install FCPX on parallels

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install FCPX on parallels

I wonder if anyone has experience installing and running Final Cut Pro X onto Parallels? I'm planning on doing this, and want to know if anyone has done it before. The reason is because I have found that some non-Apple programs don't work on Yosemite, and a new purchase of FCPX requires Yosemite now. I'm currently running OS 10.9.5. I want to install parallels 10, and then install Yosemite on it, and then install Final Cut Pro X onto that virtual OS, on my mac. I'd appreciate any input. I have 16 gigs of ram, on an i7 macbook pro, btw.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013), OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on May 7, 2015 8:14 AM

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Answer 1

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,034 points

May 7, 2015 8:20 AM in response to elcalibano

Parallels is for a bootable Windows installation. Do you need Windows or just a partition that runs Mavericks? That's easy enough to do. I have a small Mavericks partition that can run old versions of FCP.

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Answer 2

elcalibano Author

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May 7, 2015 8:26 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Tom, I'm sorry if I wasn't clearer. I want to boot up my macbook pro into mavericks, installed on my main hd. I have a partition of the hd (100 gig partition, in fact) and I want to install parallels plus yosemite onto the partition. I want to then install FCPX (which only runs on Yosemite now) onto that Yosemite partition. I don't want to boot up into the partition. I want to run both, simultaneously, so I can switch back and forth. I prefer Mavericks, but I need Yosemite for the sole purpose of running FCPX (and Motion and Compressor). Do you think this would work fine?

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,034 points

May 7, 2015 8:34 AM in response to elcalibano

Sorry, I don't know if Parallels can do this.

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Answer 4

May 7, 2015 9:24 AM in response to elcalibano

Not sure if it will work, but consider this: FCP X is a program that pushes the hardware more than most, including the GPU in particular. Doing that under emulation may not be the best idea.

So it would probably work smoother the other way around: run Mavericks in emulation for those programs that need it.

And, if I may inquire, which programs do work in Mavericks but not in Yosemite? Are there not updated versions of those?

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Answer 5

elcalibano Author

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May 7, 2015 9:37 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Luis,

I am concerned about that concept of FCP X pushing the hardware and having some problems bc of emulation, which is why I was investigating it before doing it. Personally, I don't really like Yosemite, I find the UI to be a little off-putting. Even if the programs worked, I might be hesitant to want to use Yosemite all the time when Mavericks looks and works well for me. The programs that are not working for me are older versions of Adobe CS. I did read that maybe there's a way to get them to work on Yosemite, but I use them for work and cannot risk having them suddenly not working requiring a purchase to get them working. I do not want to pay for an upgrade, I don't want to go to the rental model that Adobe now has.

I'm actually a little annoyed that I need to have Yosemite in order to use FCP X. I have a pretty top of the line macbook pro from last year, so I'm wondering if I have enough power and ram to make up for emulation losses? As far as running Mavericks in parallels, I use Adobe products more than I'd probably be using FCPX, so it seems to make more sense because of that also to keep my main computer to be running the OS (and software) that I use the most. I'm trying to figure out a way to get into FCP X without turning my whole way of working upside down. I'm also worried about any other software I have that may not have updated to work on Yosemite, maybe even because they're not developing it anymore.

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Answer 6

fox_m

Level 6

12,637 points

May 7, 2015 6:50 PM in response to elcalibano

I have installed OSX in Parallels (10.8.5)... and Final Cut Pro (10.0.9). FCPX throws an alert stating that it will not run because the "graphics configuration" is not supported (referring to hardware acceleration). I doubt you will have much better success installing FCPX with Yosemite in Parellels. From the Parallels user forum:

“There's no hardware acceleration for OS X guests. Apple doesn't open their API so Parallels can't write the drivers.”

You can use Disk Utility to create a partition and install Yosemite creating essentially a dual-boot setup. You'll have to ask for more advice about 1) installing Yosemite into the partition (and not over your current OS) and 2) running apps from the other partition while in Yosemite. It's been too long a time for me to remember the details.

As for the Adobe software... I refuse to buy into the rent for life (subscription) paradigm. I used to use Photoshop on a daily basis. Now, I can do over 90% of what I want to do with Motion (all the video oriented graphics, to be sure.) As for replacements, the Affinity products (Design, Photo) have been receiving excellent reviews (Photo is still in beta, I believe.) [http://petapixel.com/2015/02/09/affinity-photo-new-pro-photoshop-alternative-mac -users-get-free/] Anyway, I've had it with Adobe.

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