Boot Camp, any good?

Joined
Mar 7, 2008
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I want to buy a Macbook (much because of the OS), but because of my studies, I also need Windows XP on it.
Boot Camp seems to be the answer for me. However, I have some concerns.
My main issue is the keyboard. I do some programming, and therefore use characters like {,[,<, and so on...

This may be a stupid question, but are these characters available from the Macbook keyboard while running windows XP (without external keyboard) ?

Also things like ctrl+c and ctrl+v? Right mouse button is done by placing two fingers on the pad or something? Any other things I should take into concideration?

Hope you guys can help me :)

thanks in advance for any replies
 
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
9,383
Reaction score
417
Points
83
Location
Irvine, CA
Your Mac's Specs
Black Macbook C2D 2GHz 3GB RAM 250GB HD iPhone 4 iPad 3G
The keyboard works exactly the same. Just think of the Apple key as the Window key.
 
Joined
Jun 17, 2006
Messages
542
Reaction score
19
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Pro 2.2ghz, 3GB, 250GB - 16GB White iPhone 3G - 2nd Gen 1GB Shuffle
You should have no problem with Bootcamp with a MacBook, Keyboard and Touchpad will work like normal.
 
OP
M
Joined
Mar 7, 2008
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Alright, thanks...
Another question...I have most of my music, movies, and so on, on an external
hard-drive...Will writing and reading from that hard-drive using both Windows and OS X be possible? All this talk of HFS, FAT32, and NTFS is getting me confused :)

Pretty sure I'm getting a Macbook if that's not a problem..Can't wait :)
 
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
9,383
Reaction score
417
Points
83
Location
Irvine, CA
Your Mac's Specs
Black Macbook C2D 2GHz 3GB RAM 250GB HD iPhone 4 iPad 3G
Whether you can read and write to it from both operating systems depends wholly on two things. One, whether it's in a file system that can be read and written to natively by both operating systems. If the first condition is not met, then you have a second option, and that would be to install software that allows the operating systems to read and write to non-native file systems.

So if it's formatted as FAT32 (i.e. MS-DOS), then you're set. If it's NTFS, then Windows can read/write to it, but OS X can only read from it. If it's HFS+ (i.e. Mac OS Extended), then OS X can read/write to it, but Windows won't be able to see it at all.

In order to get OS X to write to NTFS, you'll need something like MacFUSE to enable write functionality. To get Windows to write to HFS+, you'll need to install MacDrive, which unlike MacFUSE, is not free.

Your best bet would be to just use FAT32 as it's the easiest path for when sharing a drive between Windows and OS X.
 
OP
M
Joined
Mar 7, 2008
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Thanks for clearing that up.
I am using a WD passport 250 GB external hard-drive, which apperantly is formated in FAT32...

Well then...Guess I'm off to the Apple-store :)
 
Joined
Mar 16, 2008
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz; 2GB Ram; Graphics: Intel GMA X3100
Also things like ctrl+c and ctrl+v?

When running on a Mac, if you are using Mac OS,
command+c and command+v, copy and paste respectively.
When running Windows (XP) on Boot Camp
control+c and control+v, copy and paste respectively.
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
40
Reaction score
0
Points
6
on my MacBook are not working fn-backspace ( for Canc ), fn-arrows (for Page-up, Page-down, etc). Don't know why and also don't know if for other people are are workin or not
 

cwa107


Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
27,042
Reaction score
812
Points
113
Location
Lake Mary, Florida
Your Mac's Specs
14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD
on my MacBook are not working fn-backspace ( for Canc ),

There is no backspace key on a Mac. You're probably referring to the delete key. In this case, pressing delete works in a similar fashion to backspace on a Windows machine. Using Fn-Delete makes it work more like the Delete key on a Windows machine.

fn-arrows (for Page-up, Page-down, etc). Don't know why and also don't know if for other people are are workin or not

Try Command (Apple) + cursor keys for home/end page up/down.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top