XP Booting On Intel Macs – Game Over

xp on mac

The WinXPonMac contest has officially announced “narf2006” and “blanka” as the winners. The solution should be released soon. With this new development the only reason not to run XP on a Mac is that XP sucks… which is a pretty good reason.

[via TUAW]

40 thoughts on “XP Booting On Intel Macs – Game Over

  1. nice. but i think what the world is really waiting on is to boot intel mac on something other than intel mac, like amd or cheap’o celleron. now that would be impressive.

  2. Ahh yes the link. I believe you should look at. http://forum.onmac.net/ to get to them. The link provided simply goes to the Contest page. I however do not think the solution has been posted.

    BTW. Can they dual boot? rule 2 says:
    “Windows must be able to coexist with Mac OS X and each system may not interfere with the operation of the other (basically a traditional dual boot system where one OS is running at a time)”

  3. Exactly guys XP sucks…it allows you to plug in pretty much anything and installs the appropriate driver for you, it allows people who dont know dick about computers to have a very powerful operating system that is the defacto standard for every application out there. I am glad that you idiots don’t need to use anything more than Mac software because it is so abundant, all 4 titles of it. And now that Mac’s run on Intel chips the only thing that really sets them apart from PC’s is that they have pretty white cases…yeah so go pick up your macbooks and your ipods and whatever other apple fanboy junk you have and suck you thumb in the corner while people who live in the real world choose their computers for compatibility, performance, and price, not uniqueness and style.

  4. Wow Steve some people just don’t get it do they? Using a mac has nothing to do with being a “fanboy”. I bought my ibook about 8 months ago and it was the first mac computer I ever owned. I didn’t buy it because I worship apple, I happened to like how it looked and I was interested in trying an alternative operating system that wasn’t Linux. I happen to enjoy using my ibook because I work in the IT dept of a company all day fixing windows computers and don’t want to come home and fix another one.

    In the 8 months I’ve owned the ibook I think it has crashed only twice and I’ve only had to fix it otherwise about once or twice and that’s only because I’m a bit of a power user. If I had been using a windows laptop I would have already reinstalled the OS at least once due to spyware. One of the biggest reasons to use a mac is that there is absolutely no spyware (that I’m aware of anyhow). Also I tend to find that apple programs are usually much more polished than windows apps.

    It’s really just a matter of personal preference not “uniqueness and style”. I happen to like the way it looks but I didn’t buy it to be unique. And by the way there is an extensive software library available for Mac OS if you hadn’t checked lately.

    Your comments make you sound more like a Windows/PC fanboy than anything.

  5. Gee… before OSX I would’ve agreed with you… but now macs are pretty decent. That’s what happens when you give them a more linux like OS.

    And about the limited software… maybe you should go and actually look at software… I’m not saying there’s not less available for macs… but it’s certainly not as bad as you seem to think.

    Of course, having said this, I run windows/linux computers… mainly for the price and ease of actually piecing them together myself.

  6. steve Kirstwhile it must be nice to live in your world.

    For you and all of the people who think their os is better then someone else’s

    I am not going to get into a stupid debate with a person that thinks that their os is somehow superior. Windows Has it’s strengths as does linux as does mac os. Calling one better is childish. You would be surprised about the amount of software available for all 3 platforms. Drivers are always going to be a problem no matter which platform you use. Windows does have more drivers, however this increases the likelihood of conflicts and instability. Linux has tons of drivers however most are open source and range from great to highly unstable. The OSX has more drivers than one may imagine and there is work on porting many linux drivers to the Darwin Kernel.

    As for the cost yes macs are more expensive, apple makes it’s money by selling hardware the prices will go down as a function of there market share. Some people believe the cost is worth the ability to legally run the mac os.

    Windows computers can range from beautiful to a rats nest of wires in a cardboard box. The nicer cases usually cost more.

    As more and more of the population become more dependent on computers and further integrate them into there lives. There will be more of a call for stylish computers that look good in your house.

    If you like windows use it.
    If you like linux us it.
    If you like mac us it.

    At least try all the platforms before you call one a piece of crap, and keep in mind that there is a portion of the population that is going to disagree with you.
    They are not wrong, neither are you. Telling them that they are stupid for using their platform will just make them hate you and your platform and make them less willing to try something perhaps better.

  7. Tell ya what… Before you start saying that there is no software for the Mac… go here: http://guide.apple.com/index.lasso

    Also, show me the intergration that apple has with it’s software & hardware on the windows side… There isn’t any. MSFT can’t innovate there way out of a paper bag.. They steal and copy from apple and call it innovation. :)

    And to answer the question of another poster, there are no adware, spyware, or virus’s for the mac. There have been a few proof of concept trojan’s but nothing that will run without supplying your admin password to open a *.jpg. Which if you do that… You deserve what’s coming to ya…

    “Redmond, Start your copiers”

  8. “XP sucks?” Well, it’s actually the best, most stable Windows OS yet. Mine has crashed like twice since I bought the system in 2002. Sure, the typical Apple machine is more stable and there are a few specialty apps that run better, but that’s because there are fewer apps, and thus fewer conflicts that produce crashes. All in all, if you desire a Mac, buy a Mac and if you desire a PC, then buy a PC. And stop being faboyz about it. To each his own. Personally, this dual-boot system looks to be a very good combination.

  9. “is that XP sucks…”

    OMFG! People will never learn, will they?

    I understand people not liking Windows (XP or any other build), but just because you don’t like it, it doesnt mean it sucks.

    I dont like Linux. But I never said, and NEVER will say it sucks. I think its good alternatives exist, because thats what makes things to evolve.

    People often say that Windows is a n00b OS, and that Linux is for uber leet, well …

    1st of all, it all depends on what you want to do with it. There are experts users on both (and other) OSes. I bet a Script Kiddie has Linux installed just because it is cool and has no idea of how to properly work with it. Also, I know allot of people that have a very good understanding of IT and use Windows XP.

    There are different levels of users for any given OS, and most of the Windows XP trash talkers *are not* the Windows experts.

    I do not wish to start a war, cause I’m already sick of those. I just ask a better understanding from the people that choose not to use Windows.

  10. People are always going on about how there’s no adware/spyware/viruses on Macs. They usually cite it as one of the billion reasons osx is better than xp. Here’s a question for all those people: If the world were flipped upside down and apple/osx held the position that mcsft/xp hold in the real world today, do you think that osx would still be free of malware? More market share = more reason to target, and more people with the expertise and resolve to do the targeting. So, if being virus free is an argument for why macs are better, and being better is an argument for getting people to leave xp-land . . . well, you probably see where this is going.

  11. Dudes, this article is not about how much better this or that is about any os. its about the spirit of hacking. installing something that elsewise should have not be able to be done. enough with the “my os is better. i hate your os!” thats for another article. grow up.

  12. This is a great hack!! Imagine MAC & XP on the same box. I’m a linux fan myself, OS wars are funny, it’s like watching minimites play hockey. Anyway, congrats on the accomplishment. Next up, throw *nix in there too!

  13. Shall I say fullscreen emulation? could be a G5 iMac (looks like Duo model) with VPC or WinTel, anyway we don’t actually see the computer boot up. i’d have to see the whole installation or documentation for really believing this.

  14. @super man: the full solution has now been released and the money paid so yes this is the real deal.

    @b-lo: the reason why there is no spyware isnt just because of which operating system is more popular its also because of the way the operating systems are built. The default browser on windows is internet explorer which by default allows software to be installed on the computer by just browsing to a bad website. Safari doesn’t make it that easy. Also to install anything you usually have to put in your password. Not so on Windows XP. So on the mac you basically have to unlock the door and open it to let stuff in which as cmajor said if you do that you deserve it.

  15. Funny, how come everytime windows on macs is mentioned it startout to be a really big discussion.

    First of all as a proof of concept i think it is great that somebody is trying to get windows work on a intel based mac! I have and probably we all have seen it the other way around (OSX on a pc).

    I myself wouldn’t install windows on my mac as it has no extra value for me, i am a graphical designer and in the world of graphics most companies work on mac.

    I do fell in love with mac the very first time i ever touched one, just because it is stable and easy to use.

    Second, if i have to be really honest about why i think apple is better, then i have several reasons. One is there warranty policy its so much better as any pc’s i came across. I had a broken mac G5 (which was clearly a monday morning monster), after several repairs apple provided me with a new machine and upgraded it for me with a faster processor. (okay its in the price of a mac i guess, but still..) I also think that memory management is much better on a mac, one of the reasons why a 1.8Ghz mac can easily outrun a 2.x Ghz pc (we all seen the tests)

    I also had linux machine, this was great for a while untill OSX came out, i quickly build a OSX server, why? just because i was more “at home” with its interface then with Linux, so this was purely a thing of taste.

    The only thing i have a windows machine for is bookkeeping since i have my own company and i couldn’t find a bookkeeping programm that fitted my needs, i run a while on iProfit but that was in the early stages and had some major bugs in it (i guess they solved it by now)

    So in short i have all 3 platforms but i’ll stick to my trusty mac just because i love the simplicity of its OS, i didn’t buy it for design although it looks great on my desk, i didn’t buy it to show off. I bought it because it is my tool and a tool that i always can count on.

  16. @steve Kirstwhile – well said. I am also getting tired of all those fanboys, most of them just repeating things without *thinking*. I have used plenty of operating systems, and all have their issues. And none will be a good operating system for people that just click on everything and think they can get away with it.

    I am sure that most people who pick a Mac because it’s more “secure” are able to use XP in a responsible way.

    People who constantly complain about a certain OS are just trying to make up excuses why they are just not able to be productive, no matter what OS they use.

  17. @ #22 – Exactly! “Use Windows XP in a responsable way”

    Very well said. And that’s the major problem with Windows users. Not using it on a responsable way.

    Since every ‘no brain’ person has a computer, and by default it has Windows on it, it’s not very hard to guess whats gonna happen with their OS (Virus, AdWare, Spyware, become Zombies, etc).

    The reason XP has such a terrible reputation its because of those same people.

    P.S: I’m not saying it is the best. Because *it is not*. It is not secure (wich is the main problem focused on these discussions), but I also dont remember wich OS is. Nothing is secure, but it is up to the user to make it a little better (but not bullet proof)

  18. Just to clarify. PC means personal computer… not windows or intel. So a MacBook running linux is a PC just as much as my IBM/XT or Osborne for that matter.
    Also all OS’s have there shortcomings, as well as uses. My personal favorite so far if anyone cares is the Amiga OS. It is great it is no NeXTstep, Linux, or XP; however it is my favorite. I think the ability to play HalfLife 2 on a MacBook pro is pretty significant, it would be the hack of the month if the ability to run MacX86 on similar Asus notebooks, you know Acer is the OEM for Apples high end notebooks for a while right?

  19. To those that accuse Msft of ‘copying’ Apple… Apple ripped off Xerox PARC in a massive way to make the 1st Mac GUI. Just because Mac OS came out before Windows, it doesn’t mean Apple was the father of the GUI. Apple simply popularized it.

  20. To those that accuse Msft of ‘copying’ Apple… Apple ripped off Xerox PARC in a massive way to make the 1st Mac GUI. Just because Mac OS came out before Windows, it doesn’t mean Apple was the father of the GUI. Apple simply popularized it.

  21. Kinda irrelevant.. but has anybody used the new ubuntu linux… I was wondering if it was worth ordering.. (They ship the CD’s out for free)

    Great job on the windows on mac hack… we need more brillant people like that in America

  22. I have serviced Mac’s and X86 boxes since 1986, Honestly they are all mechanical, they ALL break. OS is irrelevent, they all lock-up eventually. The nuts and bolts of both platforms have been getting closer to the same for years, out of the 3 major OS’s I use XP, am using linux for fun, my mac is dead – hard drive crash! haven’t found the energy to fix it because I don’t use it much.

  23. I use all three OSes but I use linux more then either XP or OSX.
    OSX though is more stable then windows and it makes a very good print and file server too.
    I might get an X86 mac when they come out with a better 64bit processor then the core series which is only 32bit and would be a downgrade from my dual G5.
    In real world tests the imac pro is only 1.3x faster then the single imac G5 when native apps intel are used though to be honest the G5 was running mostly G3 and G4 code.

  24. Mac’s suck!!!!
    (which is pretty ironic because my name is Max.)
    Xp is so much more better, try using xp and you will swith from your outdated, underpowered crapintosh computers. Microsoft is always 5 steps ahead of mac. (in hardware, and in op. system, although thats debatable, now that intel sells to mac.)

  25. Max (#35), Im afraid your comment is arse gravy of the highest level, i use XP and OSX equally, and OSX is better in every wasy bar compatability and price. So ignore this ignorant fool and get on with your life.

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