Recommended Installation

M

MugsyMD

Member
I am a brand New Mac User. I have used PC's for over 20 years, and decided that I needed a change but still need my windows XP. I Just ordered the Mac Book Pro with 250gb HD, and 2gb of RAM. I am asking from everyone's experience and preference --->
1 . Would you install WIN XP Pro from the Boot Camp option from within Parallels?

2. Or would you NOT use the Boot Camp option Option and Install the VM Win XP pro AGAIN from within Parallels?

3. Also, Should I install WIN XP Pro in Boot Camp at all?

Please tell me your thoughts before I proceed - I am not in the mood to really install WIN XP OVER AND OVER again - it is very painful.

Thank you.
 
Also,
Is it possible to install WIN XP Pro using the OEM version, or do I need to get the Full Version? What you all done??? Thank you.
 
What do you want to do with your windows install?

I use it for office and autocad and it works fine....

When you want to play games it advisable to install bootcamp.....

In parallels it is very easy to switch between os. When you want to use bootcamp you have to choose in advandce.


It is possible that you get problems with your oem version off window's, but you can try..

Bootcamp only works with sp2
 
First post here, so please be gentle if I'm violating any rules. Seems like a good place to tack on my question. Have spent most of a week screwing up my new Mac, reformatting it from scratch, and reinstalling Parallels. Learning a LOT more than I really wanted to know! <grin>

MacBook Pro, 200Gb HD, OS-X 10.4.

Most of my problems seemed to occur after I tried going to a larger HD for the VM, first trying 128000 (crashed, not enough space for an image), then 96000, which left me with two cursors, and bad screen resolutions. I want the ability to run Mac stuff, but my work absolutely demands heavy Windows use.

Am I better off running a large VM HD (96000) and having all my PC files on that disk, or should I maybe run the default (32000) VM, and keep all my data files on the Mac side of things, accessing them as needed from the Windows programs on the VM?

Does a larger VM disk size slow things down? It seems to, but I might have had something else messed up.

Thanks for any help!

Best...
John Deakin
 
I have my vm installed with 32 gb (expanding disk) and all my files are installed on the mac side (shared folder).

Don't forget to clone your vm so you have a backup when your vm gets corrupted.

Greetings
 
jackybe67, thanks very much for the reply, which is lending a "push" towards doing just that. Could you possibly expand just a wee bit on both statements? Why is it "better" to have all the data on the Mac side, and "share?"

Also, can you give me a bit more detail on "cloning" the VM? First time I've heard that term used in this way? That "when" in "When your VM gets corrupted makes me nervous! <grin> Sounds sort of inevitable!

Best...
John Deakin
 
The perk of parallels is being able to run windows in a "contained environment" while your working on your mac. The benefit of it is you can use windows apps, you can exchange files, you can contain any security breaches (i.e. virusses, bad installs, crashes etc...)

To be able to quickly recover it is recommended to make a copy of your freshly installed .hdd file so you can always rinse and repeat.

Bootcamp might be handy if you have device issues or videomemory requiring applications. Running off of bootcamp lets you use windows the same as you would run it on a "non-mac" laptop/computer. The benefit is actually using the hardware instead of having simulated hardware. (for example I can not (perfectly) synchronise my phone through USB through parallels but I can through bootcamp). I tend to use bootcamp only in emergencies (or gaming) and parallels for everything else.

Having only the essential stuff in your windows vm and everything else (including your files) on mac has its advantages. 1. if you windows crashes you'll only have lost your programs and not your data, 2. you don't have to boot windows to view files (leopard now has preview for most familiar formats)

as to the OEM version. it is a systembuilders license licensed directly to the specific hardware of the machine windows is installed on. I.e. : I buy a case, mobo, memory, processor etc... build it and install my OEM windows. Then that pc, (that combination of hardware) has that windows license attached to it. Would I replace all my hardware I would have to throw away the license and buy a new one. The retail license of windows (i.e. 4x more expensive) lets you install windows on any hardware configuration (1 at a time) so you can upgrade your hardware and still have the license to use for your own. So OEM = license on the hardware, Retail = license on the person. You can never install more than 1 hardware setup with the same license at the same time.

now the most asked question "but will it work?" , yes, but you'll be held responsible for the (il)legality of your licensing.

Keep in mind Parallels only supports Service pack 2 !!! it _will_ let you install with service pack 1, but you'll never get the drivers installed to do anything else as you'll get stuck in a loop, i.e. you need servicepack 2 to install drivers and you'll need drivers to install servicepack 2 :D
 
Thanks for a very educational message! No good deed goes unpunished, and you seem very helpful (as I try to be in a different forum), so let me toss a couple of clinkers your way.

To be able to quickly recover it is recommended to make a copy of your freshly installed .hdd file so you can always rinse and repeat.


I called it "WinXP," and I remember seeing "winxp.hdd," and wondering what it was. Now, after installing a LOT of stuff, I can't find it. Spotlight shows it, but not where it is, or how to copy it. Once found, if I copied that to my external 1Tb Maxtor, could I simply copy it back, and be right back where I was at the time I saved it? That would be neat!


Bootcamp might be handy


Yes, I've had Bootcamp running a couple of times, and it looks very familiar to this long-time Windows user! I may or may not load that later.


Having only the essential stuff in your windows vm and everything else (including your files) on mac has its advantages. 1. if you windows crashes you'll only have lost your programs and not your data,


Oohhh, THAT shot struck home! <grin> Done. 32000 spec'd, and it all seems to be running okay with my files in Mac "Documents," and that folder shared. Windows came up with a funny name (.psf?), so I tried renaming that to "MyDocs," and that works, can click on anything in my 18Gb of data, and the right Windows program comes up with it.


2. you don't have to boot windows to view files (leopard now has preview for most familiar formats)


I'm going to pass on Leapord for a couple of revision cycles, too many bad reports.

I pulled the Parallels DMG into the Trash after installing, now I've got three icons on the Mac desktop that are related to Parallels. One in the Dock, which will bring up Parallels, then I can click on the green triangle to go on to Win. One is "WinXP.pvs" which I can't put in the dock, it seems to be an "Alias." If I click on that, it not only loads Parallels, but goes right on into Win. That's nice, would like to do that automatically anytime the Mac boots? Possible? Finally, there's "(C:)winxp" with the tiny Parallels icon over it. Can any of those be deleted or hidden?

There are also a bunch of strange names "all over the place," and the file structure of the Mac kinda has be baffled. The User Guide has a lot of stuff in it, but not much is at a level I can understand, yet. Is there some reference somewhere that will clarify all these new and bizarre things in this new world (to me)?

Thanks!

Best...
John Deakin
 
Search in spotlight for winxp.hdd....then choose "show all"......right click on winxp.hdd.....show info...there you will find location off your .hdd

Mine is in map parallels in "documents"

Greetings
 
Ok, got it! Thanks very much. Do I correctly understand that I can just copy that to my external storage, then later just copy it back, and I'm right back where I started, as far as the Windows system and all Windows programs?

Best...
John
 
Yes by copying that you have taken the "product" parallels produces and uses. So you can (if the nice boys don't change anything) "read it in" next time and use it again. Same as you would copy savegames only with a bit more at stake :D

Concerning the "everytime my mac boots" there is a way to drag items to the "boot" list. Go to system prefs --> account(s) --> then the tab login items. There you can specify what needs to be booted on login.

Have fun :)
 
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