how to switch between apple operating system and windows xp

douglastubbs · 08-03-2009 02:25PM #1

Hi all,
need advice on the new mac which our Dad got as present for Christmas. He go xp installed on it thinking that he could switch to the xp programs such as minitab and use the mac for pretty much every thing else. Unfortunately, all that can be done is that it starts up xp only and there does not appear to be an option to switch to Tiger/leopard which is annoying to say the least. We'll ask the installer tomorrow about how to access safari etc but if it is simply letting switching to Tiger can anyone let us know. Thanks,

anthony4335 · 08-03-2009 02:34PM

There is a boot option in the system pref ,and to do it while booting you just hold down the option key. Just download the bootcamp manual it will tell you all this

gowayouttadat · 08-03-2009 03:30PM

When you turn on the computer just keep the option button pressed and it'll give you the option to start using windows or mac os

Breezer · 08-03-2009 04:46PM

Hang on, is your "new Mac" running Tiger or Leopard? No new Mac should be running Tiger, Leopard is a year and a half old at this stage, and will itself be replaced sometime this year. Also, if the machine is running Tiger, then it is running a beta, unsupported version of Boot Camp (the software that lets you run Windows), and you won't be able to make any changes to Boot Camp without messing with your system's clock.

douglastubbs · 08-03-2009 05:25PM

Thanks for all the advice that got it working, I normally work with pc so the only thing I know about apples really is that the operating system is either called tiger or leopard so it must be leopard as the mac is the new 13inch version.
Thanks again

Breezer · 08-03-2009 10:50PM

Fair enough, just wanted to make sure you hadn't been scammed

Red Alert · 08-03-2009 10:54PM

You might want to give VMWare, Parallels (or the new VirtualBox from Sun which is free) a spin if he's only using XP for one or two applications. Much easier than rebooting.

BFassassin · 09-03-2009 07:46PM

Red Alert wrote: »

You might want to give VMWare, Parallels (or the new VirtualBox from Sun which is free) a spin if he's only using XP for one or two applications. Much easier than rebooting.

Can any of these programs be linked with windows already intalled via bootcamp?
I have a couple of programmes that I ue the odd time but dont have the instal cd's for them any more so cant install again.
Being able to switch os easily would be extremely usefull.
Thanks

Sad Professor · 09-03-2009 07:57PM

BFassassin wrote: »

Can any of these programs be linked with windows already intalled via bootcamp?

You mean use the existing Bootcamp installation of Windows? Yes, Parallels and VMWare can do this. I'd recommend VMWare btw.

BFassassin · 09-03-2009 08:14PM

Yeah thats what I meant

Thanks

how to switch between apple operating system and windows xp

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