How should Parallels be installed on a Fusion Drive?

M

MHemmy

Bit poster
I just ordered a new iMac with a 1TB Fusion Drive. That means it has a 1TB Hard Drive and another 128GB Flash Drive. Apple says that the Mac OS (Mountain Lion in this case) is kept on the Flash Drive while other apps and data are dynamically moved back and forth with the higher used items on the Flash Drive.

My question is this: Can I (and should I) partition the Flash Drive and install Parallels Desktop for Mac 8 and Windows 7 on the Flash Drive or should I install both on the Hard Drive and leave the Flash Drive just for Mac files? I don't need much space for my Windows install. I am only using 55GB right now. I primarily use it to run QuickBooks and Turbo Tax.

I ordered it with the i7 processor and 16GB of RAM so it will scream either way.
 
you don't get the choice with the fusion drive. just "install" parallels and your VM as you normally would. os x will manage if it needs to move to the flash drive portion or not.
 
That is interesting. I assumed that the Hard Drive and Flash Drive were considered two separate drives in the OS. What will happen if I set up a Boot Camp Partition? Will the OS seamlessly move it around too?
 
What goes in the SSD is only managed (seamlessly) by OS X.
In Bootcamp everything will end in the HDD, there's no Fusion support in Windows so when booting into Bootcamp it's like there's no SSD, at all.

The SSD only works as a cache. And only works in OS X. There are probably ways to hack it and turn it into 2 separate drives, but then it will stop working as a Fusion drive.
 
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