Paul Thurrott - Windows 8 Secrets

You will find the Boot Camp Assistant utility in Applications, Utilities on any modern Mac. (Or, just use the handy keyboard shortcut Command + Space to bring up OS X’s version of Start Menu Search and type boot cand then press Enter.)

Boot Camp Assistant is a very simple, wizard-based application that walks you through the process of getting the drivers you need and partitioning your Mac to accommodate both OSes and then installs Windows. It’s a pretty straightforward process, but be sure to download Apple’s Windows Setup drivers when prompted since you’ll need them later. Burn them to disc (or copy them to a USB flash drive).

Boot Camp Assistant will also prompt you to choose how much disk space to allot to both Mac OS X and Windows, as shown in Figure 2-26. We recommend giving as much space to Windows as possible since, of course, you’ll be using this superior platform almost exclusively going forward. But choose accordingly, understanding that you will not be able to easily change this configuration later.

Once that’s done, click Install and Boot Camp will trigger the Windows 8 Setup routine, or prompt you to insert the Setup disc so it can do so.

Figure 2-26:Apple actually lets you install another OS on a Mac. They’re so cute.

Setup will run normally, as described previously. There are two crucial choices to make during this process, however. First, choose the Custom install type at the appropriate screen. And then choose the right partition, of course, and not the one on which OS X is installed. This screen will be a bit messy, given the way Boot Camp laid out the disk. But the correct partition is named Bootcamp and will be roughly the size you previously configured. You will have to format it using the Advanced options before Setup can proceed.

After a few reboots, you’ll step through the out-of-box experience as is usual, and then sign in to Windows 8 for the first time.

Once Windows 8 is installed, you will need to install Apple’s Boot Camp drivers in order to complete the installation. So you should insert the driver disc you created as part of the Boot Camp Assistant and let it do its thing, rebooting as required. From there, follow the general post-install advice provided earlier in this chapter.

One of the weirdest things about using a Mac is that Apple’s computers use nonstandard keyboards. It will take a little getting used to, but this handy guide (Table 2-1) to common key conversions should get you started.

Table 2-1:Mac Keyboard Conversion for Windows 8

Apple is nice enough to configure Boot Camp such that the machine will boot automatically into Windows 8 every time you restart the PC. This is almost always what you’ll want, but you may occasionally need to boot into OS X for some reason. You can do so on the fly, when the Mac boots, or configure the Mac to boot into OS X just once, the next time you restart. (Okay, you could also make OS X the default boot OS. But we’re not documenting that particular option since you will never, ever, ever want to do that. Got it?)

To boot into OS X just once, you need to access the Boot Camp control panel that was installed when you installed Apple’s various Boot Camp drivers. This control panel, shown in Figure 2-27, will be accessible from an icon in the system tray. (It’s the tiny gray diamond.)

Figure 2-27:The Boot Camp control panel

To restart in OS X just once, right-click the Boot Camp system tray icon and choose Restart in Mac OS X. You’ll be prompted about whether you’re sure you want to do this, as even Apple can’t believe it. Click OK to reboot into OS X.

You can also choose between Mac OS X and Windows 8 when the Mac boots up. To do so, wait for the Mac’s bong sound at restart and then hold down the Alt/Option key. You’ll see a graphical boot menu appear with choices for Mac OS X, Windows, Recovery HD, and, if available, a bootable optical disc. Select the partition you want and enjoy.

Like previous versions of Windows, it’s possible to install Windows 8 in virtual machine environments such as Microsoft Hyper-V, Oracle VirtualBox, VMware Workstation, and so on. Generally speaking, there’s no real magic to making Windows 8 work with such products, though you lose out on some graphical niceties and, usually, the touch-based goodness that makes Windows 8 special.

Windows 8 is the first client version of Windows to include its own hypervisor-based virtualization solution. This is called Hyper-V, and because this solution is generally aimed at businesses, we discuss it in Chapter 14 Summary There’s no doubt that Windows 8 is a huge upgrade for consumers, a revolutionary new version of Windows that will allow Microsoft’s most successful product line to enter new markets for touch-based portable devices. But Windows 8 isn’t just about fun and games. Like previous Windows versions, it comes well-stocked with an abundance of business-oriented features, including updated versions of many preexisting features like domain join and Group Policy support, EFS, BitLocker and BitLocker To Go, and more. Windows 8 includes new business features, too. It picks up the powerful Hyper-V virtualization platform from Windows Server 2012, providing users with an astonishing new tool for managing virtual environments and resources. And Hyper-V is further bolstered by new VHD shell integration and a new Virtual Machine Connection client. Remote desktop users will find both Metro-style and desktop clients as well as a secure version of Remote Desktop Host that will allow you to access your own desktop PC remotely. Those corporations that opt for Windows 8 Enterprise will see several other additional features. And even consumer-oriented Windows RT tablets can make their way into businesses thanks to Exchange ActiveSync compatibility and a unique management client. .

From an installation perspective, you will want to download a Windows 8 disc image in ISO format and use that to install Windows 8. You cannot use the web-based installer. Since these environments are well understood and utilize generic virtualized hardware components, you will usually not need to hunt around for drivers after Setup concludes.

With Windows 8, Microsoft has finally answered a long-time request from power users, businesses, and educational institutions and has provided a unique new way to install the OS to a USB flash drive, providing users with a complete operating environment they can carry in their pocket. To use this special version of Windows 8, called Windows to Go, all you need to do is insert it in any PC, reboot, and boot from the USB drive. After about 20 seconds, you’ll be presented with your familiar, customized Windows 8 environment, complete with all your apps and data. And if you lose the USB flash drive, no problem: The entire disk can be encrypted with BitLocker and protected against data theft.