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Best solution to run Windows on mid-2011 MBP

koigirl

koigirl

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 29, 2011
846
401
Raleigh, NC
Hi,

I am considering loading Windows via Parallels or Bootcamp on my mid-2011 13" MBP solely to run Peachtree Accounting. I will be using this program minimally and periodically but want to ditch the ancient PC desktop I keep around for this specific application. Besides being a ginormous eyesore, it's so old I fear it will just crap out on me one day in the midst of using it! My husband has the newest version of Peachtree which I can load onto the new partition on my Mac. My MBP is the base model with 2.3 GHz i5 processor and 4 GB RAM. Needless to say, I am a mere Mac user, not a techno-geek, and need some advice from those more technically astute. I don't want to do anything to screw up my nice new MBP! My questions are:

1. Which is best and simplest to use with my particular setup: Parallels or Bootcamp?

2. Dependent upon answer to question 1, do you have a link to good instructions for setting it up on my MBP?

Thanks for the help!:)
 
Dr McKay

Dr McKay

macrumors 68040
Aug 11, 2010
3,430
57
Kirkland
If it is solely to run 1 single application, then I would definately go the route of parallels. With bootcamp you'd have to reboot everytime you wanted to use it, and Windows would take +20GB Hardrive space from you.
 
I

igator210

macrumors newbie
Sep 1, 2009
27
0
While I have installed Parallels or Fusion on my iMac yet, I do have Win7 Pro installed in Boot camp. I only went the Windows route so that I could do database administration at home (Access 2010 front end). I plan on install Fusion in the near future.

My (personal) thoughts was to start with Boot Camp was so I would have a the cleanest install of Windows. It can run natively when I want to. When I install Fusion I can use it to virtualize Windows when I want to do something quick and easy inside the database. But, when I want to do something more, this set up will give me the flexibility to reboot directly into Windows.
 
koigirl

koigirl

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 29, 2011
846
401
Raleigh, NC
Sorry was offline yesterday so just checked my post. Thanks for the replies. One question on Parallels: should it play just fine with only 4 GB RAM? Which is less likely to cause trouble with my system: Bootcamp or Parallels?
 
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