After you’ve installed Windows XP on your Mac via Boot Camp, you can start up under Windows and your Mac will behave (mostly) just like a PC designed to run Windows. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to choose which OS you want to use during the startup process and how to set a default OS. You’ll also learn how to perform some basic Windows XP configuration tasks. This chapter also includes some information about how running Windows on a Mac is different from running Windows on a PC designed to run it.
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This chapter is based on Windows XP Home Edition. There are some slight differences between that version and the Professional version. Fortunately, for the topics of this chapter, these differences aren’t significant and you don’t need to worry if you see a slightly different screen than those in this chapter’s figures.
Starting a Mac up in Windows XP is straightforward, as the following steps show:
If you configured more than one Windows user account during the installation process, you’ll see the Login screen. If you configured only one user account, you’ll be logged in to that account automatically.
Figure 2.1 Is this a Mac or a Windows PC? (It’s a MacBook.)
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Soon after the Windows desktop appears, you’ll see a warning that the computer isn’t protected from viruses. Click the x to close the warning for now; you’ll learn how to protect Windows later. You’ll also be prompted to take a tour of Windows XP. If you’ve not used Windows XP before, this can be helpful, although you’ll also get a mini-tour of Windows a little later in this chapter.
As soon as you start using Windows, you’ll want to install the Mac drivers from the CD you created during the setup process you ran using the Boot Camp Assistant. These drivers will make Mac hardware more compatible with the Windows OS. Install these drivers with the following steps:
Figure 2.2 Use the My Computer window to access the drives and other devices available to Windows.
The Windows Found New Hardware Wizard dialog box might also appear at various times during the process. Complete steps 8–11 to work through all Windows Found New Hardware Wizard dialog boxes that appear.
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As mentioned in the introduction, this book won’t teach you how to use Windows. I’ve assumed that you’ve used Windows to some extent, or have at least seen it a couple of times, and know something about it. Although the steps I provide for specific tasks will work whether or not you understand Windows, I don’t attempt to explain how Windows is organized, the differences between it and Mac OS X, and so on. If you’ve never seen or used Windows before, you should consider taking the Windows XP tour or getting a book on the Windows OS. Although it works similarly to Mac OS X, there are many differences, too. If you have at least a passing familiarity with Windows XP, you’ll find the information you need to get it running on your Mac.
Just like Mac OS X, Windows XP enables you to configure many different aspects of the operating system to suit your preferences. In this section, you’ll learn how to perform some basic configuration tasks to tweak Windows on your Mac.
If you used versions of Mac OS prior to Mac OS X, you might recall the control panels that you used to configure the operating system. Windows adopted and still uses that model, so if you can remember that far back, working with the Windows Control Panel will come easily. If you’ve used Mac OS X’s System Preferences application, the Windows Control Panel will also seem familiar.
To open and configure the Control Panel, do the following:
Figure 2.3 The Windows Control Panel (shown here in Classic view) provides access to tools you can use to configure Windows XP.
Figure 2.4 Here is the User Accounts control panel that enables you to configure Windows XP user accounts.
In the following sections, you’ll learn about some of the more important control panels that you are likely to need to use. These sections don’t cover all the Windows control panels, and some control panels are covered in other chapters. (For example, the Internet Properties control panel is covered in Chapter 3, “Networking and Connecting to the Internet Using Windows”).
Despite its name, the Add or Remove Programs control panel is typically used more frequently to remove applications installed under Windows than it is to install them. That’s because most Windows applications come with an installer application that installs the application for you so that you don’t need to use the control panel to do so. However, you should always use this control panel to remove applications from Windows. When most Windows applications are installed, multiple files are installed in various locations and changes to the underlying operating system code are made. Using the remove function of this control panel will give you the best chance for uninstalling an application, removing its associated files, and undoing system changes that were made when the application was installed.
When you open the Add or Remove Programs control panel, it will generate a list of all the applications installed under Windows and present them in the Currently Installed Programs section of the panel (see Figure 2.5).
Figure 2.5 There aren’t too many Windows applications installed on this Mac yet.
Along the left side of the panel are buttons that change the mode in which the panel is operating. These are as follows:
Figure 2.6 The Custom option enables you to customize your default Windows applications.
To remove an application, select the Change or Remove Programs button in the left side of the Add or Remove Programs window. Then select the application you want to remove. Information about your usage of that application will appear on the right side of the window along with the date on which you installed it. To remove it, click Remove. The appropriate uninstaller will launch and, hopefully, will remove the application and all of its components.
As you explore Windows, you’ll probably add quite a few applications to it. Remember to periodically visit this control panel and remove any applications that you don’t use. It’s likely that your Windows disk partition will be relatively small and removing applications you don’t use will help you avoid running out of room.
Windows is subject to constant attacks of various kinds. Microsoft regularly releases updates to Windows, most of which are to correct a security problem. Use the Automatic Updates control panel to configure how you want to handle these updates. When you open the Automatic Updates control panel, you’ll see the following choices (see Figure 2.7):
Figure 2.7 You should use one of the automatic update options to keep your Windows software current.
For any of the automatic options to work, your Windows system must be able to connect to the Internet. I recommend you not set that up until you’ve configured appropriate protection for it, which is explained in the next chapter.
Like the Mac, Windows has a date and time function that enables you to manually set the date and time or configure Windows to use a network time server. When you open the control panel, you’ll see three tabs (see Figure 2.8).
Figure 2.8 Use the Date and Time Properties control panel to set your Windows’ calendar and clock.
Use the Date & Time tab to manually configure the Windows date and time settings; the controls on this tab are straightforward.
Use the Time Zone tab to select your time zone by choosing it on the drop-down list; you can use the check box to turn off Daylight Saving Time if your location doesn’t use it.
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If you switch between the Mac OS and Windows frequently, you’ll definitely want to use the time server option. Each time you switch the OS, Windows will lose its time and date setting. If you use the time server option, it should correct its time and date for you automatically each time you move back into Windows.
Use the Internet Time tab to configure Windows to use an Internet time server. Check the Automatically Synchronize with an Internet Time Server check box. Then choose a time server on the drop-down list (the time.windows.com server is selected by default and will work for most people). Click the Update Now button to set the current date and time based on the server you selected. Of course, Windows must be able to connect to the Internet for this to work. You can configure this now and after you’ve connected your Windows system to the Internet, the date and time will be set for you.
After you made your changes, click OK to save them and close the control panel.
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Many control panels have Apply and OK buttons. Apply saves any changes you have made and immediately applies them. OK does those things too, but it also closes the control panel. So, click Apply when you want to make changes immediately, but also want to continue working with the control panel. Click OK if you are done working in the panel and are ready to close it.
The Windows Display Properties control panel enables you to configure various display settings, including resolution, desktop picture, and so on (see Figure 2.9).
Figure 2.9 The Settings tab of the Display Properties control panel enables you configure the display’s resolution.
The Display control panel has the following tabs:
If the screen saver doesn’t work with the hardware you are using, be careful if you leave Windows running for long periods of time. Leaving a static image displayed for a long time can damage some kinds of displays. Also, if you are using a MacBook or MacBook Pro, leaving the display active at all times can consume lots of power. If you are using a mobile Mac, you can close the lid to put the system to sleep when you aren’t using it. If you are using a desktop Mac, you might need to manually activate the screen saver by clicking the Preview button on the Screen Saver tab.
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The Settings tab will often display a “mystery” display that isn’t connected to your computer (for example, Figure 2.10 was taken on a MacBook using only its built-in display). This can occur when there is more than one driver for the same display or video card and for other, less sensible reasons. You can safely ignore these phantom displays, although they can make working with multiple displays under Windows more difficult than it should be.
The Keyboard Properties control panel enables you to set basic properties of the keyboard you are using, such as repeat delay, repeat rate, and the cursor blink rate. Use the respective sliders to configure these properties of the keyboard you are using.
The Mouse Properties control panel also has a number of tabs, which are as follows (see Figure 2.10):
Figure 2.10 Does configuring a mouse really need to be this complicated?
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Windows is designed to use a two- (or more) button mouse, so you should definitely use one when you work with it. Of course, you get the most from Mac OS X with at least two buttons on a mouse, but many Mac fans aren’t big fans of Apple’s Mighty Mouse. If you use a MacBook or MacBook Pro, you’ll also want to have a mouse handy most of the time because their trackpads have limited functionality under Windows.
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The trackpads on MacBooks and MacBook Pros don’t have the “extra” functionality under Windows that they do under Mac OS X. Although you can move the pointer and click the button, you can’t do the other functions you might be used to, such as double-clicking the trackpad, scrolling with it, and so on.
The Power Options Properties control panel enables you to configure the energy settings for Windows, such as when the display shuts down, when hard disks power down, and when the system goes into standby. However, because these functions are so closely tied to the hardware on which Windows is running, whether or not these functions work depends on the Mac you are using and the version of Boot Camp you are running.
To experiment with these settings, open the Power Schemes tab and use the drop-down lists to configure the times at which you want the monitor to turn off, the hard disks to shut down, and the system to go into standby (called sleep on the Mac).
Let the system sit idle for the shortest time you configured. If the appropriate action occurs, such as the display shutting down, you can configure the rest of the settings. If it doesn’t occur, you’ll probably have to manage power manually.
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You can put a MacBook or MacBook Pro to sleep by closing its lid. When you open the lid and the system wakes up, you’ll need to log in to Windows again, but when you do, you’ll be back where you left off. Depending on how you are using Windows, such as being connected to network drives, unexpected results can occur when you shut your Mac’s lid. It’s a good idea to save all your open files before you do so.
The Sounds and Audio Devices Properties control panel enables you to configure various audio settings (see Figure 2.11).
Figure 2.11 The Volume tab of the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties control panel enables you to set the current volume level and to choose a speaker configuration.
The tabs of this control panel are as follows:
The Windows taskbar is a very important element of the OS because it provides information to you as well as enabling you to control the system by choosing files or applications to open, managing open applications, and so on. The Start menu is also important because you can use it to quickly navigate to just about anything on the Windows partition of the computer. You can configure various properties of these elements with the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties control panel (see Figure 2.12).
Figure 2.12 Use the Taskbar tab of the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties control panel to determine how your Windows taskbar looks and works.
The Windows taskbar is similar to Mac OS X’s Dock in some ways, such as being able to use it to manage open applications, launch applications and documents quickly, and so on.
On the Taskbar tab, you’ll find the following options:
Use the Start Menu tab to customize your Start menu. There are two basic options. Click the Start Menu radio button to use the standard XP Start menu. Click the Classic Start Menu radio button to use the Start menu from older versions of Windows. After you’ve selected a Start menu configuration, use the Customize button to configure it. For example, you can choose specific applications (such as your web browser) and folders to include on the menu.
Like Mac OS X, Windows XP supports multiple user accounts. When you installed Windows, you created at least one user account. Access the User Accounts control panel to set up more user accounts and to configure the user accounts that have been created (see Figure 2.13). For example, you can click the Create a New Account link to create new user accounts. Or, you can click the Change an Account link to reconfigure an existing account. Most user account tasks are accomplished by clicking the link for the action you want to complete and then filling in any required information.
Figure 2.13 If you’ll be sharing Windows on your Mac, you can create multiple user accounts for others to use.
Like most software companies, Microsoft is very concerned with piracy and has taken steps to try to prevent people who haven’t obtained Windows legitimately from using it. One of the steps that Microsoft has implemented in Windows is activation. During activation, a unique identifier is created for your Windows installation based on your Windows product key and the hardware you are using. This identifier is required to run Windows after it has been installed on a computer for 30 days. When you activate a computer, this identifier is transmitted to Microsoft. Should this same identifier be provided during a different activation session, the activation would be denied and the copy of Windows could not be used.
As you work with a new Windows installation, you’ll be prompted to activate it. You’ll also see a countdown toward the 30-day activation deadline. Until you reach 30 days after the installation date, activation won’t affect your use of Windows except for the regular prompts you’ll see. After 30 days, you’ll have to activate Windows to be able to use it.
After you’ve activated Windows on a specific computer, you won’t be able to use it on a different computer (which is the whole point). To do so, you’ll probably have to call Microsoft to have the original activation disabled (which means you won’t be able to use Windows on the original computer on which you installed it).
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Because activation is based on a specific piece of hardware, you don’t need to worry about it preventing you from reinstalling Windows on the same computer. You can reinstall Windows on the same Mac as many times as you’d like. Activation will affect only the installation of Windows on a different computer on which a specific copy was activated.
Because of this, I recommend that you don’t activate Windows until you must to keep it running. This will give you 30 days to use it and make sure that you’ve set it up on the Mac on which you’ll want to run it over the long run.
When the 30-day grace period is close to expiring, the easiest way to activate Windows is via the Internet (you shouldn’t enable an Internet connection until you’ve followed the security measures explained in the next chapter).
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If you are going to try the virtualization option explained in Part II, “Running Windows on a Mac Using a Virtual Machine,” which you should try, don’t activate Windows until you’re sure which method you’ll end up using. The activation process treats each Windows environment as unique, so you can only activate one of them: either the Boot Camp environment or the virtual Windows environment. If you want to activate both, you’ll need to purchase a second license for Windows.
After you’ve protected your Windows installation and established a connection to the Internet, you can activate your copy of Windows by choosing Start menu, All Programs, Activate Windows. The Activation Wizard will appear. Choose the Yes, Let’s Activate Windows over the Internet Now radio button and click Next. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the activation process.
Although running a Windows on a Mac via Boot Camp enables you to run most of the Windows applications you’ll want to use, there are some differences between running Windows on a Mac and on a PC designed for Windows. These differences include the following:
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Interestingly, Windows does recognize a built-in iSight camera as a device. You will only be able to use it after you’ve installed the drivers on the CD you created. If your Mac has one of these, you’ll see it in the My Computer window; open to use it.
The Mac’s Option key is roughly the same as the Windows Alt key. For example, you can activate most Windows menu commands by pressing the Alt key and then the first letter of the menu name. The menu will open and you can press the activation key which is underlined in the command’s name (usually the first letter of a command’s name) to select it. This works for Windows on a Mac, but you press the Option key which is also labeled as the Alt key.
The Mac’s key is analogous to the Windows key on a PC. When you press it, the Start menu will open when you are viewing the Windows desktop and you can use the Arrow and Return key to make selections.
The Mac’s Ctrl key mostly maps to the Windows Ctrl key. However, the Windows Ctrl key is analogous to the Mac’s key. For example, to save a document in an application under Windows, you’d press Ctrl+S instead of +S as you do under Mac OS X.
Being able to run Windows on a Mac is great, but the reason we have Macs is to run the Mac OS. To get back to where you belong, do the following steps:
Press the key, and then Up arrow key, and then the Return key to get to the Turn Off Computer dialog box using only keys.
Figure 2.14 Ah, back home again.
You’re probably going to prefer one operating system over the other. And because you’re reading this, I’m guessing that will be the Mac OS. But, you might need to run Windows more frequently for one reason or another. In any case, you can set the default OS that you want your Mac to use. (You can always override this setting by holding the Option key down when your Mac is starting up and choosing a different system.)
Use the Startup Disk pane of the System Preferences application to configure your default OS:
Figure 2.15 Mac OS X or Windows as the default OS—you make the call.
When you install Windows on a Mac, one control panel is added to Windows that isn’t there when you install Windows on a Windows PC. This is the Startup Disk control panel, which is the equivalent of the Startup Disk pane of the Mac’s System Preferences application.
To select a default OS under Windows, perform the following steps:
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