreeeeeaaaalllllyyyyy hard, right?
wolf_z31st Aug 2009 -
It is hard
Seeing that Microsoft gave it's Windows version appropriate names. This argument will never end. There were just as many versions of XP:
XP Home, XP Pro, XP MCE, XP Tablet, & XP Pro x64
People will complain about the different versions and then some of the same people will complain on how Microsoft is making the customer pay for features they will not use. So now that they split the features up a bit and having different levels and pricing they complain that there are too many versions and there should be only one version. I don't get it.
bobiroc31st Aug 2009 -
Your...
...not supposed to get it - it doesn't make sense.
Windows 7 is overpriced, unfortunately. $20/copy should be the starting price to make up for the driver issues in Vista. Linux use will continue to increase when MS prices are so high. It costs nothing to use Linux and it will run on the same machine as Windows with no difficulty. As Linux improves more people are using it. I don't see a way for MS to reduce Linux's adoption. Free is always worth a try.
MS has always had a hit and miss record with its OS's. Windows 95 was followed by Windows 98, ME was followed by XP, Vista by Win 7. It is like Star Trek movies. If you get a bad one you only need wait for the next one.
Information_z1st Sep 2009 -
Sorry...
...but I forgot to include that Ubuntu (Linux) upgrades/updates are free - so upgrading Windows is silly - use what Windows you have and install Ubuntu as a dual booting system...Information_z1st Sep 2009 -
Doubt it will be as successful as XP
M$ has already lost market share due to Vista,
and I don't think it's gonna claw that back.
If you count success as machines/licenses
rather than market share then I would agree,
but then that probably makes Windows Vista more
successful than anything before XP, and we all
know that Vista was basically a flop.
This is due to the number of computers in the
world increasing as time goes by. It used to be
one computer per family, now it's one computer
per family member, sometimes more than that
when counting laptops and netbooks.
As for 5 different versions, I don't think it's
that bad. it's not as bad as Vista, for
example, where they included some nice features
in Home Premium and some in Business, but to
get both you needed Ultimate, even if you
didn't want half of the others (No tuner card?
Why would I want the media center). At-least
this time the professional option is s superset
of the home premium option.
Li1t10th Sep 2009 -
RE: Windows 7 works great on the MacBook Pro
@BillDem I couldn't agree more. Win7 is a gem of software. For the versions, I've thoroughly compared the features of the different versions and completely believe that the versions are appropriately named and outfitted with the features that are likely to be needed by different types of users. To all of you Linux guys: Who are you kidding? You actually think Microsoft is actually losing market share to Linux? The only people I know who are willing to put up with Linux are geeks like you who have an agenda against MS. Before about 6 months ago I had only ever heard of it, and I have quite a lot of exposure to different people's computers. I'm confident that Windows 7 will be much more successful than XP ever was if MS doesn't release something else first. It will be a while to get IT departments to buy into it and to gain everyone's confidence after Vista, but with as good as Windows 7 is I'm sure it'll happen. As for Mac, I think they're great hardware and It's good to see that they run Win7.
Chaddybaby22nd Dec 2010 -
You might be disappointed
My snow leapord DVD arrived yesterday and i did an upgrade of boot camp from 2.1 to 3.0.
While "most" of the things worked, I end up reinstalling the driver of iSight, Sound (the soft sound issue still exist!) and the graphics driver from the net performs better than the one comes with the DVD.
PS: i'm using Win7 x86 edition.
Titus.Hoon1st Sep 2009 -
RE: Windows 7 works great on the MacBook Pro
Were you expecting anything less? Of course Microsoft Windows 7 is going to work great.
Loverock Davidson31st Aug 2009 -
HypnoToad7231st Aug 2009 -
Same hardware
You mean the exact same hardware that is in a PC but Apple charges 50% more for? Lets see: Windows will run on just about anything, but OSX only runs on a few types of hardware. Looks like Windows is a better solution.
MarkWB31st Aug 2009 -
Linux works on more systems than Windows...
...it is free and upgraded every 6 months (Ubuntu)
Use what version of Windows you now have and install Ubunt as a dual operating system. No issues, no cost and no problems...Information_z1st Sep 2009 -
hey
Wow! How deeeeeeeeep
dudnik10th Sep 2009 -
Your comment is really stupid and annoying joke.
Macbook Pro with Windows 7 is nothing really
special xcept body design.
The only reason to overpay for macs is overall
platform integrity.dudnik10th Sep 2009
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