14 DAY TRIAL // Boot Camp, the software included with OS X Lion and Mountain Lion so customers can run compatible versions of Microsoft Windows on an Intel-based Mac, now supports Windows 8 (64-bit).
In tandem with OS X 10.8.3, Apple this week rolled out Boot Camp Support Software 5.0.5033, a download package that contains “the Windows Support Software (Windows Drivers) you will need to support Windows 7 and Windows 8 on your Mac,” according to Apple.
On its Support site, the Cupertino giant reveals that “Boot Camp 5 adds Windows 8 (64-bit) support.”
Users looking to install Windows 8 on their Macs must employ the Boot Camp Assistant and have a USB drive at hand to install the latest Boot Camp drivers for their respective computer.
“These new drivers support both Windows 7 (64-bit) and Windows 8 (64-bit). You should download the newest drivers available any time you install Windows,” Apple says.
So which versions of Windows work with Boot Camp 5? Apple says you can use Microsoft Windows 8 (64-bit); Microsoft Windows 8 Pro (64-bit); Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit); Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-bit); or Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit).
To be noted that, in Boot Camp 5, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Enterprise versions of Windows 7 and Windows 8 are no longer supported.
Also worth knowing is whether your hardware actually supports Windows 8 too. According to Apple, you’ll need: MacBook Air (Mid 2011 or newer); MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer); Mac Pro (Early 2009 or newer); Mac Mini (Mid 2011 or newer); or iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010 or Mid 2011 or newer).
To use Boot Camp 5 software to install Windows 8 on a Mac, decompress the downloaded zip file, double-click the Boot Camp disk image, and copy the entire contents of the .zip file to the root level of the USB flash drive.
You’ll need to format the storage medium to the FAT file system before copying anything onto it.
When you run Windows, locate the Boot Camp folder on the USB drive and double click to open it. Then double click the “setup” executable to start installing the Boot Camp Support Software.