Bootcamp Install Assistant & Drivers

[miss-goldie]

Hi,
New to the site and as it happens I'm also a life long PC user who has just got a new mac book pro. I know pcs well and am adapting to the mac. There are a couple of programs I will need to run on Windows- specifically autocad. I have a mac wizard friend who will be sorting me out with his special mix of parallels and bootcamp, but not for another fortnight and I need to be able to run bootcamp now. Also all my software is for PCs and won't install on mac- Oops didn't think of this.

Anyway the question!

I downloaded bootcamp assistant and it has appeared on the desktop. I clicked the link install bootcamp assistant .mpkg and it asked me to partition the HD which I did, But at no point did it ask me to burn a cd of drivers.

I have tried to install my (legal) xp cd from startup but it clearly needs the drivers I don't have.

I think I have downloaded and installed bootcamp assistant but don't know how to run it!

Help please.

And while we are here is there a delete key other than backspace?!

 

[The General]

You installed Boot Camp Assistant. You did not install Boot Camp or Windows.

Open the Finder and go to /Applications/Utilities/ and run Boot Camp Assistant.

 

[MRU]

Arr there's no need for the

a would have sufficed. remember they are new to mac, so no need for the arrogance.

And while we are here is there a delete key other than backspace?!

What computer are you using. A desktop mac, delete is in the exact position as a normal pc keyboard.

If your using a laptop; delete is the FN key + Backspace (pressed together)

 

[miss-goldie]

Yep it is all going really well.

Actually last night I did find the application in Finder /Applications/Utilities, not the most intuitive position for it IMHO- plus would have been, umm, useful for them to have told you where to find it on the instructions.

Anyway the instructions are clearly rubbish, ( ok so there is an outside chance that this was my fault). As when I went to install XP there were 4 divisions on the HD, so I cancelled the install process, and now when I switch back on again it says the operating system is missing- Oops!

Now on a pc I could boot from a disk and do a system restore or reinstall. As I have nothing I can't lose on the mac, I'm guessing it is better to reformat and reinstall, it's going to be easy right? (Now do I need a or an here?)

Cheers guys
Susie

 

[miss-goldie]

This is turning into a blog- and will doubtless be amusing to regular mac users;

The Mac OS is still there and runs ok, but as I cancelled the windows install the partition is there at start up but obvious that is missing its OS. Soooo

Question 1- how to I install xp onto its partition now?

Question 2- how do I check how many partitions I do have on teh HD and which do I delete?

Question 3- Can I set the MB Pro up so that it automatically boots as a mac UNLESS I hold down the alt key at start up?

And for anyone amused/ feeling superior at my whining; Why call the 'alt' key the option key? If you want to call it an option key then write option on it not alt. Grrrr. (Yes it did take me several minutes to work out which key they meant)

Also, until I can acquire a mac friendly version of photoshop I will be running it on Windows, (also autocad on the windows section), do I need to make the windows partition bigger to allow for this?

 

[The General]

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303572

 

[miss-goldie]

Mini rant, macs are pretty but not flexible

No big surprises but that link doesn't answer my questions.

I have installed stuff on the mac now but the process is different from pcs and therefore I have no idea how to rectify a problem when it goes wrong.

Until I get bootcamp running I can't install the programs I need, ( as I only have pc friendly software copies at the moment). I can't believe I've had this machine 5 days now and can't do anything other than play on it. I was interested to see the mac adverts on their website and that they are pitching them as home machines rather than work machines, I'd have to agree; yes it is easy to do the basics but if all you need to do is play music, surf and manage photos you don't need a high spec machine.

I really wanted macs to work but for me but this is frustrating. I went into the HD and it shows you how many folders you have and but not their size so I have no idea what memory is being used for what, surely this is a basic thing? Also changing the folder icon sizes, if you want the thumbnail preview to be a decent size it obscures the file name, you can either see the thumbnail or the file name. I thought macs were supposed to be good at these things? My list of 'niggles' is growing daily.

I'm disappointed. I think it might be back to the world of virus protection for me! I have this beautiful high spec machine and I'm using my desktop pc in preference.

 

[Tarkovsky]

As a temporary solution have you tried crossover? http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/