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Apple Finally Adds Windows 7 Support to Boot Camp

Jan. 19, 2010 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

Almost three weeks later than originally promised, Apple has finally added support for Windows 7 to its Boot Camp technologies in Mac OS X, which let Mac computers dual boot between the two OSes. The support comes via Boot Camp 3.1 (where Snow Leopard shipped with version 3.0), which comes in both 32-bit and 64-bit variants. There's also a third update for those users who have already installed Windows Vista under Boot Camp and would like to perform an in-place upgrade to Windows 7.

Boot Camp Software Update 3.1 for Windows 32-bit

This update adds support for Microsoft Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate), addresses issues with the Apple trackpad, turns off the red digital audio port LED on laptop computers when it is not being used, and supports the Apple wireless keyboard and Apple Magic mouse.

Boot Camp Software Update 3.1 for Windows 64-bit

This update adds support for Microsoft Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate), addresses issues with the Apple trackpad, turns off the red digital audio port LED on laptop computers when it is not being used, and supports the Apple wireless keyboard and Apple Magic mouse.

Boot Camp Utility for Windows 7 Upgrade

Use the Boot Camp Utility for Windows 7 Upgrade Installation Utility before upgrading from Vista to Windows 7. This utility safely unmounts the read-only Macintosh volume on Microsoft Vista. For more information on this update,please visit this website.

Kudos to Apple for eventually getting to this.

Discuss this Article 29

anonymous
on Jan 19, 2010
This post was mentioned on Twitter by gretchenglas: Apple Finally Adds Windows 7 Support to Boot Camp: Almost three weeks later than originally promised, Apple has fi... http://bit.ly/7Hrx3V
AugieD369
on Jan 19, 2010
They did more than those updates... Those of you using the Late 2009 27" iMac Models need to do some additional work to get 7 to install correctly. You actually have to set up a USB Flash Drive with some Graphics and Bluetooth drivers and make sure the flash drive plugged in during the Windows install. Info is at http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3173 Those of you using Mac Pro or an iMac with the NVIDIA GeForce 7300, 7600 GT or Quadro FX 4500 have to go in Mac OS X and update the graphics firmware using Software Update.
rr0de74@live.com
on Jan 19, 2010
With many VM choices including the excellent free Virtual box I dont know anyone that uses Boot camp anymore on a Mac. I would imagine those that use Bootcamp, just want to run Windows full time on nice hardware.
rr0de74@live.com
on Jan 19, 2010
Paul where is the supersite coverage of the Chinese attacks and how there were able to achieve it using MS security holes??
bdegrande
on Jan 19, 2010
Boot Camp is very useful for gamers, so this is a good thing. "Finally" is an interesting choice of wording for something which comes out a few weeks later than expected, though. I think "finally" should be reserved for, for example, Microsoft adding Zune support for the Mac if and when it happens.
Logjamming
on Jan 19, 2010
@ bdegrande Don't worry: this is a hallmark of Paul's writing. He can give any negative Microsoft news a positive twist.. - Hey, the Zune has a better screen than the iPhone (only when your indoors; try to use it in day light) - Hey, WinMobile 6.5 isn't so bad and wait for W7 Mobile: this will blow your socks off! - Hey, our MS CEO isn't even in the top 100 of best-performing CEOs in the world, but Harvard Business Review is just another Apple ghostwriter in the sky. Alternatively, he does not write about it. - Hey, the 62% install bug in W7: it only affects a small proportion of users - Hey, having to pay 20 bucks for a free W7-upgrade: it's only 20 bucks. - Hey, German and French government advising its citizens not to use IE: hey, that's no big deal either It all boils down to one conclusion. Paul is paid by Microsoft. Which is a hallmark of Microsoft: don't innovate and develop, but buy out companies. Which is why they were under FBI investigation and which is why they are under EU investigation.
Grannyville
on Jan 19, 2010
@rr0de74 I chose Boot Camp over a VM solution when it came to installing Windows on my laptop because I found using VirtualBox killed my battery life to around 2 hours hours. Whereas, Boot Camp gave me around 4-5 hours of battery life.
Grannyville
on Jan 19, 2010
Also, I hope there is an improved sound driver for Windows 7. The sound on my Windows partition is very quiet, even when I set the volume to its highest setting.
fishyuk
on Jan 19, 2010
Arrghh. Was really looking forward to this for the volume as per others. Install fails silently everytime (tried various admin settings etc. Looking on the MacRumors forum someone got it working by first uninstalling Live Mesh but I'd rather not if I can avoid it. Anyone else had this issue? (x32 7 is OS on Macbook Pro 2009)
bkvalheim
on Jan 20, 2010
Finally? Eventually? Wow.....Paul, you just can't go a second without digging Apple now can you? Sad.
rr0de74@live.com
on Jan 20, 2010
When I tried boot camp 3.0 it worked fine. In fact once on the Windows side I just go to the vendors, say nividia and their latest drivers. You cant do that for all of the hardware because some of it is Apple specific like the glass trackpad or maybe the isight. But on something like a Mac Mini, it would be quite easy to get vendor drivers. If you are savvy enough boot camp (dual boot and all) you be savvy enough to find the latest drives with out Apples help. I still say if you are like me and only need a single Windows app or a few then a VM solution is a better choice. Especially if you use a Mac at work and home and that single Windows app is only needed while at work. Gaming is best on a console IMHO, has been for about 4 years or more.
tayme
on Jan 20, 2010
@Logjamming - How is that new blog of yours coming along? I am waiting patiently for a link so that I can read all of the things that you feel that Paul should be responsible for posting and doesn't. Another thought...I believe that Penton will tell Paul when he needs to change his blogging style. You should send them some suggestions. They just might hire you as a blogger! --tayme
chuckb84
on Jan 20, 2010
I agree that a VM solution is better than Boot camp. Most Mac users need one or two WIndows apps that aren't performance limited by a VM solution, and dual booting between any two OS's is annoying. The gaming caveat is a minor point. As Paul has pointed out, the overwhelming majority of gamers are now on consoles anyway. So, Apple "finally" and "eventually" got around to this update, a shocking---shocking---19 days after they said they would. Microsoft should be so lucky as to have similar "problems" with deadlines. Longhorn, anyone?
roteague
on Jan 20, 2010
@Logjamming - is a jerk.
Waethorn
on Jan 20, 2010
Any support for UEFI yet? Oh that's right. Apple prefers to keep to proprietary technology.
gfryesc1
on Jan 20, 2010
non-story for me. why would anyone want to run Windows on a Mac?
Waethorn
on Jan 20, 2010
"why would anyone want to run Windows on a Mac?" Cuz that's the only thing it's good for.
Grannyville
on Jan 20, 2010
@gfryesc1 I run Windows on my MacBook Pro. It's my preferred OS of choice. But I won't deny that OS X is a very good OS also.
EricoF3
on Jan 20, 2010
@Logjamming : silly, fumiste, connard, let's go and continue your intellectual masturbation ... Logjamming probably thing to the Apple logo when he masturbate himself intellectually... lol
EricoF3
on Jan 20, 2010
gfryesc1 said: "non-story for me. why would anyone want to run Windows on a Mac?" Because this is the only OS that run correctly on this kind of machine!! Ho you mean running Mac OSX? Ho! nooop, not seriously? lol...
rr0de74@live.com
on Jan 20, 2010
Yeah Office 2010 was originally scheduled to ship at the same time as Exchange 2010, then Jan....now?????? My company is waiting to deploy Office 2010 as we are on 2003 now.
rr0de74@live.com
on Jan 20, 2010
@Erica your english is so bad that whatever point you were trying to make, gets lost as my eyes bleed trying to read that stuff.
gfryesc1
on Jan 20, 2010
erico, you are largely incoherent and I suspect a juvenile bore in multiple languages, but it appears you have a request for more information so here it is: if apple has a tax, why would anyone overpay twice in order to run windows on it? once for the hardware and secondly for an OS that isn't used.
rr0de74@live.com
on Jan 20, 2010
OT this is funny. Go here.... http://www.bing-vs-google.com search on MSE (as in Microsoft Security essentials.) The results show you why Windows Mobile 7 will fall short.
Waethorn
on Jan 20, 2010
"The results show you why Windows Mobile 7 will fall short." I guess you'll figure this is sabotage then: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2010/tc20100119_759795...
Waethorn
on Jan 20, 2010
@EricoF3: Just ignore them (or continue insulting them back). gfryesc is another troll that frequents ZDNet and Ed is tired of his antics to get people to stop reading him. Meanwhile, rr0de slams Microsoft every chance he gets, but continues to use Windows Live Hotmail. Good job boys. Mission Accomplished. You're Welcome America.
gfryesc1
on Jan 20, 2010
sure, I'm a troll, Waethorn... but so are you, so is Paul, so is Special Ed, so is Erico [albeit a handicapped one]. What do you think a 'critic' is? It's someone that nags someone else over their product or point of view. So take a step back from your high horse, buddy, you are no better at all and in fact may be worse because you're a hypocrite to boot.
rr0de74@live.com
on Jan 20, 2010
@wae....if that happens its Apple getting back at Google. MS is just a pawn they will use to get back at each other:) Apple did buy some mapping company recently I bet the replace Google maps down the road as well.
Elmer (not verified)
on Dec 6, 2012

If you are savvy enough boot camp (dual boot and all) you be savvy enough to find the latest drives with out Apples help. I still say if you are like me and only need a single Windows app or a few then a VM solution is a better choice.

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