M1 Mac for Work Critical Machine?

Hi All,

I have been using Parallels on my Mac for years with no problems. I am very much wanting to get an M1 laptop but I have a single App that is work critical and is windows only. Other than that one App, I don't use windows at all. (The App is Encompass360).

I am wondering what the consensus is; can I risk getting a new MacBook Pro M1 and feel relatively safe that if I just install the default Windows version with Parallels and assuming things are working when first installed can I just pretty much never update Windows to keep things running smoothly or will I be forced to update Windows and be subject to Windows activation expiration? If I don't expire and can tell Windows not to update and just use the virtual machine as described that I can get away with this? I am unclear if you can avoid expiration and updates, etc.?

Think this is relatively safe to do or too risky?

Thanks,

J.

 

I have also one older program that I need to do bookkeeping and billing for a few organizations. It is Lotus Approach (which IBM discontinued updating years ago.)
I was warned about going the M1 Mac route - but I have a second iMac that I could use if it didn't work out. The program "ran" on Windows 10 for ARM and now on Windows 11 for ARM. It did not work properly trying on Crossover - well the program and its databases would open but I could not print reports and billing notices. It will run - including printing what I need - under Windows 11 ARM if I keep the screen resolution in Windows below the maximum resolution (strange huh). But if the program is that important - especially for work - I would try to borrow/rent a M1 Mac that has Parallels/Windows 11ARM already installed.
As far as your other questions - and I am far from a Windows expert at this point in my computer life - I believe you can turn off automatic updates. Don't believe if you have a legal key to do the Windows activation it expires. However, next time Microsoft does a major OS update - like to Windows 12 for example - no one knows how that will work at this point. The Windows 10 to 11 update was free, but who knows what will happen next time.

 

We are in similar situation ... my wife is running AutoCAD for Windows on Parallels/MBP2013, and after 8 very loyal years, she wants to upgrade to a new MBP16 M1Pro.

Switching to AutoCAD for Mac is not an option. Should we wait for months, until a Windows 11 ARM RC is released to the public? Microsoft mentioned a few weeks ago, that M1 will not officially be supported. I don't want her to be a beta-tester.

 

There is a release version of Windows 11 ARM. You just have to go through a few hoops to build the .ISO using Microsoft's tools. Step by step instructions here: https://forum.parallels.com/threads/how-to-install-windows-11-retail-version.355463/

 

Is the release version without any time limit and ist it supplied with regularly windows updates?

Why are so many people using the insider preview builts? Is it just because they want to check out new features?

 

I installed it yesterday, so I can't speak to 'is it supplied regularly windows updates', but no surprise, immediately after installing it, there was an update available and being downloaded as soon as I installed it. So, it sure seems to be accepted by Microsoft's update servers.

 

I think, there will be no other option than ordering a new M1-MBP16 and try out Win11Pro + Parallels17Pro + AutoCAD for ourselfs ...
If it doesn't work as expected, we can always return the MacBook to Apple within 14 days ...

One more question: is it possible to install Paralles 17Pro on two machines with one licence - but only working on one machine at the same time? I think this would be necessary for the next months to have the old MBP2013 ready to go, if the new M1 crashes or refuses to work ...

 

hmm, if the license on the MBP2013 will be deactivated, when setting up the MBP M1, then it doesn't seem to be possible to have a "ready to go"-backup-machine with just one Parallels license.

So what I could do ist setting up the MBP M1 with a Parallels 17.1 14-days-trial and install/test Windows 11 ARM + AutoCAD/AddOn. If everything runs fine and looks good, I can activate the P17Pro license on the MBP M1 and buy another 1-time-purchase license for the old MBP2013. I hope this downgrade from Pro to Standard on my existing virtual machine is not a problem ...

 

Jeffery, did you ever get encompass360 to work on your M series mac? I'm trying to figure this out now

 

With over a year in the thread, I don't know if the OP had tried it. You might reach out to the developer of Encompass360 and ask the question this way "Does Encompass360 have compatibility with Windows 11 ARM64 edition?" If the answers no, then Parallels cannot help you. Parallels does a fantastic job of running Windows 11 ARM64 edition on Apple Silicon Macs (M1 or newer), but doesn't do any x86 support. Windows 11 ARM64 does support an amazing number of x86 appllicatiions using Microsoft's own methods of supporting x86 applications, but not everything is compatible.
If Encompass360 is shown to be Windows 11 ARM64 compatible, then there's a high likelihood it'll run with Parallels on an M1 or newer Mac.

 

An issue exists with the Encompass 360 SmartClient for all Windows on Arm installations and is not specific to running on Parallels. The Encompass Document Converter depends on an x86-64 printer driver and will not run on Windows on Arm. You can log in to the SmartClient, but it will attempt to install the Encompass eFolder Printer each time you do, and you'll need to either stop it manually or wait for it to time out and then click through several error messages prior to logging in. That is frustrating, but the good news is that the SmartClient will work normally other than being unable to use the Encompass eFolder Printer.