Install--should I do over?

G

Gillie

Bit poster
I'm new with Parallels. I installed to run like a windows machine, and installed Win 7. Now I can't install software because the system won't recognize the mac external CD/DVD drive on my new MacAir. I think I installed too fast--perhaps I would have been better to install so Mac and Windows were better shared. Can I change the installation type after the fact and get things to work better together rather than the firewall between the virtual partitions, or should I start over. If the latter, what is the best way to start over? I have a usb drive with Parallels and a disk for Win 7.

Two more points: When reading about Parallels, I don't recall seeing the recommendation to use Win7 64 bit -- after installing and reading lots of documentation (I had already bought the 32 bit version) I was a bit surprized. Did I miss something?

Finally, I am using Avast for virus protection on the Mac side. When I start Parallels, I get a virus detection warning--it's always the same file: When I go back and forth in and out of the Windows virtual side, I get the message again. Is this a know item? If yes, I will check with Avast for a way to stop the message on the file.

Thanks.
 
Gillie, I have, well a bit overdone but, Win7 32bit installed in a VM works fine, but also Win7 64bit installed in Boot Camp for those stubborn, hungry Windoze apps.

For your CD/DVD drive, from memory, a question was asked during the setup procedure as to whether this drive should be available in the VM.

Try looking in the setup menu - small cog on bottom of VM Window, and connecting or reconnecting the drive.

All new to me as well, but I've been using Parallels for over a year now and it hasn't missed a beat yet, well, except for a failed upgrade in the last couple of days. All fixed now.
Posted here.

Added: For the anitvirus problem, possibly better to try asking Avast as well.
 
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Boot Camp

I am another Old Fart new to Parallels after years of Windows IS support I finally got a Mac and love it. However there are times I wish I could boot directly into Windows without using parallels. Is this possible or do I have to do another install of Windows 7 using Boot Camp?
 
RogerE said:
I am another Old Fart new to Parallels after years of Windows IS support I finally got a Mac and love it. However there are times I wish I could boot directly into Windows without using parallels. Is this possible or do I have to do another install of Windows 7 using Boot Camp?
Click to expand...

G'day Roger,
Mate, what I did, and it was probably wrong, but works well, was to actually purchase 2 copies of Win7, both 64bit and 32bit. The 32bit was (is) installed in Parallels, and the 64bit version in Boot Camp. Expensive and possibly not necessary, but it gives me 3 separate operating systems. The 32bit installation allows me to run small software packages along with my favourite Lion environment, and the 'hungrier' software is run in Boot Camp.

When setting Parallels up, I didn't view the forum, and maybe I should have. There are many tips and hints here.

Due to Windoze Licensing wording (lack of clarity) I believed at the time that I actually needed 2 separate versions of Windows to operate 2 Windoze installations on the 1 computer. Even today, I believe this to be the case, but I'm now trolling this forum to see how others think on this subject.

Roger I'm glad you finally made the break from Windoze. My experience goes back to the days of the TRS80's and homebrew computers, being involved in building peripherals for process applications during the late 70's, Apple ][+ etc, etc.... But these days development is so rapid it makes my head spin, lol. By the time things released, they are basically out of date.

IMO, Windoze still has not reached the standard of the original Mac O/S, now 30 years old, still comparatively unstable and insecure compared to the Mac O/S(s). I'm not really being critical of Windoze, well I am, but in a comparative way not stand alone. Let's face it, at some stage most of us migrate back there for some reason or another.

This Forum is filled with weird and wonderful people full of amazing ideas, tips and hints. Most of my browsing time over the past few days since the update hiccup has been spent here looking at different points made and tips.

Senility Rules atm, so most of what I read these days passes straight through, but after reading things several times, some stick, lol.

Now, I have no idea if a Boot Camp installation can be accessed by Parallels, the times I tried to do this ended up the same way, with the Boot Camp installation disappearing into a VM and inaccessible via reboot, so I gave up and now run the separate installs with no interlinks.

I cannot praise the Parallels developers enough. This really is a fantastic piece of software, in my short time of using it, 1 (easily fixed) failure.... Not bad considering that 1 O/S is basically running within another, and running bloody brilliantly.

I have found as well, though, as an exercise, using some of the hungry Windoze software in Parallels, some will not run in Coherence mode, but once coherence is exited, they do run, a bit slower but do run. So why did I install a Boot Camp Windoze? Vanity I guess, to get things running as they should.

Finally, for the record, I'm definitely NOT a Parallels wizard, lol, far from it, I just love what it does and how it does it. (Other Mac users think I'm nuts.)

All the best my friend. Hopefully I've been of some help.

Ian
 
Boot Camp

Ian,

Good to hear from you. My computer experience also goes back to the TRS-80 Days ( Model III ) but in a slightly different way. Spent my early years in the military missile guidance field before transistors. ( PC Boards with mini vac tubes ), then two way radio which eventually evolved into support for anything electronic so it was natural that computer support would be dumped on us too. It was actually my son who was the computer whiz in HS. He lived in front of the Model III. When I retired from the government in 95 I ended up with a retail chain distribution center in IS Support for 10 more years. Luckily they had no idea what they wanted or I would have never gotten the job since I had no formal education. Anyway I was lost but survived supporting both local and wide area networks in windows, novell, unix etc. Had a great time and still do a little consulting.

Anyway I digress and don't want to bore the forum so if you would like to chat about the old days feel free to contact me at tmail@woh.rr.com.

Last fall I got my mac mini, I7, 8GB 250gb SSD and 750gb HD and I was absolutely amazed at the speed and power of such a small package. Had to run several windows apps so that led to parallels which works great.

However my need to tinker was overwhelming me and I did not want to void my warranty so I got a Mini Core 2 Duo from ebay to play with that was upgraded to a SSD with a LaCie external 500gb drive. I am using Lion with Parallels DT7 and Win7 32 bit. It works but not really happy with the performance of Windows and was thinking of using a boot camp partition so I could boot straight into windows. Actually i am using it for a music server to drive a micro powered FM transmitter in our condo area ( Plays Easy Listening and Oldies ) . The Audio Processor software I use ("Breakaway Audio Enhancer") only comes in a Windows Version thus the reason for Windows on the Mac until a mac version is available.

I have rambled enough. Feel free to contact me at the above email.

Roger
 
All ok Roger.....
No worries at all mate. Sometimes ya just gotta laugh.... All the young fellas reading this thread will be wondering what the hell us 2 old farts are talking about lmao...

Mate, just a bit of advice, to slow down the email trolling bots, generally when putting email address in a post, it should be written as tmailatwohdotrrdotcom. Slows 'em down a bit.

Ever since my Apple ][+ I've loved 'em and when our local distributer got the first Mac, I was hooked. Unfortunately in those days (or daze) I couldn't afford to purchase my own but used and demonstrated Macs for the distributor and continued using my //e up until the 90's when I had to buy a PC (damnit, lol). Used call VK2PAE for many years until I let it drop, has been reissued again now, I should reapply and start experimenting again using puter interface, but way too many irons in the fire.

Back to topic -> Roger, are you really sure you want to tie your Mac up with a dedicated software package? It is certainly up to the job, no question about that, but stone the crows, lol. My iMac is my main baby and anything else is done by other machines. We have, at our finger tips 2 C2D's, a C2D Lappy, P4 (yes, still operating) and an i7 Quad for any dedicated work.

Booting directly into Windoze via Boot Camp is a definite option, but that totally removes the flexibility that Parallels offers.

It takes time to reboot......

How does your broadcast software run without coherence?

Ian
 
Boot Camp

Ian,

Was just a thought but not sure it is worth the trouble.

I do have everything running OK in Parallels on the Core 2 Duo. I am just running Itunes in Windows which drives the transmitter through the "Breakaway Audio Enhancer" software. It is just that the Core 2 Duo does not handle it nearly as well as my new Mac with the I7. Seems to have a memory leak or something that causes Itunes to error from time to time and lock up.

I had it all set up on my new Mac in Parallels - Windows through a Turtle Beach USB Sound Dongle so I could have a separate audio channel but wanted to get it on a separate machine thus the reason for the the used Core 2 Duo.

My old windows machine was over 10 years old and badly in need of updating so I thought I would try a used mac mini and save a lot of room! With what I eventually ended up with I probably could have built a whiz bang of a new windows machine but most of the fun is getting it to work anyway !

Thanks for your insight, might have a question or two for you as you obviously know a great deal more than I do about the Mac.

Keep in Touch

Roger
 
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