Triple Boot MacBook Pro Part Four: Installing Windows Vista and Drivers

Print | posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 2:08 AM

This article is part four in a series, read the introduction here.

1. Insert the Windows Vista including SP1 x64 DVD into your Mac.
2. From the Start Menu choose Restart... enter a period in the comment text box and click OK.
3. Hold down the ALT/OPTION key while the machine boots.
4. When the Boot Picker screen appears, select the CD ROM icon labelled Windows and wait while the Windows Boot Manager loads (do not select EFI Boot).
   
5. When prompted press a key to boot from the DVD and wait while the Windows Installer loads.
6. On the Install Windows page, select the Language and Regional Settings you need and click Next followed by Install now.
7. Enter your license key and click Next.
8. Check the I accept the license terms check box and click Next.
9. Click the Custom (advanced) button.
10. On the Where do you want to Install Windows page select the 100Gb Partition (Disk 0 Partition 3) and click Next.
    
11. Wait while Windows is installed. After approximately twelve minutes Windows will restart. Hold down the ALT/OPTION key while the machine boots.
12. When the Boot Picker screen appears, select the Hard Disk icon labelled Windows and wait while the Windows Boot Manager loads.
13. When the Windows Boot Manager loads, select Microsoft Windows Vista, press Enter and wait while the Windows Installer loads.
14. The Installing Windows page will re-appear at the stage, Completing installation. After approximately five minutes Windows will restart. Hold down the ALT/OPTION key while the machine boots.
15. When the Boot Picker screen appears, select the Hard Disk icon labelled Windows and wait while the Windows Boot Manager loads.
16. When the Windows Boot Manager loads, select Microsoft Windows Vista, press Enter and wait while Windows loads.
17. When the Choose a username and picture page appears, enter a user name and password and click Next.
18. On the Type a computer name and choose a desktop background page enter a computer name and click Next.
19. On the Help protect Windows automatically click the Use recommended settings button.
20. Set your Time Zone, Date and Time and click Next.
21. On the Thank You page, click Start and wait while Windows performs a performance evaluation.
22. Logon to Windows.
23. When the Desktop appears close the Welcome Center Window.
24. From the Start Menu, choose Computer.
25. Select the DVD Drive and click the Eject button.
26. Insert the Mac OS Install Disk 1 (or your Boot Camp Drivers Disk) into your Mac.
27. When the AutoPlay window appears, click Run setup.exe.
28. When the User Account Control dialog appears, click Continue.
    If a Windows Installer Internet Download Bootstrap has stopped working dialog appears click Close the program.
    
29. On the Welcome to the Boot Camp installer page, click Next.
30. Select the I accept the terms in the license agreement radio button and click Next.
31. On the Choose additional features and settings page, ensure the Apple Software Update for Windows check box is checked and click Install.
32. Wait while Boot Camp and Drivers are installed.
33. On the Boot Camp installer completed page click Finish and then Yes to restart the computer.
34. Hold down the ALT/OPTION key while the machine boots.
35. When the Boot Picker screen appears, select the Hard Disk icon labelled Windows and wait while the Windows Boot Manager loads.
36. When the Windows Boot Manager loads, select Microsoft Windows Vista, press Enter and wait while Windows loads.
37. Logon to Windows. Notice that all the drivers are loaded and the screen resolution is set to something a little more sensible. The Boot Camp help file will also load and the Boot Camp Control Panel icon is displayed in the system tray.
38. Eject the Mac OS Install CD.
39. Configure Boot Camp to Use the F1-F12 keys to control software features using the Boot Camp Control Panel.
40. Configure Boot Camp to use the Windows disk as its Start Up disk.
41. Rename the C:\ drive to Windows Vista.

At this stage the Windows Vista installation is complete and you could choose to install your other apps, run Windows Update or restore from a backup your data etc. For the purposes of brevity we won’t bother at this stage.