Running Windows XP or Mac OS X on the A-65 iMac computersLast revision October 3, 2008
The iMac computers in the A-65 lab can run either the Windows XP operating system or the Mac OS X 10.5 operating system, thus giving access to a wide variety of software programs.
This page describes how to run the operating system of your choice on these iMac computers. You can only run one operating system at a time. Switching to the other operating system requires restarting the computer. This page only shows the startup procedure. See the lab FAQ if you are having trouble getting logged in once the operating system has started.
Note that you can share files easily between the operating systems (and between computers). Files saved in your My Documents folder in Windows XP appear in the Documents subfolder of your home folder on Mac OS X, and vice-versa, because these folders are actually stored on the Earth Sciences file server. See the lab FAQ for more information.
The page will first show how to start the computer in the operating system you want, if it is currently turned off. Then it will give directions to switch from running Windows XP to Mac OS X. Finally, it will give directions to switch from running Mac OS X to Windows XP.
Starting the right operating system when the computer is off
If the iMac you want to use is completely turned off, you can start directly into the operating system of your choice.
If you want to run Windows XP, just press the power button. The power button is located near the left bottom of the screen, on the back side. Windows XP is the default operating system on these iMacs, as most courses use Windows-based software.
If you want to run Mac OS X, you must hold down the Option key on the keyboard (lower left) while pressing the power button. This key tells the computer's firmware to search for disk partitions with operating systems on them.
Keep the Option key pressed until you see these icons appear on the screen:
As you can see, you have a choice of startup disk partitions. Windows contains the Windows XP system and is circled because it is the default startup disk. Macintosh HD contains the Mac OS X 10.5 system. Move the cursor over the Macintosh HD icon and click on it. Your screen should change to look like this:
Now click on the circled arrow below the Macintosh HD icon to start up Mac OS X.
Switch from Windows XP to Mac OS X
If the iMac you want to use is running Windows XP, you must restart to switch to Mac OS X. Hold down the Option key during the restart procedure so the iMac will search for disk partitions with operating systems and give you a choice between Windows XP and Mac OS X, as shown above.
Here are two sets of instructions for initiating a restart from Windows XP. The first case, immediately below, describes what to do if you (or someone else) are logged into Windows XP. The second case, which follows after, shows how to restart from the Windows XP login screen.
Restarting if logged into Windows XP
Your iMac is logged into Windows XP if it shows the Windows XP desktop, like this:
Click on the Start button in the lower left corner to bring up a list of programs and things to do. The Shut Down button is used to shut down or restart the computer, as shown in this screenshot:
Click on this Shut Down button. It will open a dialog window where you can choose an action, as shown in this screenshot:
Make sure the Restart item is selected from the drop-down menu, and then click on the OK button.
Hold down the Option key during the restart procedure so the iMac will search for disk partitions with operating systems and give you a choice between Windows XP and Mac OS X, as shown above.
Restarting if Windows XP is running, but not logged-in
If Windows XP is running, but no one is logged in, moving the mouse should bring it out of sleep mode and show this welcome window:
As the screen says, press the Control, Alt, and Delete keys at the same time to begin. A Stanford policy window will appear, as shown in this screenshot:
Click on the OK button to proceed. That will take you to the login window, as shown in this screenshot:
Notice the button labelled Shut Down on the botton of this login window. Click on it. It will open a dialog window where you can choose an action, as shown in this screenshot:
Make sure the Restart item is selected from the drop-down menu, and then click on the OK button.
Hold down the Option key during the restart procedure so the iMac will search for disk partitions with operating systems and give you a choice between Windows XP and Mac OS X, as shown above.
Switch from Mac OS X to Windows XP
If the iMac you want to use is running Mac OS X, you must restart to switch to Windows XP. The restart will automatically bring up Windows XP by default, as most courses in the lab use Windows programs.
If you want to restart Mac OS X again, hold down the Option key during the restart procedure so the iMac will search for disk partitions with operating systems and give you a choice between Windows XP and Mac OS X, as shown above.
Here are two sets of instructions for initiating a restart from Mac OS X. The first case, immediately below, describes what to do if you (or someone else) are logged into Mac OS X. The second case, which follows after, shows how to restart from the Mac OS X login screen.
Restarting if logged into Mac OS X
Your iMac is logged into Mac OS X if it shows the Mac OS X desktop, like this:
Click on the Apple menu in the upper left corner, and then click on the item labelled Restart..., as shown in this screenshot:
A dialog box will appear to confirm that you really want to restart, as shown in this screenshot:
Click on the Restart button to proceed with the restart. The restart will automatically bring up Windows XP by default, as most courses in the lab use Windows programs.
If you want to restart Mac OS X again, hold down the Option key during the restart procedure so the iMac will search for disk partitions with operating systems and give you a choice between Windows XP and Mac OS X, as shown above.
Restarting if Mac OS X is running, but not logged-in
If Mac OS X is running, but no one is logged in, moving the mouse should bring it out of sleep mode and show this login window:
Simply click on the Restart button to proceed with the restart. The restart will automatically bring up Windows XP by default, as most courses in the lab use Windows programs.
If you want to restart Mac OS X again, hold down the Option key during the restart procedure so the iMac will search for disk partitions with operating systems and give you a choice between Windows XP and Mac OS X, as shown above. |
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