so is a New MBP late 2008 running windows on Bootcamp really compatible

[tslewis]

I am being told by a major software vendor for an engineering tool that they do not actually support computers running windows via bootcamp and hence officially do not support MACS.

My quesiton is, what the hell then is Bootcamp and how does it differ from a generic pc running windows natively such as a Viao or dell.

Why are apple saying I can run windows software on a mac? After having invested in a brand new MBP and LED have i wasted my imvestment as I can in fact not use this software and my mac is useless? If so why are we being told macs can run windows software and are indistinguishable from a pc?

The problem is eveyrtime I get a request code and submit it to teh vendor, the vendor gives me an activation code. However, when i open the softwae to enter the code it has already generated a new request code so the activation code does not match and hence I am caught in a vicious circle.

I am not using a VM to run the software. I am running XP and OS-X on bootcamp. I understood Bootcamp should not affect the computer. I understand teh issues of activaiton porblems are only when running a VM machine from OS.

Can anyone say if this is true? If true then the vendo should state they do not support Windows OS but instead support only certain brands of computers running Windows.

Can Boot camp be resetting my computers address?

To be hones, I am totally fed up with all this licensing crap. It just makes software a pain to use and wants to make me look for easier tools where i dont have to spend days installing, activating and contacting customer support. There must be a better way.

 

[fwhh]

Maybe the software depends on a BIOS (which includes, what you call "computer address"). As your Mac is not fitted with a BIOS, but only with an EFI-BIOS-Emulation (this is the main feature of Bootcamp), your software cannot generate a serial number for your computer. This is nothing to blame on Apple. If your software would depend on 5.25 inch floppy disks, you wouldn't blame Apple for having it not included in your computer, don't you? And: the BIOS is a system as old as 5.25 inch floppys....

 

[tslewis]

Maybe the software depends on a BIOS (which includes, what you call "computer address"). As your Mac is not fitted with a BIOS, but only with an EFI-BIOS-Emulation (this is the main feature of Bootcamp), your software cannot generate a serial number for your computer. This is nothing to blame on Apple. If your software would depend on 5.25 inch floppy disks, you wouldn't blame Apple for having it not included in your computer, don't you? And: the BIOS is a system as old as 5.25 inch floppys....

Hence the MBP is not compatible with all windows software and may be consumers should be educated about this no?

 

[jonnysods]

These are some of the caveats Apple give as disclaimers when you run Boot Camp.

I wonder if there would be the same issues running it in a VM?

 

[HLdan]

Running Windows on a Mac (via Bootcamp) is the same as running Windows on an HP, Dell, Alienware, Sony or Asus PC. True, some companies will only support select brands of PC running Windows. A friend of mine has an HP running XP and her company would not allow her to use it, she had to buy a cheap Dell because the company only support Windows installed on Dell machines.

 

[tslewis]

Running Windows on a Mac (via Bootcamp) is the same as running Windows on an HP, Dell, Alienware, Sony or Asus PC. True, some companies will only support select brands of PC running Windows. A friend of mine has an HP running XP and her company would not allow her to use it, she had to buy a cheap Dell because the company only support Windows installed on Dell machines.

Um this is not the point.

I am being told that Bootcamp itself screws up the activation porcess and as asuch a mac will not run the software due to boot camp. May be it is something to do with BIOS.

The point is I thought I owuld be getting a truly windows compatibe computer. The fact is I am not.

99% of engineering software is written for windows. If Bootcamp is such that we in fact do not have a truly compatible windows computer - due to bootcamp screwing up the bios - then its a problem. As an engineer i dont have any option but to use windows software - HENCE THE REASON I TOOK THE PLUNGE TO GO MAC BECUASE I KNEW I COULD USE WINDOWS SOFTWARE.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

Um this is not the point.

I am being told that Bootcamp itself screws up the activation porcess and as asuch a mac will not run the software due to boot camp. May be it is something to do with BIOS.

The point is I thought I owuld be getting a truly windows compatibe computer. The fact is I am not.

99% of engineering software is written for windows. If Bootcamp is such that we in fact do not have a truly compatible windows computer - due to bootcamp screwing up the bios - then its a problem. As an engineer i dont have any option but to use windows software - HENCE THE REASON I TOOK THE PLUNGE TO GO MAC BECUASE I KNEW I COULD USE WINDOWS SOFTWARE.

The person(s) who told you that Boot Camp is "screwing up the BIOS" is screwed up, more so than a Mac's ability to run Windows natively. I highly doubt that engineering software will require BIOS in order to operate. Boot Camp/Safari/iTunes are probably the best coded apps in the Windows environment, including the OS itself. Macs can run Windows natively, with no problems. Any problems that occur are not the Mac's hardware, but the software (such as drivers not installed correctly, or updates not applied). In short, any piece of software that runs on Windows can run on Boot Camp in native speed, not a single hertz of speed/performance lost. Just out of curiosity, which software are you trying to install?

I know all this engineering software stuff because my Dad is an engineer. He uses Mathematica, MatLab, etc all day and is currently using a MacBook.

 

[Stridder44]

Um this is not the point.

I am being told that Bootcamp itself screws up the activation porcess and as asuch a mac will not run the software due to boot camp. May be it is something to do with BIOS.

The point is I thought I owuld be getting a truly windows compatibe computer. The fact is I am not.

99% of engineering software is written for windows. If Bootcamp is such that we in fact do not have a truly compatible windows computer - due to bootcamp screwing up the bios - then its a problem. As an engineer i dont have any option but to use windows software - HENCE THE REASON I TOOK THE PLUNGE TO GO MAC BECUASE I KNEW I COULD USE WINDOWS SOFTWARE.

The person who told you this is full of ****. Ignore everything they've said to you, because it's clearly BS. All Boot Camp is is a drive partitioning tool. That's it. Otherwise, it installs drivers, but even then you could just download some of them (Nvidia, Realtek, etc.). Otherwise, Windows is running 100% native. If the application somehow DID manage to screw up, it wouldn't be due to Boot Camp, it would be due to crappy software engineering (which there is a lot of unfortunately).

Again, your "friend" is either very misinformed or very ignorant. Who is this "major software vendor" anyway?

 

[buddhaface]

The person who told you this is full of ****. Ignore everything they've said to you, because it's clearly BS. All Boot Camp is is a drive partitioning tool. That's it. Otherwise, it installs drivers, but even then you could just download some of them (Nvidia, Realtek, etc.). Otherwise, Windows is running 100% native. If the application somehow DID manage to screw up, it wouldn't be due to Boot Camp, it would be due to crappy software engineering (which there is a lot of unfortunately).

Again, your "friend" is either very misinformed or very ignorant. Who is this "major software vendor" anyway?

Before calling others ignorant and spewing profanity, maybe you should get informed yourself. Macs running Windows via Bootcamp do not actually use a BIOS, but an emulated BIOS from the Mac's EFI, so it's not 100% native as some of you claim above. This has nothing to do with drivers or partitioning. If the OP's software requires a check on the BIOS for serial number or make, then he's crap out of luck and should dump his MBP for a Windows PC.

Buyers looking to use Windows on a Mac should be aware that there are several handicaps in running Windows via Bootcamp. The biggest one is power management if you're getting a laptop. Apple EFI does not play well with Windows' power management. Given the same battery capacity, the Macbook Pro running Windows in Bootcamp will have just HALF the battery life as a generic PC running Windows. A lot of Apple zealots here would argue that this is because Windows' power management sucks, but a check of wattage usage between the Mac running Bootcamp and similar PCs will reveal that Bootcamp drivers and the BIOS emulation are the root causes of the problem.

 

[Stridder44]

If the OP's software requires a check on the BIOS for serial number or make, then he's crap out of luck and should dump his MBP for a Windows PC.

Software such as....?

 

[AdamR01]

I would imagine it has something to do with this problem: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/534341/

Apparently, Boot Camp doesn't give the machine a unique UUID and so software that uses that information for activation would have issues. I can't think of any good examples off the top of my head though.

 

[Markov]

To the creator of the thread:

We all understand your anger toward Bootcamp, Apple, Microsoft... whomever. But please, for the sake of decency, stop getting so pissed off at the people on this thread trying to >>HELP<< you. They did not write or create the software, nor was it their idea to eliminate the use of a BIOS on a mac. They simply are the consumer using the product. If the mac is giving you so many issues, return it, sell it, whatever you like, and buy a PC that has a BIOS. No one here seems to have an answer for your issue, look else where on the forum or google it. Otherwise, sit back, relax and think of other things you can do instead of wasting your time venting on us. I say all of this with the utmost respect and the biggest head ache caused by people arguing on a forum that is supposed to help people, not piss them off.

Try using VM Ware Fusion, or Parallels. No, it is not native speeds but perhaps a cure to your issue.

Good luck.

 

[Bmode]

I just wanted to throw in my two cents.

I'm running BootCamp on both my Mac Pro and Mac Book Pro, and it works pretty well. However my use is limited as I only use Windblows XP for one application, programming URC remotes for my clients. Here I've had a few snags with the ActiveSync stuff and trying to do updates, but it does eventually work. I have yet to try any gaming, sorry no time for it. Another plus is I just got the Nvidia 8800 video card, and there is more support with this video card than the ATI. Hope it helps.

 

[Tomorrow]

For curiosity's sake, what is the engineering software you're trying to use?

I'm an engineer and I use an iMac with Boot Camp as well. I'm curious as to what software I can and can't use.