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Recently, I had the opportunity to install Windows Server 2008 x64 on my MacBook Pro. With the recent updates for BootCamp (drivers) and a little bit of perseverance, I am now up and running.

1. Install Server 2008 (be sure to select Full Installation to install the GUI interface). If you have any trouble booting from the installation DVD, specifically being stuck at the “Select CD-ROM Boot Type:”, you can follow the instructions here to create a bootable DVD.
2. Install the latest x64 BootCamp drivers (version 2.0) that were released for the Mac Pros. (Note: The link for the drivers points to a torrent at The Pirate Bay as Apple does not provide downloads of the original driver media.
3. Install the updated BootCamp drivers (version 2.1). You must first install the drivers from the previous step before the driver update can be applied.
   1. On my MacBook Pro, the Atheros 5800X wireless driver was not installing properly. A working x64 driver can be found here.
4. To fully enable wireless access (being able to join a wireless network, etc.), the “Wireless LAN Service” feature needs to be enabled.
5. If you plan on using your server installation as more of a desktop installation, you can view the excellent guide at win2008workstation.com.

The only true “gotchas” with the installation of Server 2008 on the MacBook Pro are the installation of the wireless drivers and the enabling of the “Wireless LAN Service” feature to allow for enumeration of wireless networks.

If anyone has any more to add, sound off in the comments!

I bought myself a Bluetooth Mighty Mouse over the holdidays and I have to say that I really like it. It does have some interesting quirks. For instance, to right-click, I have to make sure my index finger is not touching the mouse. But that’s for another post, on to the bug.

I was FTP’ing files between my Media Center PC and the MacBook Pro, and all of a sudden my mouse gets choppy (skipping 20 pixels at a time). This started immediately after I started my FTP transfer, and only affected my Mighty Mouse (the trackpad continued to operate normally). So it would appear that a full on network connection (at least a wirelss one, as I did not have an opportunity to test a wired one) leads to a choppy mouse. Something to keep in mind next time you sit down to move some files around.

Spaces in OS X Leopard is just one of those things that truly becomes a time saver. It has made realize how much I miss virtual desktops overall after being in a Windows world at work. Check out the shot below, which has 4 virtual desktops. And yes, thats a full screen Windows XP installation running under VMWare Fusion in the lower right!

(Click for Full Size)

Leopard has a major issue with it’s networking stack when it comes to wireless.  I run my wireless network at home with WEP (I know, not recommended at all but I’m lazy).  After struggling with some of the SLOWEST samba transfers known to man, I decided to perform some speed tests from my Macbook Pro (3rd generation).  All I can say is “WOW!”.  A Windows XP laptop located right next to my shiny new Macbook was getting 2,500 kbps average for download speeds.  And the Macbook? Less than 200 kbps.

Thinking that I might have to return my shiny new toy (after a $2,500 investment, wireless should work!), I began searching for solutions in all the usual places.  When nothing came up, I decided it was time to update my wireless router to WPA2 (from the WEP).  After making this small change, my Macbook is suddenly quite happy with it’s wireless connection.  And by happy, I mean that it can finally keep up with the crappy Celeron laptop sitting next to it.

Long story short, if you’re having problems with your Airport connection and you’re using WEP, it might be time to reconfigure and go up to WPA (or one of it’s variations).