Apple updates Boot Camp with Windows 7 support

Apple on Tuesday updated its Boot Camp software and issued new drivers and utilities to allow users to run Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows 7. The Mac maker also issued its first security update of 2010, addressing 12 vulnerabilities.

The Boot Camp software was updated to version 3.1 for both 32-bit and 64-bit users of Windows 7. The updates add native support for the Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate versions of Windows 7.

In addition, Boot Camp Software Update 3.1 for Windows addresses issues with the Apple trackpad, turns off the red digital audio port LED on laptop computers when it is not being used, and supports the Apple wireless keyboard and Apple Magic Mouse. The 32-bit version is 380.73MB, while the 64-bit update is 274.58MB. The software requires either Windows XP or Windows Vista SP2 before installing Windows 7.

To further support the Microsoft OS, system-specific drivers are available. Those with the new late 2009 iMac, both 21.5-inch and 27-inch models, can download the iMac Late 2009 Windows 7 Drivers, while iMac and Mac Pro users can use the Graphics Firmware Update 1.0 update for compatibility.

Finally, Apple has also released the Boot Camp Utility for Windows 7 Upgrade, which safely unmounts the read-only Macintosh volume on Microsoft Windows Vista. The utility must be used before upgrading from Vista to Windows 7.

Also Tuesday, the first security updates of 2010 for Snow Leopard and Leopard were released. Security Update 2010-001 is recommended for all users of Mac OS X, and it addresses a number of potentially dangerous security issues.

The updates are available for Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (21.90MB), Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard Server (248.11MB), and Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard Client (159.58MB). They can also be downloaded via Software Update.

The vulnerabilities addressed in the update, according to Apple, include CoreAudio, the Flash Player plug-in, OpenSSL, Image RAW, and Image IO.

60 Comments

ipedro 63 comments · 15 Years

About 14 years ago

Regrettably, I have to install Windows on my Mac to check for compatibility of the websites I design. This will make using Windows an easier pill to swallow.

In a related topic, does anybody know where 10.6.3 stands? 10.6.2 ruined the speed and stability gains that the original release version of Snow Leopard brought over Leopard.

john.b 2733 comments · 16 Years

Another vulnerability in Flash? Say it ain't so!

pmz 3429 comments · 15 Years

Question, I already have Windows 7 installed on a partition for my iMac. Should I avoid this upgrade until I erase that partition?

xtxrxaxvxixsx 35 comments · 16 Years

I'm still so confused by why they cut the support on the 2006 models.

I assume they just didn't want to go through the trouble of porting drivers over, but those people (myself included) with these '06 Macs really would have appreciated the effort of doing so.

That's not to say I won't do it - I already have, and everything works just fine - but I don't like "unsupported" things, hacks, etc. Granted, all Boot Camp really does is partition the hard drive - presumably any Intel-compatible OS could be installed on said partition, correct?

I suppose Apple is trying to slowly annoy people into upgrading to newer Macs by cutting support like this. Not a big fan of such malicious product-pushing techniques...

dambuster 16 comments · 14 Years

New member here but not new to bootcamp...

I really find it strange that you need to have Vista or XP installed in order to install Windows 7... I'd say that's a mistake... It doesn't make any sense to use an earlier version of Windows, especially if the DVD you have contains a full installation and not an update.