Vista Gettin There
Reading through the forums has shown a conglomerate of things to try. Vista RC1 is actually running credibly, with a few odd caveats.
First and foremost -- Patience. Parts of it are sloooow as molasses, but after installing, the speed comes up.
First off, download Parallels build 1922. This gives, when setting up a "Vista (Experimental)" selection for the OS to install.
Someone's post noted that to get around the ACPI problem, first install XP using the "Vista (Experimental)" selection. This installs an ACPI hook somewhere between the virtual hard drive and the Parallels config, giving it ACPI compatibility.
Be sure you have set the VM's memory to a minimum of 512MB of RAM, I've set mine to 640MB to give a little headroom.
When XP is installed, go back and set the Boot Order to CD-Hard Drive-Floppy. The config file, having now installed an ACPI link, now permits booting the Vista DVD or ISO. (If using a DVD, then DEFINITELY burn it a 1X or 2X, not faster. Wasted many disks to learn that Redmond is actually on the mark on this point.) Shut down from inside of Win XP, and Restart.
Vista install will boot up (tho slowly). Do a clean install, let it format your hard drive to clean out XP. The ACPI cabability stays on. Shut the VM down. Reset the Boot Order to Hard Drive-CD-Floppy.
Restart and install. It will be VERY Slow.
••• Going back to old Mac IIcx 68030 days, when needing photo quality was needed, one purchased EXPENSIVE NuBus 24-bit video cards. But one used it for critical viewtime, and imaging to 35mm slides. When work needed to get done, one switched back to 8-bit resolution. Why this explanation? •••
Well---- something that really helped performance when getting Vista going, is to change its default 32-bit setting for monitors to 16-bit and applying it. For general (and in this instance, experimental) usage, 32-bit is way overkill, 24-bit is great, but 16-bit is plenty adequate, and reduces to hogging of the CPU. Still better than 8-, 4-, or 1-bit.
Speed up other things by going into the System Control Panel, selecting "Advanced System Setting, go to "Visual Effects" tab, and turn off different animations, shadowing, etc.
Shut Down from inside Vista, Restart again, and run the install of the Parallels Tools.
NOTE: It takes a VERY long time for this to install -- Be PATIENT !! After it is done, and you Shut Down and Reboot, Vista will be nice and Speedy ! !
NOW if only I could figure out how to get the Shared folder feature to work... Vista doesn't have a Show "Entire Network", so the Parallels Shared Folders share does not show up. And Parallels Shared folders does not show up in that Parallels Tools Center in Vista, so did it actually install? Does one try to find out where these items are in XP, copy them, and see if by chance one can place them in Vista, and have them work. Hmm.
