so i converted my macbook pro into a wacintel laptop today.
it was a snap to install microsoft windows xp on the macbook using apple’s beta bootloader called boot camp .
here are some photos of the fun including a shot of my macbook executing the famous and much loved blue screen of death or bsod as we geeks call it.
if you plan to try this at home, read on for a couple of tips and caveats…

the steps are pretty easy:
1) verify that you are running a least os x 10.4.6
2) install the macbook intel firmware update
3) get a blank cd and your copy of windows xp (and serial number) ready
4) download and run boot camp and follow the instructions.

 

problems:
1) boot camp would not partition my drive because it claimed that some files could not be moved.
this was most likely due to the fact that my drive has been running at 99% full and some critical files had been fragmented all over the place.
i solved this by using carbon copy cloner to clone my drive to an external hdd, re-creating a single partition and cloning os x back to the laptop.
(this should not happen if your laptop is new)

 
2) the macbook pro has no *%$@*&!! delete button so i had to hook up a usb keyboard to log into windows xp after joining the domain.
to fix this, download and install the window xp resource kit and then go to start -> run and type remapkey.
this will allow you to ramap the useless windows/apple key (on the right of the space bar) to be delete as opposed to the macbook delete key which windows sees as backspace.
now you can give the three finger ctrl-alt-del salute to your heart’s content.

 
3) a minor and amusing problem is that you can invoke the bsod by opening up the usb video device in my computer.
this causes the machine to crash and reboot.
🙂