How To Use the Mac OS X Leopard Boot Camp

Did you know that Microsoft Windows can run on an Apple Mac? That is if the Mac has an Intel-based processor and the Boot Camp software installed. The Mac OS X version 10.5 Leopard comes with the Boot Camp software. If the version of Windows you have is compatible, then you can use it in your Mac. What you will end up with is two operating systems in just one computer.

Mac allows you to install the 32-bit Windows XP Home Edition or XP Professional. Or you can also install Windows Vista Home Basic or Premium, Vista Business or Vista Ultimate. The software should come with Service pack 2 or higher. Remember to use an original (non-pirated) copy of Windows.

Below are the instructions for using the Mac OS X version 10.5 Leopard Boot Camp.

* Safe guard your existing data. Before running the Boot Camp, you have to back up the data on your Mac. Even with advanced technology and easy set-up procedures, you will never know when a glitch happens. Better safe than without your precious data.
* Create a partition for Windows. The additional operating system, Microsoft Windows, will be located in a new partition. You need to create one using the Boot Camp Assistant. Quit any and all open applications on the computer. If there are other users that are logged on, log them out. You should be logged in as an administrator. Look for the Boot Camp Assistant. Go to Applications then Utilities. Follow the instructions for creating the new partition. A minimum of 5GB is required for the partition.
* Begin the installation process. In the Boot Camp Assistant, choose the Start Windows Installation option. Specify the disk where Windows will be installed before clicking Continue if your Mac is equipped with two internal disks. Place the Windows installation disk in the appropriate disk drive. Once the disk has been recognized, click on Start Installation to begin the process.
* Install Windows. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen which should be coming from the installation disk of Windows. You need to select the correct partition of the new operating system. Otherwise, you may inadvertently copy over the Mac OS. If you are using Windows XP, the partition should be “C: Partition3 [FAT32].” For Vista, choose “Disk 0 Partition 3 BOOTCAMP.”
* Format the Windows partition. You need to format the Windows partition so you can boot the computer using Windows. For Windows XP, choose either an NTFS format or FAT format. If you are using Windows Vista, click on the “Drive options (advanced)” selection. Click the Format option followed by the OK button. Click Next. The partition is now formatted with an NTFS format. If done correctly, the computer will restart using the Windows OS. If necessary, configure Windows using the setup screens.
* Install Mac drivers for Windows. Replace the Windows disk with the Mac OS X version 10.5 Leopard installation disk. The installer should automatically start. But if it doesn’t, locate the setup.exe file using Windows Explorer and run the said file. The installation is straight forward. Follow the instructions you see onscreen. If you are using Windows XP, after your Mac reboots, you need to complete the instructions under the Found New Hardware Wizard. This is done to update the software drivers.
You now have Windows XP or Vista running on your Mac computer with the help of the Mac OS X version 10.5 Leopard Boot Camp software. For more information, go to the Support page of the Apple website.