Oct 27, 2017 - Running Windows software on your Mac isn't as tough as you'd think. To run Windows programs on macOS, including the best method for.
Thanks to Apple software called Boot Camp, you can run both Windows (XP or Vista) and OS X on one Mac machine. Here’s how to install Boot Camp, which came with Leopard, so you can use both Windows and OS X, interchangeably.
1Run Boot Camp Assistant (in the Utilities folder under Applications) to make sure that you have the latest firmware on your computer.
You can find any updates at the Apple Web site. Follow any on-screen instructions if you’re updating the firmware. If you’re using a portable computer, make sure to connect the power adapter.
2Create a partition for Windows XP or Vista.
This partition must be at least 5GB and can be as large as the total free disc space on hand minus 5GB. If you don’t plan on doing much in Windows, keep the XP or Vista partition small. If you plan on running graphics-heavy games and a lot of Windows programs, you might devote a larger amount to Windows. Drag the divider to set the partitions for both OS X and Windows. Or click Divide Equally to make equal partitions. Still another option: Click 32GB to devote that much to Windows.
3Insert the Windows CD. Click Start Installation.
If you exited Boot Camp Assistant before installing Windows, open it again, choose Start the Windows Installer, and click Continue.
4When asked to choose the Windows partition, select C: if you’re running Windows XP or select Disk 0 Partition 3 BOOTCAMP if you are running Vista.
This is important. Failure to do so could wipe out your entire Mac OS X startup disk.
5Format the partition.
For Windows XP, format the partition in either the NTFS file system or FAT. FAT provides better compatibility between the two operating systems but is available only if the partition you created for Windows is 32GB or smaller; NTFS is more reliable and secure, but you won’t be able to save files to Windows from Mac OS X. For Vista, format the partition using NTFS. Click Drive Options (Advanced), click Format, and then click OK. Click Next.
6After Windows is installed, eject the Windows disc.
You can do so by going to My Computer, selecting the optical drive (D:), and clicking Eject This Disk in the Systems Task list.
7Insert the Leopard installation disc and follow the on-screen instructions.
You’re loading Boot Camp drivers so that Windows recognizes AirPort, Bluetooth, the iSight camera, the Eject key on the Mac keyboard, networking, audio, graphics, and so on. A Boot Camp control panel for Windows and an Apple Boot Camp system tray item will be added.
8When you see the message that the software “has not passed Windows Logo testing,” click Continue Anyway.
Don’t cancel any driver installers. The computer will restart.
9Follow any Found New Hardware instructions.
As with any new Windows computer, Microsoft requires that you activate your XP or Vista software within 30 days.
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Apple offers a variety of apps that can be quite alluring to Windows PC users, and you don’t have to buy a brand new machine to try them. Using a program called VirtualBox, you can run Apple’s OS X on your Intel-based PC. This will be a complete version of OS X, allowing you to run Apple-specific software like Mac apps and programs.
Initial Installations and Downloads
1.
Download and install VirtualBox and the VirtualBox Extension Pack (link available in Resources).
2.
Download the Hackboot 1 and Hackboot 2 ISO files (link available in Resources). These ISOs will be used to start the OS X installer and the operating system itself, respectively.
4.
Name the new virtual machine and set the Operating System box to Mac OS X and the Version box to “Mac OS X Server (64 bit).”
5.
Use the slider to allocate RAM to your virtual machine; at least 4GB of RAM is a recommended.
6.
Click “Next” and select “Create New Disk.” The program will return to its main menu.
7.
Right-click the named OS X virtual machine and click “Settings.”
8.
Uncheck the box next to 'Enable EFI' in the System tab. EFI is an alternative to BIOS but Windows machines are unable to use EFI to boot in VirtualBox as of August 2013.
9.
Navigate to the Storage tab and click on the CD icon called Empty. Select “Choose a virtual CD/DVD disk file” and select the Hackboot 1 ISO. This sets your virtual machine to boot from Hackboot 1 the first time it starts up.
Installing OS X
1.
Select your OS X virtual machine in the VirtualBox main menu.
2.
Click “Start” in the toolbar and then click the CD icon at the bottom of your screen.
3.
Click “Choose a virtual CD/DVD disk file” and select the ISO disc image of the Mountain Lion version of OS X.
4.
Click on the main screen and press “F5” to refresh the program. An icon in the middle of your screen will now be labeled as “OS X Install DVD.”
5.
Press the “Enter” key on your keyboard to bring up the OS X Installation screen.
6.
Select your language and agree to the operating system’s terms. You will be taken to an installation page that gives you no hard drive installation option.
7.
Click “Utilities” and then click “Disk Utility…” in the VirtualBox toolbar labeled OS X Installer.
8.
Click on the VirtualBox hard drive, navigate to the Erase tab and click “Erase” to clean the virtual hard drive and allow OS X to be installed. None of your data will be lost by erasing the drive.
9.
Close the Disk Utility window and click on the hard drive icon now in the middle of your screen.
10.
Follow the on-screen steps to finish the OS X installation.
11.
Click the CD icon at the bottom of your screen when the installation finishes and you see a black screen with white text. Select the Hackboot 2 ISO so your virtual machine will properly boot when you restart it.
13.
Select the Apple icon and press “Enter” on your keyboard.
14.
Follow the final on-screen instructions to setup Mac OS X. You can now use this virtual operating system to run any Mac programs on your Windows PC.
Things Needed
A 64-bit Windows PC with 4GB of available RAM
An ISO disc image of OS X Mountain Lion
Tip
Since multiple downloads are required, it is best to keep a record of where each is located to make the installation process easier.
Warning
You must allocate a minimum of 2GB of RAM to your virtual machine -- though at least 4GB is recommended -- but the majority of your RAM should remain allocated to your Windows installation in order to properly run VirtualBox and all of your other software.
References (3)
Resources (2)
About the Author
Geoff Whiting is a writer and copy editor who has specialized in business technology, consumer electronics and research reports since 2007. He has written for national magazines like 'American Shipper' and 'BIC Magazine,' has written daily news articles for FierceMarkets, and has crafted research reports for Rider Research, Intel and Spotify.
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Whiting, Geoff. 'How to Run Mac Programs on a Windows PC.' Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/run-mac-programs-windows-pc-72291.html. Accessed 25 October 2019.
Whiting, Geoff. (n.d.). How to Run Mac Programs on a Windows PC. Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/run-mac-programs-windows-pc-72291.html
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