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- 2006.03.23 - Tip Jar
When Apple released the first of its Intel-based Macs, there was immediate interest in running Windows on them - not necessarily to replace Mac OS X, but as an additional option, allowing Macintel owners to run software (like Microsoft Access database) that doesn't have Mac equivalents without performance-sapping workarounds like Virtual PC (which isn't available for the new Macs in any event).
There was an initial optimism; it ought to be easy. After all, these Mac models were using the same sort of Intel CPU as all millions of Windows systems. But as I pointed out in my January 24th article, Windows on Intel Macs? OS X on PCs? Don't Hold Your Breath, it was harder than it looked.
The Intel Macs use a new-generation startup called EFI Extensible Firmware Interface) rather than the PC-standard BIOS used on nearly all Windows systems. Windows XP (and earlier versions) has no built-in support for EFI.
In fact, while there was early hope that EFI would be supported in the upcoming Windows Vista operating system, Microsoft recently announced that only 64-bit versions of Vista would have EFI support.
The Intel Macs are 32-bit systems.
As it became clearer that getting Windows to work on the Intel Macs would be a challenge, Houston shipping broker Colin Nederkoorn decided to formalize the challenge. He offered what started off as a $100 reward and solicited donations to up the ante for the first demonstration of Windows running on a new Mac. Eventually nearly US$14,000 was donated to OnMac.net.
There were some conditions: Windows needed to coexist with the Mac OS, the two operating systems must not interfere with one another, and upon boot up, a user would need to be able to choose between the two operating systems.
On March 16th, two Bay Area software developers, Jesus Lopez and Eric Wasserman, won the prize. (Lopez says he never owned a Mac before buying one to work on the challenge).
Details of the steps necessary to create a dual-boot system have been released and are available for download from OnMac.net. They have been open-sourced, allowing the developer community to improve on them.
I haven't tested them, but while they appear do-able, they're not for the faint of heart. As a first step, they require setting up separate partitions on the Mac's hard drive for OS X and Windows. Using Disk Utility on the OS X install CD, this would require nuking your current OS X installation and all the hard drive contents. An EFI bootloader is included in the download.
Apparently, when the grey screen with the Apple logo appears at the beginning of startup, this process allows a user to press the down-arrow; that brings up a Windows logo on the grey background. Pressing enter confirms the choice of Windows, and bootup continues to the Windows XP system.
The solution has been demonstrated working on 17" versions of the Intel iMac, the new Intel Mac mini models, and the MacBook Pro.
Nederkoorn is hoping that the open-source development will help it
evolve into something that's easier to apply for nontechnical
computer users. 
Alan Zisman is Mac-using teacher and technology writer based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Many of his articles are available on his website, www.zisman.ca. If you find Alan's articles helpful, please consider making a donation to his tip jar.
Recent Columns by Alan Zisman
- SanDisk Sansa Clip a low cost alternative to iPods for Mac users, 07.01. There's no video or photo support, but the Sansa Clip works with MP3 files and includes an FM radio and a microphone.
- Leopard makes it easy to share your Mac's screen locally and over the Internet, 06.30. Mac OS X 10.5 makes it easier to remotely access a Mac's screen on a network or over the Internet with more options than ever before.
- SheepShaver brings Classic Mac OS to Intel Macs and Leopard, 05.20. Mac OS X 10.5 doesn't support Classic Mode. Neither does Leopard. But SheepShaver lets you emulate a PowerPC Mac and run the Classic Mac OS.
- More in the Mac 2 Windows index.
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- Mac Pro overclocking, Windependence with Darwine, Blu-ray for Macs, and more, Mac News Review, 07.04. Also more on running Leopard on non-Apple hardware, Ubuntu on a Mac mini, the first autofocus webcam with Zeiss optics for Macs, and more.
- Wouldn't life be great with an iSlate?, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 07.04. PDAs and smartphones are too small for some tasks, full-fledged Tablet PCs are overkill, and ebook readers are too limited. Apple has the tech to own this niche.
- Mac of the Day: 'WallStreet' PowerBook G3, May 1998 - WallStreet offered 3 screen sizes and CPU speeds from 233 to 292 MHz.
- List of the Day: System 6 is the email list for those who choose System 6.
- The Macintosh Portable started a notebook revolution, Carl Nygren, Classic Macs in the Intel Age, 07.03. Before Apple introduced the Mac Portable, notebook computers were text-based and ran MS-DOS. Ever since, graphical interfaces have been the norm for laptops.
- More links in our archive.
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