Mac / Vista / Windows 7

[DaveB]

I seem to remember it's harder getting XP running on a Mac but I can't remember why - I think it's maybe due to the type of BIOS used on Macs. On the other hand I installed Vista Ultimate on my current-gen MacBook with no problems whatsoever, except that the trackpad driver is lame (running under Parallels etc you avoid this as the drivers are still handled by MacOs) - easy remedied by plugging in a £5 mouse which is probably better for coding anyway.

I'd expect W7 would be very smooth to install, though of course the RC version isn't guaranteed!

Got XP running on Mac with less hassle that installing it on a PC

Run Bootcamp, install windows, install mac drivers from the Mac OS CD, Job Done.

Also installed and runs fine under VirtualBox.

Can;t remember the last time I actually booted it into windows though. And even then it was just to play Team Fortress.

[Not So Wise]

Installed Win 7 RTM this morning on a spare PC. I had two webcams plugged in that I forgot to remove before installing, a Logitech and a Microsoft Lifecam. After the install completed Windows update kicked in, saw the Logitech cam, installed the drivers and downloaded the utility software without a hitch. The Microsoft Lifecam? Unrecognised device

You might find the Logitech is blocking the MS cam if it discovered it first.

Recently tried to fix a "All in One" fax/print/scan machine for someone (it would not scan, "scanner not found"), after hours screwing around, taking out and reinstalling drivers came to the conclusion the scanner portion of the machine was just "broken", so off we went and got another, which had exact same problem!

After further research found it was a known problem with Logitech webcams, once the drivers go in they can stop OS's (XP/Vista) recognising any new imaging devices (scanners/webcams) even if you completely uninstall the Logitech software. Only real way to fix it then is to wipe machine

[Cliphead]

You might find the Logitech is blocking the MS cam if it discovered it first.

Recently tried to fix a "All in One" fax/print/scan machine for someone (it would not scan, "scanner not found"), after hours screwing around, taking out and reinstalling drivers came to the conclusion the scanner portion of the machine was just "broken", so off we went and got another, which had exact same problem!

After further research found it was a known problem with Logitech webcams, once the drivers go in they can stop OS's (XP/Vista) recognising any new imaging devices (scanners/webcams) even if you completely uninstall the Logitech software. Only real way to fix it then is to wipe machine

Win 7 gone forever. Installed the standard suite of company software, BSOD, repeatedly reboots, trashed other software on the PC. Duty done, I had a look now bye bye another piece of MS junk.

[TroubleAtMill]

I seem to remember it's harder getting XP running on a Mac but I can't remember why - I think it's maybe due to the type of BIOS used on Macs. On the other hand I installed Vista Ultimate on my current-gen MacBook with no problems whatsoever, except that the trackpad driver is lame (running under Parallels etc you avoid this as the drivers are still handled by MacOs) - easy remedied by plugging in a £5 mouse which is probably better for coding anyway.

I'd expect W7 would be very smooth to install, though of course the RC version isn't guaranteed!

I think XP is well supported as it was a dominant Windows OS at the time Bootcamp came out. I have it as partition on my MBP and it runs well.

I did install 2003 Server once for run Sharepoint. Never doing that again.