Could not install XP drivers

XP is not supported on the newer Macbook Pros. See here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4410

The message about Windows 7 is required is correct.

Thunderbolt Macs, including your MBP, do not support XP nor Vista unless it is a guest in a virtual machine.

You can only run 7 in native mode.

Nate

Well, this is more bad stuff from Apple. We have 10 MacBook Pros we've been using in a writing lab, and they have Windows XP installed in Boot Camp for the times when folks need to use them with Windows. So now we expanded by buying another 5 MBPs, and they won't run XP! I did get XP to install, but I also could not get the drivers to install, even trying the install disc from the previous MBP purchase that could run XP (and its drivers).

Apple, this is unacceptable behavior. We tech folks at universities try real hard to present a consistent set of software on student computers, and this just makes our jobs a little bit harder. Perhaps the folks at Apple are unaware of how many Windows folks still stick with XP instead of moving to Windows 7?

So now I need to figure how to hack these MBPs to get them to install Windows XP. Argh! And of course Apple has probably made it difficult, if not impossible, to install an earlier Mac OS.

Makes me glad I'm sticking with a PowerPC Mac at home running Mac OS X.4. All of my software works with that, and I'm not forced into "upgrading" (which is usually an actual downgrade as functionality is usually missing with newer versions of software).

Apple: please issue a patch for Mac OS X.6 so I can install Windows XP drivers in Boot Camp!

Garry K

You are whining to other users here and not Apple.

Personally I see this as progress and you are just going to have to figure out a way to live with it. Maintain archaic software is both expensive and difficult. I would think that any university worth calling itself one would wish to remain on the lead edge of technology no the dark ages.

Your request for a patch to get XP to run on the new Macs should actually be sent to Microsoft because it is they who are dropping the support for the newer Intel chip with XP and not Apple.

Allan

I can't believe a University is hanging onto XP. XP is at end-of-life, is not supported, no more security updates or patches, is old technology, and is not as secure/stable/capable as Windows 7.

A University that views technology advancement as "Apple, this is unacceptable behavior. We tech folks at universities try real hard to present a consistent set of software on student computers, and this just makes our jobs a little bit harder." will not be on my list of preferred Universities when screening job applicants. I think the real issue is in your quote "... this just makes our jobs a little bit harder."

Instead of spending time figuring out "...how to hack these MBPs to get them to install Windows XP." why don't you adopt the new technology that your graduates will need in the job market and provide the students with an education enhanced by using current tools and technology.

Just my opinion.

I think the most telling comment he made is that he is glad he is staying with Mac OS X 10.4 at home. That only shows how much he is keeping up with things I mean that is like five or six year old stuff he is proud to run. This guy is a real stick in the mud.

Allan

Gentlemen, there is a reason that "new" and "improved" are two different words. They are not synonymous with each other (that means that they don't mean the same thing). Sorry if I have to explain it for you. My tech support work allows me to work with the latest offerings in a few different OSes, and I can attest that newer is most definitely not always better than the older stuff.

Regarding my choice to stay with OS X.4 at home.... I have a LOT of older Mac software, including some OS 9 software (like PageMaker) that works just fine, and more importantly, it is PAID FOR! If I were to "upgrade" my hardware, then I'd have to also "upgrade" about a thousand dollars or so of software. I just don't have that kind of money laying around. What I really dislike is when Apple FORCES me to make that decision. IF instead they would still allow older software to run on their newer hardware, I might actually buy the newer hardware, eventually upgrading software packages one at a time as money became available for that. Although, in many cases, there is no modern equivalant for older software. Witness MacDraw. It's still my drafting program of choice. Regarding the original post of this thread, it's not a question of Apple not wanting to continue to support XP (and its drivers) in Boot Camp, but Apple had to physically change something to make it stop working. I tried to use the install disc from similar MBPs we bought last year where we could install XP & its drivers, and the drivers won't install on the new MBPs. Shame on Apple for that.

However, I also find that newer software usually doesn't work as well as older software. Look at the horrid "ribbon" interface that Microsoft has adopted for their Office 2007/2008 and later version. Horrible to work with. Not to mention that Excel 2008/2011 sorts much slower than did 2004.

While I do have to support newer stuff at work, sometimes some other folks also want older stuff to stick around because it just works better! Yeah, supposedly Windows 7 is more secure than Windows XP, but you know what, most Windows users will tell you they like the interface in XP better. Not to mention that our university runs some software (that would cost thousands of dollars to "upgrade") that doesn't run well on Windows 7. So there are valid reasons for sticking with older technology.

Of course, I will accept all offers of financial assistance if you folks want to help me purchase newer stuff, although I'd still crab about how it doesn't work as well as the old stuff. I was one of the first folks ever to switch to the Macintosh in 1984 (probably before my detractors here were even born) as I saw value in the GUI interface over a CLI. But as well as Apple's OS works, Apple's closed-minded approach to try to FORCE folks to have to upgrade on Apple's schedule leaves much to be desired. I am always ready to switch to something better whenever it comes along, but just because something is new does not mean it is better. As an example, this past Memorial Day weekend you may have been able to watch the movie Tora Tora Tora, an excellent movie about the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. Compare that to the modern day dreck of "Pearl Harbor" with computer-generated effects, planes and ships moving in ways that disobey the laws of physics, horrible acting, etc. It's sort of a metaphor for what I'm saying about old and new.

And some folks wonder why businesses by and large eschew the Apple platform--it's because businesses also dislike being forced into being FORCED to buy something new when the old stuff works just fine (and is also already paid for!). Apple's dropping support for Rosetta is going to make for a LOT of unhappy Mac users who will "upgrade" and find their older Mac OS X software suddenly stopped working. It may even drive them to switch back to Windows as at least Windows tries to allow older programs to still work in the latest OS release.

And you can believe me when I say that I have "whined" directly at Apple, although they don't care, apparently, if they ever see any more money from me directly.

Anyway, you guys can try to insult me, but I'll still have the last laugh because I know my hardware/software combination at home works, and I don't have to spend money to keep "upgrading" it just to make Steve Jobs (and you) happy.

Garry K

You represent everything I hated about IT admin at school.

Allan

Allan, you should also realize that a lot of software decisions are driven by the faculty. They decide they want to teach some particular piece of software in their class, or use some software for some purpose. They also usually have to decide on textbooks to use for the class, and so they can't/won't always upgrade to the latest thing. They especially don't like to change in the middle of a school year. Especially at a university level, it is a considerable cost to upgrade anything, because you're upgrading dozens or even hundreds (or more, at very large universities) items all at once. And we're like a lot of IT depts in that we don't have enough folks to do everything folks would like us to do all at once.

We also have to try hard to lock down our computers (both PCs and Macs) to keep students (and even some faculty) from installing stuff like Skype, BitTorrent, etc, not to mention the ever-present battle against malware. Everytime we have to "upgrade" the OS, we also have to upgrade our support tools, and that's another expense.

I realize things will change, but folks need to be able to decide when they want to change, not be forced by vendors to make a change. One would almost think that computer makers were textbook publishers, where you are forced to use a new edition every year, even though many subjects (like math or ancient history) haven't changed since the last published version of a particular textbook!

Maybe you didn't like the IT folks at school because they kept deleting/blocking the games you kept trying to install, even though they were expressly against university policy? :-)

Garry K

I'd prefer not to have University Tech Folks insist that Apple continue to support a 10 year old operating system (that MS themselves are abandoning) merely because they like it that way.

Get up to date, respect your students, by the time they get out XP will be history.

Windows 7 64-bit is 20x less vulnerable to threats should mean something.

XP Mode is built into Windows 7, so that should not be an issue either.

Vista SP1 is already on the chopping block as well.

I'd like to chime in a few points here:

- the absence of a "clear-view" warning by Apple (posted notice right in the Apple Store online & brick) is a real kick in the gut to any admin who has previously counted on XP support, and is a returning loyal purchaser

- if M$ had deleted support of XP (or Vista) this abruptly and without a press release, many Apple users would hypocritically pose in the opposite posture seen in this thread, pointing at PC users and laughing at MS

- that said - XP is a fossil, and needs to be buried

- I've seen a few colleges & universities still stubbornly using XP this year

- I did work for a law firm just after W7 came out who not only used XP but refused requests to purchase RAM beyond 512MB per machine - everyone was accustomed to the hourglass and saw nothing wrong

- anyone who thinks institutions and big business will ever change with the times is sadly mistaken, it is heartbreakingly difficult to reason with these dinosaurs, and it is a miracle that anyone could ever persuade them to even consider Apple product integration in their networks. This is why posters in this forum caught in the pinch deserve to be heard with respect.

Cheers

XP's EOL has been published and known for about 3 yrs now.

Military and others take a LOOOOOON(g) time to test, evaluate, requisition, retest, deploy, and then rollout and upgrade. And wait for the SP1 or later (after some old NT 3.1 rollout I guess ;-)

So I read where the Army may skip Vista and go to Windows 7 instead - - eventually.

I know there are fuddy duds foot draggers and lack of money for (x,y,z whether security or safety or enough manpower).

Did I disrespect? if anything I usually just try cold water and 'why' Apple may have chosen with the Sandy Bridge based systems to not invest into developing support. Apple's drivers for Windows leave much to be desired, audio, graphics, HFS support, the fact that you even have to do THREE installs to have motherboard HAL support and even then some drivers are lackinig. Not the kind of hand holding Mac users expect. Or conflicting or lack of support and information from genius types when it comes to Boot Camp.

To an end user, the cost of Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium OEM SP1 $99.

(I'd drop 32-bit version totally, personally).

I've used XP Mode and today's hardware can definitely run XP in VM quite well too.

Sorry TH! I was clumsy with my clicker - I meant to reply to the whole thread, generally... NOT to you specifically!

Cheers