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Overall Windows on Mac Experience?

#1 User is offline   cm03d Icon

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Posted 10 August 2006 - 01:05 PM

Hey guys, I'm gettign ready to buy a Mac Pro soon and have been looking forward playing some games. I was just wondering how everyone's experience using Windows has been? I have a TiBook and use a windows desktop at work but I'm just curious how well the dual boot system works.
Most everyone has said that Windows via Boot Camp runs, "exactly the same as on a PC," but then I've heard about lots of little problems users have been running into.
I should mention that I only plan on using windows for booting my games but am wondering about drivers, peripherals, etc. Thoughts?
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#2 User is offline   griffman Icon

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Posted 10 August 2006 - 03:11 PM

It's Windows. It works as well (or as not well) as Windows does. The OS doesn't know you're using Apple hardware.
I've run it on a mini and a MacBook, without any (Apple-attributable) errors of any sort.
-rob.

#3 User is offline   NWCP Icon

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Posted 11 August 2006 - 12:31 AM

As previously stated...it's Windows and has all the inherent Windows problems. What few issues are currently present will be addressed in OS 10.5 we hope. I don't game on my MacBook Pro, but it should work every bit as well as an IBM clone on XP.
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#4 User is offline   orthocross Icon

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Posted 14 August 2006 - 07:15 PM

Quote:

Hey guys, I'm gettign ready to buy a Mac Pro soon and have been looking forward playing some games. I was just wondering how everyone's experience using Windows has been? I have a TiBook and use a windows desktop at work but I'm just curious how well the dual boot system works.
Most everyone has said that Windows via Boot Camp runs, "exactly the same as on a PC," but then I've heard about lots of little problems users have been running into.
I should mention that I only plan on using windows for booting my games but am wondering about drivers, peripherals, etc. Thoughts?


XP runs even better an an Intel Mac than it does on a "normal" Wintel machine.
XP is an EXCELLENT game OS, and with the excellent Apple Intel platform, it is even better. The only Apple devices which will not work are:
a) The Apple iSight camera installed in MacBooks and Intel iMacs
b) The Apple Remote
c) Very poor Bluetooth performance
c) The Apple "Eject" key on Apple keyboards until the Apple Windows Drivers for Boot Camp are installed.
d) Lack of "Crtl-Alt-Delete" to restart Windows. This is actually not necessary unless Windows crashes in such a way that the mouse becomes unresponsive. All that is necessary is to right-click on the Taskbar, and select TaskManager from the popup menu. Of course, if one has only the original Apple mouse, this will not be an option. So I advise you to purchase a cheap USB mouse for Windows (These are VERY cheap, but EXCELLENT mice), or the more expensive Apple Mighty-mouse, which does contain right-click functions. In the case of a total lockup of Windows, it's probably better to turn the Apple off using the off key, anyway, since if Windows locks up this tight, that's the only way to get back. Turn it off, wait a few seconds (maybe 15-30 seconds), then turn it back on. You MIGHT lose data that way, but usually not. Windows will probably give you an option to restart safely, anyway. Or (most usually) restart normally.
Make sure you get a good burn of the Apple Windows Drivers for Boot Camp, and install them immediately after installing XP. No other devices need to have drivers installed, other than external devices such as HDDs, printers, and various Windows USB devices. USB mice and keyboard support is built into XP SP2, just as it is in OS X. Drivers will not be necessary for normal USB mice and keyboards, unless they have extra functions.

All problems people have been having were caused by:
1) Unfamiliarity with the XP platform
2) Pure ignorance
3) Pride
4) Failure to follow Apple's instructions step by step, WITHOUT "tweaking" them in ANY way (see 2&3 above)
5) Pirated Windows software
6) Incorrectly slipstreamed XP SP2 disks
7) Trying to use your old Windows 9x discs.
8) Pure "idiocy".
9) Trying to use unsupported Windows devices and software
10) Failing to update Windows as required
11)Failing to use Windows Firewall before going online for the first time. (for instance, currently, a new XP installation is almost guaranteed to become infected by a Network Virus within 20 minutes, if a good quality firewall is not installed immediately. (better learn what a "Network Virus" is if you plan on running XP on your Intel Mac). A good sight to learn about Windows Security is http://www.wilderssecurity.com. Many experts post on their forums, and you can usually get good advice there.

12)Failing to use a good-quality antivirus package and keeping it updated. Good quality AV (latest version) packages I suggest:
a) Eset's Nod32 Antivirus (http://www.nod32.com)
b) TrendMicro PC-Cillan Internet Security (http://www.trendmicro.com)
c) BitDefender (http://www.bitdefender.com)
d) Kaspersky Antivirus (or its Internet Security suite). This is an excellent "all-in-one" solution. And very cheap. http://www.kaspersky.com
There are several others. Do NOT use "Stop Sign" under ANY circumstances! This product is a RIPOFF!!
12)Using Symantec Antivirus products
13)Failing to keep their Antivirus package updated on a daily basis
14)Visiting "bad" websites, such as Porn sites, sites behind the former Iron Curtain (except htt://www.kaspersky.com), visiting "dangerous" sites, such as Warez sites, using a P2P client, using BitTorrents.
15) Failing to use malware protection, such as Windows Defender, Ad-Aware, etc.
I suggest one use an "all-in-one suite", such as TrendMicro's, or Kaspersky's.
I've used Windows since 3.0, and have only gotten infected ONCE, because I clicked on a BAD link, whichy caused my browser to be hijacked.
Some suggestions:
a) Never open UNSOLICITED email in Windows (delete it IMMEDIATELY), ESPECIALLY from sites you don't trust.
b) NEVER open email in Windows, UNLESS you are SURE of the souce. This includes FAMILY and FRIENDS, ESPECIALLY if such email contains attachmens of ANY KIND!!! I know it's really a huge temptation to open an email containing a subject such as "See the big boobs of so and so! Click on this!!!". Do NOT fall into such temptations under ANY circumstances. If you don' know, it costs almost nothing to pick up a phone and CALL your friends and family and ASK them about the email. If they answer "no, i did NOT sent that, DON'T OPEN IT, and DON'T click on any links inside if you do. This is called "human engineering", and the senders COUNT on the lower natures of humanity to infect Millions of otherwise innocent individuals.
c) ALWAYS use an Antivirus package which supports real-time scanning of email.
d) Microsoft NEVER sends out UPDATES via email. Get that DEEPLY Ingrained into your memory. Microsoft NEVER sends out updates via email. ALL such email containing attachments of ANY kind purporting to be updates from Microsoft are SURE to be infected by viruses, Trojans, or other malware. These emails, no matter HOW authentic they may look, are NOT from Microsoft, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Do NOT, and I repeat DO NOT open these emails. Delete them IMMEDIATELY!!! And DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT SAVE any attachments contained in these emails, nor LAUNCH them. Bad, BAD, BAD!!!
I'm sorry for being so insistant, but this is probably the single-most important thing a Mac user can know about using email in Windows.
Actually, Windows can be as safe as you want it, IF you're willing to expend the necessary energy. If you're lazy, it will soon become a living nightmare.
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#5 User is offline   dmainzman Icon

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Posted 15 August 2006 - 02:13 AM

My boot camp side works just as wonderfully as my old PC did for years (and by wonderfully, I mean horribly, because... it's Windows... but I guess by wonderfully, I mean... functionally.... when it's not screwing me over in some microsofty way...)
But to be completely honest, I have gotten a few more BSoD's on my boot camp than on my old PC. This is either due to some of Apple's drivers for the hardware on windows being less than perfect, or to my copy of Windows... My new boot camp copy is XP Pro, whereas my old PC ran XP home. And in my experience, XP pro gets more BSoD's than home for some reason...
On the other hand, XP home just tends to freeze up, rather than blue-out...
But anyway... definitely great for any use, especially gaming. I'm not master gamer who's liable to kill myself if my game drops below 30 frames per second, but I do like to play GTA quite often, and boot camp has done so quite well for me.
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