Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Once the disk image mounts, it launches the EFI Firmware Update installer, which checks to see if your MacBook Air
needs the update. If not, you see an Alert message telling you your MacBook Air doesn't need the update. In this case,
click Close and skip the rest of these steps.
5. Click Continue.
The License Agreement appears.
6. Click Continue and then click Agree.
The Installation Type dialog appears.
7. Click Install.
The installer prompts you to type your MacBook Air's administrator password.
8. Use the Password text box to type your password and then click OK.
The program loads the firmware
installer.
9. Click Close.
10. Click Shut Down.
The installer prompts you to type your MacBook Air's administrator password.
11. Use the Password text box to type your password and then click OK.
The Installer shuts down your
MacBook Air.
12. Press and release your MacBook Air's power button.
Your MacBook Air powers up and installs the
firmware update. When the update is complete, your MacBook Air restarts.
13. When the firmware update program tells you your MacBook Air's firmware is now up to date,
click OK.
Back up your MacBook Air
It's important to back up your MacBook Air before any major operation. Using Boot Camp to dual-boot with
Windows definitely qualifies as major because, in most scenarios, you must use Boot Camp to carve out part of
your MacBook Air's hard drive to use as the Windows partition. Anytime you mess with your hard drive parti-
tions you run a small risk of having everything trashed. It's a small risk, but it's not nonexistent. Therefore, it's
really important that you back up your MacBook Air before you do anything with Boot Camp.
Creating a Partition for Windows
With your MacBook Air all ready for action, it's time to let Boot Camp do its thing. This is a two-stage process:
Use Boot Camp Assistant to create a partition for Windows.
This is the subject of this section.
Install Windows into the new partition.
I get to that a bit later.
Understanding partitions
When you install an operating system such as OS X or Windows on a hard drive, the operating system reserves
the hard drive for its own use. The OS is quite adamant about this, too, and it won't let you install another oper-
ating system on the same hard drive. If you force another OS on that drive, you'll only trash the original system.
This is all quite sensible when you think about it because different operating systems have different ways of or-
ganizing files on the hard drive, so letting two different systems access the same drive is just a recipe for chaos
and disaster.
All is not lost for would-be dual-booters, however. You may not be able to install two different operating sys-
tems on a single hard drive, but you
can
divide a single hard drive into two sections. These sections are called
