XP / Vista for a MacBook Pro, which one?

[magic torch]

So far managed to avoid owning anything with XP on it.

Time has come when I need to put it on my MacBook Pro.

But which one?

I'd like a free upgrade to Vista if possible. I'd also like an OEM one if I can meet the requirements. It seems the OEM stuff with a Vista upgrade, needs a certificate from an authorised system builder, so that won't work.

I normally buy my computer bits from ebuyer, and I live near Novatech. Any links gratefully received.

ETA: I'd like the professional version.

Thanks.

Edited by magic torch on Wednesday 10th January 15:35

[ThePassenger]

If you want Vista then best wait until next month, it's not technically released yet although Novatech are annoyingly selling 'Vista ready' PC's with XP.

Hate to say it but BootCamp or Vista's aleged ability to use erm... crud... EFI as opposed to BIOS.

Either way you're looking at, I'd guess £200 for the Pro of either OS if you don't buy parts however i'd wager buying one of their upgrade bundes (board, chip, ram) will quallify for the OEM stuff (assuming they sell them, I know they do MCE OEM but not seen XP Pro OEM advertised).

[magic torch]

Thanks.

I'm not fussed about Vista, but timing wise it makes sense, though I can't afford to wait a month.

Mrs Torch works in education, and I've still got my copy of 98SE.

I guess I can go for an upgrade XP education version? I'll forget about Vista for now.

[jamieboy]

ThePassenger said:

Hate to say it but BootCamp or Vista's aleged ability to use erm... crud... EFI as opposed to BIOS.

...probably just me, but what does this sentence mean?

I understand that Vista doesn't (or doesn't properly) support EFI, and I know that Apple has apparently released firmware updates to provide BIOS-emulation, just not sure what you're saying here.

[ThePassenger]

jamieboy said:

ThePassenger said:

Hate to say it but BootCamp or Vista's aleged ability to use erm... crud... EFI as opposed to BIOS.

...probably just me, but what does this sentence mean?

I understand that Vista doesn't (or doesn't properly) support EFI, and I know that Apple has apparently released firmware updates to provide BIOS-emulation, just not sure what you're saying here.

'aleged' as in nobody has a legitimate, I brought it at the shop gov, copy of Vista to prove one way or the other it can nativley boot from an EFI system. However, according to Microsoft Vista should be fully EFI capable as that's the way the x86 market is eventually going.
Apple's BIOS-emulation firmware is more to get XP going sans BootCamp / Parallels as that doesn't support EFI only BIOS.

[magic torch]

Yep, my understanding is that they will run Vista under some version of Boot Camp.

[jamieboy]

ThePassenger said:

jamieboy said:

ThePassenger said:

Hate to say it but BootCamp or Vista's aleged ability to use erm... crud... EFI as opposed to BIOS.

...probably just me, but what does this sentence mean?

I understand that Vista doesn't (or doesn't properly) support EFI, and I know that Apple has apparently released firmware updates to provide BIOS-emulation, just not sure what you're saying here.

'aleged' as in nobody has a legitimate, I brought it at the shop gov, copy of Vista to prove one way or the other it can nativley boot from an EFI system. However, according to Microsoft Vista should be fully EFI capable as that's the way the x86 market is eventually going.
Apple's BIOS-emulation firmware is more to get XP going sans BootCamp / Parallels as that doesn't support EFI only BIOS.

Have you got a link for that? I thought from this that EFI support was only going to be in the betas, but wasn't going to be in the release candidates or rtm versions?

I know the consumer lauch isn't till the end of this month, but the corporate launch was at the end of November, and rtm images are available on MSDN, so it should be possible for someone to prove it - just wondered if you'd seen anything either way.

[ThePassenger]

jamieboy said:

ThePassenger said:

jamieboy said:

ThePassenger said:

Hate to say it but BootCamp or Vista's aleged ability to use erm... crud... EFI as opposed to BIOS.

...probably just me, but what does this sentence mean?

I understand that Vista doesn't (or doesn't properly) support EFI, and I know that Apple has apparently released firmware updates to provide BIOS-emulation, just not sure what you're saying here.

'aleged' as in nobody has a legitimate, I brought it at the shop gov, copy of Vista to prove one way or the other it can nativley boot from an EFI system. However, according to Microsoft Vista should be fully EFI capable as that's the way the x86 market is eventually going.
Apple's BIOS-emulation firmware is more to get XP going sans BootCamp / Parallels as that doesn't support EFI only BIOS.

Have you got a link for that? I thought from this that EFI support was only going to be in the betas, but wasn't going to be in the release candidates or rtm versions?

I know the consumer lauch isn't till the end of this month, but the corporate launch was at the end of November, and rtm images are available on MSDN, so it should be possible for someone to prove it - just wondered if you'd seen anything either way.

Affraid I've not seen anyone prove it conclusivley yet, to be honest I'd be surprised if they did keep it in considering every current generation of x86 bar Apple is BIOS; but shooting for an extra 5% of the market... not to be sniffed at.

[m12_nathan]

Why would a bought in the shop version differ from the msdn version as far as that is concerned?

Vista runs fine on a macbook with bootcamp. I am using that very configuration right now.

[ThePassenger]

m12_nathan said:

Why would a bought in the shop version differ from the msdn version as far as that is concerned?

It shouldn't be vastly different no. Having said that, the MSDN version of Win98SE I used to have always seemed a lot more stable than the shop brought copy... could have been me though.

If it works in BootCamp then brilliant IMHO, I take it no driver issues?

Edited by ThePassenger on Wednesday 10th January 18:20

[jamieboy]

m12_nathan said:

Vista runs fine on a macbook with bootcamp. I am using that very configuration right now.

Is that a Macbook, or a Macbook Pro?

[m12_nathan]

core duo Macbook, 2Ghz, 2GB RAM, only issue is having to use an external mouse for right click. Camera is supposed to work but I haven't tried it, sound works fine, bluetooth is also supposed to, wifi works fine as does the onboard nic, usb, cd drive (eject key doesn't work so you need to right click eject on the cd drive). A few quirks but nothing to do with it booting or not running, just driver issues that should be resolved soon if apple have any sense.

[jamieboy]

m12_nathan said:

A few quirks but nothing to do with it booting or not running, just driver issues that should be resolved soon if apple have any sense.

Cheers for that - I've been umming and ahhing for a while, but I reckon I'll be getting one this weekend.

[magic torch]

Refurb ones are 'cheap' on the Apple Store if you don't need the latest bit of kit.

[m12_nathan]

Oh and Sophos have a version that works on vista, not sure which other vendors have sorted out working version yet.

[jamieboy]

So my new MacBook Pro turned up today - regardless of what it does / doesn't do, it's a lovely thing.

I'll let you know how it goes.

[magic torch]

jamieboy said:

So my new MacBook Pro turned up today - regardless of what it does / doesn't do, it's a lovely thing.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Got mine yesterday morning despite only ordering late the night before.

Used one many times before, but this one is mine...