installing windows xp on my macbook

i'm ready to install windows xp on my macbook - OS 10.5.8 - using bootcamp. Apparently I will need to install drivers that are on the install dvd that came with my computer, but I can't find that dvd. Is there a way to download these specific drivers from the internet?

Also, in looking at a site giving instructions for installing windows xp, it said I needed to have a windows xp upgrade disk with service pack 2, which I have purchased. But when I printed the instructions for setting up bootcamp it said I needed windows 7.

Before I do anything, I'm hoping someone straighten me out.

Thanks
Mikey

Hey, what Macbook do you have and when did you buy it?

macbook (not macbook pro) OS 10.5.8. Purchased about 18 months ago

Boot Camp drivers can not be legally downloaded. You'll need to replace your Leopard DVD or purchase a copy of Snow Leopard and use it instead.

Also, the copy of Windows XP SP2 that you have will not work as you need a Full Install version not upgrade. There is no way to eject the DVD once the installation starts as you need to provide proof of the upgrade before the Windows installer allows you to proceed.

The instructions you printed are for the late model Macs (2010 and 2011) which only support Windows 7.

Thanks for the reply chscag. The only reason I wanted to put Windows on my Macbook was to be able to run my microsoft flight simulator. I think I'll just go out and buy a properly loaded pc instead. I'm glad you responded before I totally screwed up. lol

hi Chscag,

I'm now considering using Parallels, rather than boot Camp. What are your thoughts on that. Remember, I'll only be using Windows to run my flight sim. Regarding your comment about new macbooks supporting only Windows 7, how can I determine if my macbook falls into that category, so I can determine which version of Windows I should purchase?

Thanks
Mikey

At this point I would just go with Win7. There's really not much of a price difference between Win7 Home Premium and XP and MS doesn't really support XP anymore - neither does Apple.

You could try VirtualBox from Sun first - it's free - and see if your flight sim works to your liking. Also, either Parallels or Fusion comes with a 30-day free trial. I would try the simulator this way before buying any VM software -- if it doesn't work the way you want then you can sort out the Boot Camp issues.

Cheers

In addition to the good advice from Sammy, here's my take:

Flight Simulator, any version, but especially FS X will need to be run in its own environment with 3D support. That means not from a virtual machine. I'm a staunch supporter of VMWare Fusion and I have the latest version installed, but from experience, does not run games well which need graphic acceleration and 3D support.

I don't want to discourage you from running FS because it's a great simulation, but to get the most out of it, you really should run it from Windows. That means either install Windows 7 from Boot Camp, or buy an inexpensive PC.

Another consideration (albeit more $$) is to take a look at X-Plane which will run natively from OS X. The big drawback (for me anyway) about running X-Plane is that it uses a form of authentication by requiring the DVD to be in the drive while the simulation is running. I can't say that for sure with the newer versions but you can take a look for yourself at the link I provided.

thanks to both of you for the input. I'm sure the instructions for installing Boot Camp are not as daunting as they seem on first reading, so I'm inclined to try that route and then installing Windows 7. (But I'll also try to find an inexpensive pc and see if that makes more sense $$-wise.)