Windows 7: 32-bit or 64-bit under Parallels 6?

Which version of Windows 7 Pro should I install?

  • 32-bit

    Votes: 3 75.0%

  • 64-bit

    Votes: 1 25.0%
  • Total voters
    4
  • Poll closed .
So did you have to activate by phone?

Did you use any walkthrough (you can recommend) on how to use the same installation of Win 7 in boot camp and in Parallels or is it really straigthforward and easy?
 
It's really pretty straightforward. Just activate it in Boot Camp, reboot into OS X, boot into Parallels Desktop, which should automatically install Parallels Tools (you can manually start it from the menu if it doesn't), and activate Windows again while inside Parallels Desktop. After that you should be done.

Actually, it might have activated online the first time around both in Boot Camp and Parallels. I had to have my MacBook Air replaced after 3 days and had to go through reinstallation, which triggered the phone activation.
 
So there is really nothing special to consider when installing Win 7 in boot camp to make it ready for Parallels at the same time, like installing into a specific folder or something? I remember reading something about that somewhere.
 
Not as far as I know. Just install it as normally in Boot Camp and activate it, and then when you load up Parallels, tell it to use your Boot Camp partition to make a virtual machine, and then run Parallels Tools, which should launch automatically. Then activate it again within the VM and you should be set.
 
*Sigh* Still haven´t decided myself as to which version to use.

Just came up with the fact, that while 64-bit may theoretically have access to the full 4GB of RAM under boot camp, it won´t be able to since the Nvidia 320M will occupy up to 256 MB of this very RAM, leaving only 3.75 GB for programmes. That, in turn, is only little more than the 3.25 GB of RAM the 32-bit version can use**. So what´s the point then...

**wondering here, however, if under 32-bit the NVIDIA takes 256MB out of the usable 3.25GB or from the unused 0.75GB of RAM.
 
I believe the 256MB comes out of the "full" 4GB of memory. The reason that 32-bit applications are limited to 3-3.5GB of RAM is that they need to allocate part of their 4GB address space to the VRAM. In this case, since the VRAM is only 256MB, its maximum impact on available RAM is only that much.
 
I just ordered the 32-Bit Version. The advantage of the 64-Bit version (little more RAM under Boot Camp) does not weigh enough to justify the potential downside of disk damage to the SSD due to more intense pagefile.sys access in Parallels (higher overhead RAM requirements of the 64-bit Version than of the 32-bit version).
 
The thread has talked about using 64-bit Windows 7 in Parallels 6 ... but I have not seen a mention as to whether everyone happens to be booting the Mac itself in 32- or 64-bit mode. If I should boot the Mac in 32-bit mode, am I okay with running 64-bit Windows?
 
The MacBook Air boots into a 32-bit kernel in OS X 10.6. That will change once 10.7 comes out. Nevertheless, it runs 64-bit applications, and Boot Camp is capable of supporting 64-bit Windows without a problem.
 
KPOM said:
The MacBook Air boots into a 32-bit kernel in OS X 10.6. That will change once 10.7 comes out. Nevertheless, it runs 64-bit applications, and Boot Camp is capable of supporting 64-bit Windows without a problem.
Click to expand...
I should said that I have a MacBook Pro with 10.6.7 and a utility that selects the bit setting upon next boot. And I don't use Boot Camp ... just Parallels virtual.
 
Based on my experience, 64bit Windows 7 works fine with Parallels 5 and 6.
1.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top