Parallels question

Hi there. Parallels is a wonderful product; I strongly recommend it.

When a virtual machine is created, Parallels Desktop creates a hard drive file. To the Mac, this is a single file, usually stored in Library/Application Support/Parallels/ folder. This file is kind of like a Mac disk image file in function. Within this file, the virtualization system formats the information to look like a Windows (or Linux or whatever OS you are using) drive. You install Windows into this, and start it up. Files created or applications installed are saved within this image, and from the virtual system, it looks like you are on a standalone Windows box. There is a c: drive within Windows. If you need to share data with your Mac OS X side, Parallels has a shared folder function, which allows you to map folders on your Mac to a network drive under Windows.

Updates from Microsoft and other applicaiton manufacturers download through the normal Windows Update functionality running on the virtual machine. It works just like Windows, because, well, it IS Windows.

I have a question, if i install parallels and use windows there. Should i put a antivirus and firewll in windows or i dont need this?

Thanks

Hey there. I strongly recommend installing firewall and antivirus software. The Windows partition shares the Mac ethernet connection, but what comes over that is prone to all of the usual attacks and problems associated with running a Windows box.

Great! thanks for the advise. Now another one. I need windows just to run an .exe work program. What you recomend using parallels or boot computer with bootcamp and use windows there. Now i have bootcamp installed but never use it cause i hate starting the macbook with windows (is so ugly 🙂
Well thanks a lot

any1?

Great! thanks for the advise. Now another one. I need
windows just to run an .exe work program. What you
recomend using parallels or boot computer with
bootcamp and use windows there. Now i have bootcamp
installed but never use it cause i hate starting the
macbook with windows (is so ugly 🙂
Well thanks a lot

If you don't like Boot Camp, use Parallels. You seem to have a preference for the latter, so why are you asking us?

The only caveat is that if your Windows applications needs good 3D performance, Parallels will perform much worse than Boot Camp.

First, let me say that Parallels has been absolutely amazing. It's a godsend. I use my MBP in a law office, and there are two key Win-only applications I MUST use daily. Before Parallels, I had to Boot XP via Boot Camp. It SUCKED because I was forced to run XP 99% of the time just for those two applications.

However, Parallels has solved all of my problems (including network access from teh MBP). I keep Parallels running on a separate monitor and only go to it when needed (to access the billing timer, etc). No need to restart-reboot all the time.

So, in short, USE PARALLELS -- screw boot camp!

2.16 15-inch MacBook Pro

Wow, this parallels work great! Any1 has buyed it yet? thanks for the help 🙂
My case is the same i hate using winxp just for 1 windows app i need to do it, now is great i can have that application open in parallel window and use my MBP as always. Thanks Parallels, sad i have to pay 40 bucks 😟

Technically you have to pay for Parallels and for a copy of XP. But if you need the functionality, you should be thanking them for charging such a reasonable amount for such a stable product as opposed to lamenting the fact that you must part with some cash... Given the alternative, I'd say it's a no-brainer.

I just put an external monitor, and connected to the MBP now i have xp in the external monitor full screen and os x in the MBP screen. Really great to work this way, is like have 2 computers on full screen now

Parallels is great, but i hope the USB support will be improved. When i trying to connect the iPod as Disk Drive mode, it hang. Also with one of my USB2 external HD, it hang 😟

I have no complain with the speed of Parallels, nice stuff

That's exactly how I have mine set up. It's quite impressive.

The answer to whether or not to use BootCamp or Parallels really depends upon your office .exe program.

Parallels is an amazing product and well worth the price. BUT thus far people are still having problems with USB and other kinds of hardware interfaces like serial adapters and stuff.

If what you need to do is purely software or network related then Parallels is for sure the way to go. They offer a try before you buy plan but in order to use it you have to install Parallels AND install a copy of WinXP. Time consuming just to see that it doesn't work. But I'd still suggest that route as it is working flawlessly for me.

I use the Borland Delphi compiler and Starteam to do windows development of biomedical device software on Parallels and it works wonderfully and is MUCH preferrable to dual boot using BootCamp. At this point with how well it is working I wish I could easily get my 10g bootcamp partition back as part of my original partition. I'm just not willing to take that risk yet for the disk space.

Parallels is memory intensive so going this route you should also get as much RAM in your MBP as possible.

So my advice is try Parallels. It's really pretty amazing.

Mark

I'm debating on whether to purchase Parallels as well. I'm currently using Boot Camp for all my XP needs. But it ***** to restart every single time u want to use Windows.

My questions:
1.Should I wait until the final version of Parallels before converting?
2. How would I move my Windows on Boot Camp over w/o installing a fresh copy of Windows?
3. Will Leopard have a better solution to running Windows apps than Parallels? No need to buy Parallels now and then in the spring when 10.5 is released buy that w/ an integrated version of Boot Camp.

Thanks for the help