newb win on mac

maldoror said:

so i read the guide, but i'm still not sure what to do, especially in light of the new windows release.

i just got a macbook pro 2.8, 4gb. i'm not really a gamer but i want to try out some newer games to see what my new machine can do. should i go for bootcamp and parallels..and should i try out the win 7 ?

thanks,
andrew

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Bootcamp and Parallels are totally different.

Parallels is a "virtual machine." That means you click an icon on the dock and you've got Windows. The virtual machine is not as good as the real deal and it uses more resources.

Bootcamp however, is the real deal. You partition your HDD and install Windows. It is just like having an actual PC.

I'd go for Bootcamp. The instructions are here.

BTW, W7 isn't available for download anymore.

maldoror said:

i understand they're different. i was wondering if it would be good to use them in tandem? and what would be the advantages of that?

also, i'm going to try this game Mirror's edge and maybe call of duty. i was wondering how they would work on parallels with my system specs? do i just need to get bootcamp for that?

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Using them together is just a waste of disk space.

Bootcamp is the best option here. Parallels will divert a bunch of resources away from your game. Bootcamp won't. Plus, Bootcamp is free, and ready for use, where Parallels is ~$80 I think.

If you are going to be using Windows for games, then go with XP, it will give you the best performance.

maldoror said:

i just want to experience some games on the new mac, but probably won't play much after a week or so...then i'll want windows for applications. is 7 buggy for games?

and what about 32 or 64? what are the differences?

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Go x64. And you can't get 7 anymore.

maldoror said:

i've downloaded 21% so far from microsoft. will it not work?

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When did you start?

maldoror said:

around 10

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Not possible that you got it from MS then. They stopped giving out the beta months ago.

maldoror said:

it's downloading...here's the link where the serial is and the download button:
https://www.microsoft.com/betaexperience/productkeys/win7-rc-64/enus/

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Crap, I didn't realize that was there. I'll download it tomorrow.

But if you want to play games, XP is the best, then Vista, but since 7 is a beta still, it isn't guaranteed to work.

Windows 7 works fine on a Mac. I installed it on my white Macbook earlier this week.

No guarantee that it won't crap out during gameplay, but if you want a free way to test out Boot Camp for a year then W7 is a good option.

Don't forget that just because you are on a Mac it doesn't mean you are safe. It's running Windows natively so it's still as vulnerable to viruses and spyware as any PC.

Tried Windows 7 (both 32 and 64 bit), for the sole purposes of gaming, had issues with the sound cutting out completely so have ended up putting XP on. Win 7 is great and I'm looking forward to the full release, but the RC just isn't quite right for gaming on a MBP yet