Newbie questions (planning the big switch)

I run Windows XP SP2 on a ThinkPad. In order to move my environment to a Mac using Transporter, will I have to have any Windows install disks? From reading whatever I can find the answer seems to be no. But I want to be sure as I don't have any Windows install disks as the machine came pre-configured. I assume everyone else deals with the same situation.

Also, when running Parallels (without boot camp), do I have to make a hard disk partition, or does Parallels just use whatever space it needs dynamically? My concern is whether I can initially give my XP environment (on the Mac) a small amount of disk space and grow it as I need more.

thanks!

 

The versions of Windows that come bundled with most computers are "OEM" licenses that are only valid on the hardware they were bought with. Whether it works or not depends on the vagaries of windows software activation - but you won't get any sympathy from Microsoft if it doesn't. As far as I know, the only 100% legitimate solution for an individual user is to buy a full version of Windows to run on Parallels. If you're using windows under a corporate volume license, or already own a "full" (non-OEM) version of windows for some reason, then your situation may be different.

You only need to mess about with partitions if you want to use Boot Camp.
Otherwise, Parallels uses "virtual" hard drives - which as far as Mac OS is concerned are just files. You choose the "size" of the virtual drive - but you can be generous because the actual file starts small and grows as you use space. There are tools to increase the maximum size or to "compact" a hard disc file to reclaim unused space.

 

Thanks itsdapead!