Will this affect the Mac OS installation that's also on my system?
Probably not. While Apple did not respond when ZDNet Australia sister site CNET News.com asked it this question, Ken Dunham, director of the rapid response team at security company iDefense, did.
"I've been told that by default, Windows will not be able to read the Mac OS X volume on the computer," he said. That would mean that attacks on the Windows part of the machine won't be able to penetrate to the Mac side. "The Windows computer will not by default have access to the Mac OS X volume."
Could any Mac threats affect the Windows side?
That is a remote but possible scenario, Dunham said. Depending on the file system that the Windows installation uses, the Mac OS X software will be able to read and write to the Windows partition.
"Crossover security threats between the Mac OS and Windows OS remain untested and unknown, but may (occur) since it is possible to read and write from the Mac OS to the Windows volume," he said.
What is this file system business?
File systems, such as Windows' current NTFS, make it possible for people and computer programs to find documents, photos and other data.
During installation on the Mac, the Windows XP installer will ask what file system to use to format the Windows partition. It can be NTFS or FAT. If the partition is larger than 32 GB, you can only format it using NTFS. Mac OS X can read and write FAT volumes, but can only read NTFS volumes.
Will Apple help me when I have Windows trouble?
No. Unlike other PC makers, such as Dell, Gateway or Hewlett-Packard, Apple does not sell or support Windows.
Will Apple at least support Boot Camp?
Again, you're mostly on your own. The current version of Boot Camp is a preview, or beta, version. It is licensed for use on a trial basis for a limited time only. Support is available on Apple's Web site, but the company does not provide technical phone support for using the Boot Camp beta, burning the driver's CD or installing Windows XP.
Apple plans to include the Boot Camp technology in the next major release of Mac OS X. That version, called Leopard, is scheduled for release either late this year or early next year.
Can I get help from Microsoft?
Most likely, yes. Microsoft includes limited support when you buy a copy of Windows XP in a store. Also, it offers free support related to security incidents, such as spyware infestations on your system and virus infections. In the U.S., call 1-866-727-2338.
Can I now also run Mac OS X on my standard, Intel-based PC?
Apple has said that it will take steps to prevent this from happening. "We will not allow running Mac OS X on anything other than an Apple Mac," Phil Schiller, company senior vice president, said in a June interview. The company has not gone into specifics, but appears to be using a TPM (trusted protection module) chip as part of its authentication mechanism.
Where do I get Boot Camp?
A preview version is available for free download. However, the Mac maker cautions people to not use it on systems in a commercial operating environment or with important data. You should back up all of your data before installing Boot Camp, it recommends.
15%
7%
