I am a Bootcamp user for running Windows on the Mac, and have been since day 1. The types of applications I want to use really do need the "whole" machine, and, although I have tried all of the virtual machine choices, Bootcamp is the best solution for me. I run things like Adobe Premiere Pro and other graphic and RAM-intensive apps, and do not need to move back and forth between the two operating systems. (I am a recent Mac convert but the left-side of my brain still controls how I work!)
I have been running Windows 7 Pro under Bootcamp since Win7 came out. Even though it was not officially supported, it worked fine. Of course, yesterday, Apple released Bootcamp 3.1 which provides official support for Windows 7 (32 bit and 64 bit) and the newer Apple peripherals under Windows. But I did not know that earlier yesterday.
However, yesterday was also the day I received my new 27" iMac. I used the Time Machine back-up to migrate everything from my 24" iMac with only a few minor glitches.
- As suggested, I had de-authorized iTunes on the previous computer before I did the back-up. After migrating the back-up to the new machine, the new launch of iTunes complained it was corrupt and I needed to re-install. I did the re-install and did not have to do anything else. All music, movies, settings, etc. were still there and fine. I had a little trouble with Audible in iTunes, but, after authorizing a few audiobooks, all the others worked.
- When I launched an Adobe CS3 app, it brought me to the registration screen and the key was already showing. I had to re-activate the suite. I hope it did not register another licensed copy.
- When launching FileMaker Pro 9, I also received the activation screen with the product key already showing. However, the FileMaker activation server never accepted the activation. After a call to FileMaker, it seems as if they are activating in a different way now. I have to uninstall FMP, wait for them to send me a new product key, and reinstall the program. If you are a FileMaker user, make sure you can locate your install disks!
- All of these were minor inconveniences. I then used the Bootcamp Assistant to partition the drive and installed Windows 7 on the iMac. I have done this lots of times before, without any problem. This time, there were times when the screen would go black and nothing would progress. I would whack the partition, and try again (and again) but it happened each time. I was lucky enough to find this page (don't ask me how) and I followed the 14-step process that helped this along for the 27" iMac and all is well. (Apparently, the same process should be followed for the 21.5" machines, too.) Lucky for me that all of these components were released on the day I was setting up the machine!
