OpenOSX WinTel dramatically cuts XP install time

OpenOSX on Wednesday announced the release of WinTel 2.1.2, an updated version of their graphical user interface to control the open source PC emulator Qemu. WinTel costs as little as $25.

OpenOSX recently updated WinTel with an Intel-native version of Qemu, an open source virtual machine that makes it possible to install and run PC operating systems on the Mac. The software comes bundled with a number of Linux and Unix variants.

It works on PowerPC-based Macs, too, but OpenOSX notes that the software runs considerably faster on Intel-based systems like the new iMac — fast enough to use Windows XP, if you’ve got a copy you can install (it is not included). A QuickTime video posted to the OpenOSX Web site shows WinTel in use on an Intel-based Mac.

A frequent complaint of users who have tried WinTel is how long the software takes to install Windows XP — in some cases, dozens of hours. WinTel 2.1.2 “brings hand-compiled, aggressively optimized Bochs binaries that can be used to install Windows XP in about 10 percent of the time previously required,” according to OpenOSX.

That still factors into a number of hours to install Windows XP — three to six, depending on the speed of the Mac, according to OpenOSX — but it’s a big improvement. Also new in this release is a fix for a potential problem involving the “Image CD-ROM” feature.

WinTel requires Mac OS X v10.4 or later.