Discussion on:

Combining Windows 8 and a Retina MacBook

1) Windows 7 bootcamp drivers work in Windows 8 (i'm using it...) no issue with right clicking / scrolling on trackpad. however at the moment the config utility only works as non-admin user. In either case settings for right click can be configured via reg key (not user friendly but it's all possible..)

2) while in-built windows 8 apps don't work well with retina, with windows APIs you certainly can create apps that will work fine (i.e. image editing software), as long as you make your app DPI aware so you aren't subject to the auto-scaling

I realize that defeats the purpose of the retina display, but if your screen is unreadable, than your computer is useless anyways. I still use 1024 x 768, any higher and I have to struggle to read the text, making my eyes get tired quickly.
I do yearn for the day that Windows properly scales up with resolution.

You can't blame Microsoft on this. Microsoft does not make the drivers for video cards [except maybe the generic resolutions]. Blame whoever made the video card. But since you are installing a [probably] unsupported OS on a Mac, they wouldn't bother with drivers anyways. Anyone other than a novice would know this.

It's about Windows being smart enough to work well on any resolution. The driver doesn't control how big icons and other objects are drawn, that's all Windows.

As I said, 4K is coming, and I'd expect MS to be clever enough to make sure Win8 will work on it when it arrives.

This has to get the headlines!

The MacBooks have one great feature, not found on any other generic laptops: the touchpad. It is perfectly capable of a lot more gestures than anything on the market yet and OS X certainly makes good use of these. Let's hope, Windows 8 could, too.

Because, if Windows 8 will require some magical new touch pads that do more than what is in the Macbook, apparently we will have to wait for this type of hardware to come around.. years --- many have tried and didn't succeed to at least clone the Apple's trackpad (probably, because of costs).

"When the touch aspects of Windows 8 are taken into account, what is needed to make good use of Microsofts operating system is a track pad that recognises multi-fingered swipes and gestures. Youre not going to find that at this moment with Apple hardware."

What? How about Apple's Magic Trackpad? It's been out for quite a while. Available as built into some MacBooks or as a separate piece of hardware. Maybe the problem you are experiencing is that the Win8 system needs drivers to take advantage of how the Magic Trackpad operates.
http://www.apple.com/magictrackpad

Why would you want to put that ugly operating system on a beautiful retina display??

But nevertheless a cool hack. At least it's good to know that Windows 8 will, indeed, run under Boot Camp. The rest are details that shall be solved over the years, as both Microsoft and Apple release new drivers and updates...

Macs generally take any Windows OS if you use, for example, Something like VM-Ware Desktop ( although i have not checked recently), but I have trialed VmWare Desktop on PC Desktops. And from a Service Perspective, if I had the memory capacity, I would load 4-5 clients to use in either accessing servers, or diagnosing system issues, but if I go from Windows on to Mac, its easy. However, MAC on to Windows is a different story. I saw one 13 inch Laptop used in a Webinar demo that I did not know it was a Mac 13 inch until I was told, and then when I was told it had 16 Gig of Ram, it brings a new perspective.
I have to deal with whatever comes my way, and its only going to work on a PC laptop if I have 16 Gig of Ram or More. This of course presumes, so far as I have investigated, a Linux base. If it works with a Mac Base, then I am sold. But I do need to be able to run 4-5 clients ( with probably one server on the VMWare ). I am still trying to sort the configuration. But I am some time yet, since I have other tasks ahead of the Laptop and/or Desktop Service Option.

I was wondering, the other day, if it would work to put Mac OS X onto a Surface Pro. Both require Intel chips. Both handle multi-touch pads. Maybe OS X can handle the touch screen, if the screen input is similar to the track pad. I'm guessing that at least drivers may need to be hashed out (or maybe things are similar enough to magically work.)

Just a thought.

since no one has said it yet. Thank you for simplifying my life. I HATE those "slide shows". The represent a waste of time loading each image, especially on some of the "shows" that have no descriptive text.

Well...I am not really all that enthused about Win8 anyway...though it would be nice to see it work fully with the gestures that the macbook trackpad thingy has to offer. I only use a mouse when I am playing Diablo 3 on my mac. I have paralells, but i rarely use my windows 7 because I can iTap to my work unit and I only use my XP partition when I need to make a card for my wife(there has yet to be a better program for that than "Microsoft Publisher Platinum 2002", which doesn't run on Vista or Windows 7...).

I have always embraced all new versions of Windows - 3.1, NT, 98, ME, 2000, XP(32&64), Vista, 2003server, 2008R2, and Win 7. I always found positives until now.
I have never tried Apple before this week, but this month my daughter needed it for college, so I had an interesting experience. While at stumbled at first, I was able to do most functions and even a few minor techy ones on Mountain Lion within an hour.

Win8 brought mostly frustration after three hours. It runs poorly (granted it is beta) on my i7 with SSD, the design is a mess, and it is anything but fun. The tiled screen appears to be a laughable copy of my Ipod complete with the Windows button as menu button.
Just for comparison I tried a new linux distro. Within an hour I could do everything I wanted, again even some minor techy things such as create a bootable USB.
I have many home PCs, but after trying Win 8 I really will consider moving them to linux when Win 7 is closer to retirement. Any new devices (no more new desktops) will probably be that other company.
I have always ranted against Apple and their Madison avenue created cool, the smugness of their fanbase, and my own measure of their relative cost/value ratio.
I really do not want to start a WIN/Apple thread, that whole argument is stupid. Both are capable tools. But from my little comparison of the major options for OSs, I think MS may be in trouble if they do not redesign this garbage.
I work in tech, but certainly do not claim to be a guru on the desktop. This is just my impression as an ex MS fanboy who may be joining the darkside.

Come on Apple, update bootcamp for windows 8

Thanks for excellent article.
I am waiting delivery of my 512GB retina today and am searching for info to how to make it dual boot.
I am .NET developer learning iOS.
so Macbook is very important to have to develop for iOS but when on the go - I cannot take two laptops with me.
So I have no other options but I have to install win 8 on another logical drive.
I want to say - it is not "sadism" - it is pragmatical and normal thing and I have to do it.
You did not say in the article whether you were able to:
1) install drivers for touchpad
2) use thunderbolt outputs from win 8 for use with external monitors.

Is the above possible?

Also as keyboard does not have "windows" button. how you access start screen in Win 8?

Thanks

One more question..
Did you install it from flash drive?

I installed win8 enterprise on my MBP Retina 15", it was a "big disspointing"all the application like : google chrome , AutoCAD , 3Ds Max are funky !! the resolution is missed up whether is so blurry or so tiny.. im thinking of downgrade to win7 until more updates coming up from apple or autodek or google ? what do you think ??