Apple’s latest EFI updates noted improved support for Boot Camp functionality. This was in the form of updated code to Apple’s Compatibility Support Module (CSM). The CSM virtualizes BIOS functionality and allows “legacy” operating systems such as Windows and Linux to run on Intel-based Macs.
One of the largest criticism’s of Apple’s CSM was its lack of support for DOS-based applications. All other Intel system boards with EFI could run DOS-based applications without problem. Appple EFI/CSM criticism has not been delivered just by users, but also by developers such as Linus Torvalds.
The good news is that CSM support has been updated to include basic DOS support. While DOS does not work fully, some applications such as Maxtor’s PowerMax now do work. These low-level diagnostic tools allow you to check, test, and repair components on your Mac with the low-level capacities of PC-counterparts.
Most of these tools are now commonly offered in .iso format, and can be burned to a CD-R with Disk Utility. However, such support is currently limited. Apple’s CSM does not support a key DOS mode, A20, which is needed for many higher-memory calls. As such, most utilities still will not run. That said, you can now start diagnosing many hard drives with the same level of performance that you used to need to plug the drive into a PC to check.
Contributed by: Christopher Price – www.pcsintel.com
Apple’s latest EFI updates noted improved support for Boot Camp functionality. This was in the form of updated code to Apple’s Compatibility Support Module (CSM). The CSM virtualizes BIOS functionality and allows “legacy” operating systems such as Windows and Linux to run on Intel-based Macs.
One of the largest criticism’s of Apple’s CSM was its lack of support for DOS-based applications. All other Intel system boards with EFI could run DOS-based applications without problem. Appple EFI/CSM criticism has not been delivered just by users, but also by developers such as Linus Torvalds.
The good news is that CSM support has been updated to include basic DOS support. While DOS does not work fully, some applications such as Maxtor’s PowerMax now do work. These low-level diagnostic tools allow you to check, test, and repair components on your Mac with the low-level capacities of PC-counterparts.
Most of these tools are now commonly offered in .iso format, and can be burned to a CD-R with Disk Utility. However, such support is currently limited. Apple’s CSM does not support a key DOS mode, A20, which is needed for many higher-memory calls. As such, most utilities still will not run. That said, you can now start diagnosing many hard drives with the same level of performance that you used to need to plug the drive into a PC to check.
Contributed by: Christopher Price – www.pcsintel.com
