Can't install Windows Support Software?

TrevWonders · Jul 26, 2012

I would like to run Windows XP on my 2008 Black MacBook (2.4GHZ Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD, Mac OS 10.6.8 Snow Leopard) because I have a bunch of old computer games that were only released for Windows XP (no Mac versions, and they won't work on anything above XP), but when I went into BootCamp it came up with the whole "Bootcamp is for installing Windows on Intel Based Macs" blah blah blah, so I hit "Continue" then it said it needs to install Windows Support Software so I can use the keyboard, mouse, and webcam on the Windows Partition, and it had two options:

1) Download the Windows support software for this Mac
or 2) I have the Mac OS X Installation Disk that came with my Mac or I have already downloaded the Windows support software for this Mac to a CD, DVD, or external disk

I don't have any of the disks for my Mac because I got it used on eBay with only the laptop and charger. So I used the first option and it said it was downloading for a really long time, then it said "Could not continue. Windows support software is not available."

What do I do? Is there something in settings I can change to fix this? Is there an external link or somewhere I can download the support software myself? Would there be support software on Apple's website? Can someone please help or direct me to a place to find support software for my MacBook? Thanks in advance!

normyp · Jul 27, 2012

If I'm not mistaken there were still PowerPC Macs when Snow Leapard was being used and yours is a 2008 version. Methinks it's not working because it said Windows is only able to install for Intel-Based Macs... PowerPC Macs aren't Intel so sadly you won't be able to Boot Camp. But I might be wrong.

RavingMac · Jul 27, 2012

TrevWonders said:
I would like to run Windows XP on my 2008 Black MacBook (2.4GHZ Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD, Mac OS 10.6.8 Snow Leopard) because I have a bunch of old computer games that were only released for Windows XP (no Mac versions, and they won't work on anything above XP), but when I went into BootCamp it came up with the whole "Bootcamp is for installing Windows on Intel Based Macs" blah blah blah, so I hit "Continue" then it said it needs to install Windows Support Software so I can use the keyboard, mouse, and webcam on the Windows Partition, and it had two options:

1) Download the Windows support software for this Mac
or 2) I have the Mac OS X Installation Disk that came with my Mac or I have already downloaded the Windows support software for this Mac to a CD, DVD, or external disk

I don't have any of the disks for my Mac because I got it used on eBay with only the laptop and charger. So I used the first option and it said it was downloading for a really long time, then it said "Could not continue. Windows support software is not available."

What do I do? Is there something in settings I can change to fix this? Is there an external link or somewhere I can download the support software myself? Would there be support software on Apple's website? Can someone please help or direct me to a place to find support software for my MacBook? Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Snow Leopard does not appear to be available any longer from Apple (online store). Just checked a bit ago.

mrplow · Jul 27, 2012

Sounds like the OP does have an Intel based Mac (core 2 duo) and Snow Leopard.

However, Windows XP support was withdrawn towards the later Snow Leopard updates so the only way you'll get it on there is using the drivers that came on the original OSX disc.

System requirements for Windows XP and Windows Vista

To use Boot Camp with Windows XP or Vista and Mac OS X v10.5.x through 10.6.x, you will need the following:

An Intel-based Mac that does not require Windows 7.
A Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard or Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard installation disc. This can be either a purchased copy of a Mac OS X v10.5 or Mac OS X v10.6 disc, or a Mac OS X Install Disc 1 from a Mac that had Mac OS X v10.5 or Mac OS X v10.6 preinstalled.

An authentic, 32-bit Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition or Professional with Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3 disc.
An authentic, 32-bit Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate disc.

TrevWonders · Jul 27, 2012

@normyp They stopped selling PowerPC Macs in 2005. After 2006 they were all Intel Based (MacBook, MacBook Pro, etc) all MacBooks were Intel based. None used PowerPC. Mine is definitely Intel based. Also in my first post I stated it was an Intel Core 2 Duo. And PowerPCs can only use up to 10.5 Leopard, not Snow Leopard.

@mrplow so I HAVE to have a Snow Leopard disk in order to install Windows on Mac with BootCamp? Also, I was watching a video on YouTube and a guy put Windows 7 on his MacBook Pro, but in the video he said "I only dedicated 1GB of RAM to Windows 7, so I'm not even getting the full effect"....does that mean I have to give up some RAM to dedicated to Windows? I can't just use all of my 2GB RAM on both Windows and Mac? I have to dedicate a certain amount to each? (So instead of running Mac with 2GB RAM, and Windows with 2GB RAM, I would have to split it and run Mac with 1GB and Windows with 1GB?) Or did this guy use some other program where you had to dedicate RAM?

mrplow · Jul 27, 2012

Sounds like the guy was running windows in a VM like Fusion, Parallels or VirtualBox. When you run Windows in boot camp you have full access to the machines resources in the same way you do in OSX

TrevWonders · Jul 27, 2012

Okay, thanks!

Can't install Windows Support Software?

TrevWonders

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