What exactly is Boot Camp?

As described in the original press release, Boot Camp:

Allows users with a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc to install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac, and once installation is complete, users can restart their computer to run either MacOS X or Windows XP. Boot Camp will be a feature in 'Leopard,' Apple's next major release of MacOS X.

Essentially, Boot Camp provides similar functionality to the third-party "XOM hack" that was released earlier, but provides "a simple graphical step-by-step assistant application to dynamically create a second partition on the hard drive for Windows, to burn a CD with all the necessary Windows drivers, and to install Windows from a Windows XP installation CD."

As promised, on October 26, 2007, Apple introduced MacOS X 10.5 "Leopard" which included Boot Camp 2.0 as a standard feature with full driver support and support for Windows XP as well as Windows Vista.

What versions of Windows are supported?

The final version of Boot Camp 2.0 provided with MacOS X 10.5 "Leopard" was designed to support Windows XP Home and Pro with SP2 or later as well as all versions of Windows Vista.

Readers also have reported installing Linux. Bloggers additionally have installed Windows 2003, Windows Media Center Edition, Windows Tablet Edition, and Sun Solaris although these operating systems are not formally supported.

Does Boot Camp install Windows drivers?

Yes. Boot Camp installs Windows drivers automatically, including video drivers, which were sorely lacking in the "XOM hack" solution. The beta versions of Boot Camp lacked support for some functionality -- IR and Bluetooth, for example -- but the final version of Boot Camp 2.0 provided with MacOS X 10.5 "Leopard" provides complete driver support.

How do I change the size of the Windows partition created by Boot Camp after installation?

Officially, you cannot increase or decrease the size of the Windows partition after it is created with Boot Camp, only remove it entirely. However, bloggers have discovered how to non-destructively change the partition size using Unix tools and iPartition, but one of the easiest methods is to simply use CampTune.

The makers of CampTune explain that the program makes it possible for one to just "insert the CD, reboot the system, resize the partitions by moving the controller and click Apply."

Please remember to absolutely backup everything before experimenting with changing the size of the Windows partition. Doing so is not supported by Apple and consequently is not recommended.

How do you install Windows using Boot Camp?

Apple has posted a "Boot Camp Installation & Setup (Manual)" document to the Apple Support Site with detailed instructions regarding the process. First, backup everything, print the manual, and follow the step-by-step instructions.

How can I uninstall Windows using Boot Camp?

Page 22 of the "Boot Camp Installation & Setup (Manual)" explains how to remove Windows and the Windows partition from your Mac. First, backup everything you want to keep from the Windows partition, because this process will erase everything related to Windows.

Apple's instructions are provided in five easy steps:

1. Start up in Mac OS X.

2. Quit all open applications and log out any other users on your computer.

3. Open Boot Camp Assistant.

4. Select "Create or remove and Windows partition" and click Continue.

5. Either click "Restore" if the computer has a single disk or "select the disk with Windows on it, and
then select 'Restore to a single Mac OS partition' and click Continue" if the computer has multiple internal disks.