If you have an Intel-based Mac computer, you can install and run Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or later), Windows Vista, or Windows 7 on your computer. All you need is Boot Camp Assistant, related drivers, and your Microsoft Windows installation disc.

The Boot Camp Assistant helps you set up a Windows partition on your computer’s hard drive and then start the Windows operating system installation. After you complete the initial installation, you need to install Boot Camp drivers to complete the installation and start your Mac in either Windows or Mac OS X. The Boot Camp drivers, available on your Mac OS X Snow Leopard installation disc, allow you to use your Apple keyboard to emulate a standard PC keyboard, an Apple Remote (if your computer is equipped with one) to control iTunes and Windows Media, Bluetooth wireless devices, an iSight camera, and AirPort wireless network connectivity, and change brightness and contrast controls for built-in displays. After you finish the Windows installation and Boot Camp driver update, you can use Windows on your Mac.

If you no longer want to run Microsoft Windows on your Mac computer, you can remove it using Boot Camp Assistant. When you remove Windows, the Boot Camp Assistant removes the Windows software and restores your hard disk back to a single partition.

Before you can install Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or later), Windows Vista, or Windows 7 on your Mac, you need to meet the minimum hardware requirement for your Mac, create a partition on your hard disk for the Windows software, and have a single-full Windows (32-bit version) installation disc. You can use the About This Mac command on the Apple menu to check your hardware configuration and Boot Camp Assistant to create a partition for the Windows software. Before you install Windows on your Mac computer, it’s critical to make a back up of the important files on your computer; better safe than sorry.

After you create a partition on your Mac computer for the Windows software, you can start the Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or later), Windows Vista, or Windows 7 installation on your Mac with a single-full Windows (32-bit version) installation disc. During the Windows installation, you need to reformat the new Windows partition, so you can boot (startup) from Windows. You can reformat the Windows partition with the NTFS (XP, Vista, or 7) or FAT (XP only) format. NTFS provides reliability and security, while FAT provides compatibility, which allows you to read and write file on the Windows partition from Mac OS X. After you complete the Windows installation, you need to update Boot Camp drivers on your Mac computer, which are available on your Mac OS X Snow Leopard installation disc, to install Mac-specific drivers for graphics, networking, audio, AirPort wireless connectivity, Bluetooth, iSight camera, Apple keyboards, Apple Remote, and brightness control for built-in displays.

After you install Microsoft Windows and Boot Camp drivers, you can start up your Mac computer in either Mac OS X or Windows. You can set the default operating system you want to use on a regular basis using Startup Disk preferences on the Mac or the Boot Camp Control Panel on Windows, and then use quick controls to directly restart your computer in the other operating system or select an operating system while starting your Mac computer.

After you finish the Windows installation and Boot Camp driver update, you can use Windows on your Mac. The Boot Camp drivers allow you to use your Apple keyboard to emulate a standard PC keyboard, use function keys, eject discs using the Eject key on the keyboard, change the volume using the Volume Down or Up keys, right-click using an Apple Mighty Mouse or trackpad, use an Apple Remote (if your computer is equipped with one) to control iTunes and Windows Media, use Bluetooth wireless devices, attach and use an iSight camera, and connect to a wireless network using AirPort. In addition, you can work with files between your Mac OS X and Windows disks. Due to HFS+ support, you can now access files (read-only) on your Mac from Windows (New!) for review or save with a different name to make changes.

Use Windows on a Mac

• Disable remote control. In Windows, click the Boot Camp icon in the notification area, and then click Boot Camp Control Panel, click the Remote tab, select the Disable remote control infrared receiver check box, and then click OK.

  

• Pair or Unpair a remote control. A Mac computer can only use one remote at a time. Use a remote, you need to pair it with the computer. Hold the remote close to the computer (3 to 4 inches) and point the remote at the front, press and hold down Menu and Next buttons on the remote for 5 seconds until a chain link symbol appears.

  If you want to change remotes, you need to unpair the current one first. In Windows, click the Boot Camp icon in the notification area, and then click Boot Camp Control Panel, click the Remote tab, click Unpair, and then click OK.

• Restart after a power failure. In Windows, click the Boot Camp icon in the notification area, and then click Boot Camp Control Panel, click the Power tab, select the Restart automatically after a power failure check box, and then click OK.

  

• Use a Bluetooth Device. In order to use a Bluetooth wireless device with Windows, you need to pair the device with your computer.

  In Windows, open the Bluetooth Devices control panel, click the Devices tab, click Add, and then follow the wizard instructions.

  Use the following numeric passkeys: Wireless Mighty Mouse, enter four zeros: 0000. Apple Wireless keyboard, enter six to sixteen digits.

• Copy Files Between Mac OS X and Windows. If you installed Windows XP on a partition formatted with FAT, you can open and save files on your Windows disk, or copy files between your Mac OS X disk and Windows disk.

  If you installed Windows XP, Vista, or 7 on a partition formatted with NTFS, you can open files on your Windows disk from Mac OS X, or copy files from Windows to Mac OS X. However, you cannot copy or save any files to the protected Windows disk.

  Important

  Windows files need extensions (for example, .doc) to identify the file type. Most programs come in both Mac and Windows versions, so there should be no problem there. If it’s a Mac only file type, you may need to convert it for Windows use.

• Use the Apple Keyboard with Windows. Refer to the table for specific keyboard commands you can use on your Apple keyboard to emulate a standard PC keyboard.

  You can also use the Eject key and Volume Down and Up keys on the Apple keyboard to perform commands not available on the standard PC keyboard.

Table . Apple Keyboard with Windows

PC Key Command	Apple External	Built-in Mac
Control+Alt+Delete	Control-Option-Delete	Control-Option-Delete
Alt	Option	Option
AltGr	Control-Option	Control-Option
Backspace	Delete	Delete
Delete	Delete	Fn-Delete
Enter	Return	Return
Enter (num keypad)	Enter	Enter
Insert	Help	Fn-Enter
Num lock	Clear	Fn-F6
Pause/Break	F16	Fn-Esc
Print Screen	F14	Fn-F11
Print active window	Option-F14	Option-Fn-F11
Scroll/Lock	F15	Fn-F12

If you no longer want to run Microsoft Windows on your Mac computer, you can remove it using Boot Camp Assistant. When you remove Windows, the Boot Camp Assistant removes the Windows software and restores your hard disk back to a single partition. All the information on the Windows partition is erased, so it’s critical to make a back up of the important files on your computer before you start the removal process.