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Which version of Windows for Bootcamp?

C

curiosa863

macrumors member
Original poster
With new MBP just around the corner *fingers crossed* I need to start thinking what version of windows i should buy. There are a couple of things i'm trying to weigh...

1. If i go with XP, will i miss much using home from professional?
2. Should i get Vista just for being progressive sake?
3. How good of a deal can i get on XP home or pro?
4. I have a copy of xp from VPC that i bought a couple of years ago, i've since deleted the os from my ibook, but i'm wondering if i might be able to use that license again...
5. Also thoughts on vmware vs parallels vs bootcamp would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance guys, looking forward to your input.
 
1. Depends what you want to do. If networking, I recommend Pro.
2. I would recommend using XP unless you have a specific need for Vista.
3. Don't know, I have a subscription 😀
4. I'm not sure what the licence says there.
5. I prefer VMware over Parallels, but Boot Camp is faster.
 
curiosa863 said:
Cool. Will VMware be out of Beta soon? I am always leary of using beta software.
Click to expand...

We don't know exactly when, but it is stable.

We have heard that it has counters to Parallels' unique features coming in the future (coherence etc)...but I prefer Parallels, especially with version 3's improvements coming soon.

1. Pro lets you access more RAM, if you have that much...
2. No, unless you want to use Vista-only games
 
curiosa863 said:
1. If i go with XP, will i miss much using home from professional?
Click to expand...

if you have to ask that question then not a thing. The only thing pro offers is allowing you to network more than 10 computers and allow you to use remote desktop and those are the 2 big differences.

I know of several small difference between the 2 but unless you know what they are to begin with and how to use them you will never noticed the difference.

Sum it up. If you are asking what the differences are between the two then all you need is XP home and a XP pro is a waste of money.
 
psychofreak said:
We don't know exactly when, but it is stable.

We have heard that it has counters to Parallels' unique features coming in the future (coherence etc)...but I prefer Parallels, especially with version 3's improvements coming soon.

1. Pro lets you access more RAM, if you have that much...
2. No, unless you want to use Vista-only games
Click to expand...


for you have to have over 4 gigs of ram for it to be come an issue.
 
I don't normally think of Windows / Vista / security in a single sentence unless it's something derogatory.

FJ
 
I got XP Home and it works great.

My only disapointment in choosing Home over Professional is that I read someplace that XP Home is not dual processor aware, only dual core, but it's now like I use it much anyway.
 
psychofreak said:
Stability outweighs security, especially when you have antivirus, and antispyware installed 🙂
Click to expand...

Quite. And I find Vista to be more stable than XP. I have ran both via Boot Camp but went with Vista because it felt faster, crashed less often and has better security. To each his own.
 
discodave said:
Quite. And I find Vista to be more stable than XP. I have ran both via Boot Camp but went with Vista because it felt faster, crashed less often and has better security. To each his own.
Click to expand...
You're in the minority - most Vista users find it to be less stable than XP SP2 🙂
 
erickkoch said:
I got XP Home and it works great.

My only disapointment in choosing Home over Professional is that I read someplace that XP Home is not dual processor aware, only dual core, but it's now like I use it much anyway.
Click to expand...
Check how many processors you have in Task Manager then.
 
discodave said:
Here we go. Another know-it-all. You don't know 'most' Vista users so you don't know I'm in the minority. Accept that this is my opinion, not yours.
Click to expand...

I never said you were wrong.

By "most", I mean "the majority of people who I know who have used Vista and XP", including myself 🙂 Also, a LOT of reports from respectable sources...
 
erickkoch said:
I got XP Home and it works great.

My only disapointment in choosing Home over Professional is that I read someplace that XP Home is not dual processor aware, only dual core, but it's now like I use it much anyway.
Click to expand...

see, i knew about that, hense why I got Pro.

teh best place to buy a Full version of Windows, legally, is ebay. I got mine for about £60
 
Willis said:
see, i knew about that, hense why I got Pro.

teh best place to buy a Full version of Windows, legally, is ebay. I got mine for about £60
Click to expand...

I got XP Pro for £55 but then I found out I could of got Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium OEM for £72 on amazon, just £17 more.
 
Another caveat of XP Home versus Pro in the networking department. If you will connect to your works network, Home will not take advantage of domain based networks.
 
XP is done, Vista is great, i dont know why people think it sucks, its great

either Vista Home Basic (no aero, real basic like XP Home)
Or
Vista Home Premium (aero, Media Center, Like XP media Center 05)

need 1 GB for aero, and aero is nice,

i Run Ultimate, and have no problems with it :apple:
 
Are those ebay kits legit? Vista home premium is the version i'm considering. I def want Aero/media center stuff (i don't like 360 connect much, and i'd like to use my 360 to full potential)

Parallels can't use dual processors anyway right?

If i have a copy of windows installed on my system, can i boot it up in parallels/vmware as well as bootcamp? or will i need separate licenses for each?
 
You need Business or Ultimate to have a license for both virtulization and direct booting. For Vista that is...
 
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