Boot Camp partition then linked to Parallels: some questions

[doxavita]

I'm thinking of installing Windows 7 through Boot Camp and then link that partition to Parallels, but I have a few questions:

a. The info between Boot Camp and Parallels would be synchronized, right? (in other words, if I make changes while in Parallels then such changes will also be seen the next time I boot Win 7 into Boot Camp as well?)
Can I still write to the Partition while in Parallels?

b. If I have Parallels set to synchronize the changes I make to the partition to the OS X folder structure, then I will see such changes in OS X? (for example, I create a folder in Windows 7 through Parallels, will that same folder show up in OS X too?)

c. Same question but with Boot Camp this time. If I make changes while in Boot Camp Windows 7, will those changes show up in OS X folder structure too? (say my documents), since the Boot Camp partition is also linked to Parallels, would that fact synchronize changes done in Boot Camp only?

d. What should I read/do to link the Boot Camp partition to Parallels?

e. While in Parallels, can I still customize the number of processors and the amount of RAM that will be allocated?

f. Should I also call Apple Care and have them guide me? (at least through the Boot Camp part)

Thanks very much!, your help will be much appreciated.

 

[balamw]

a. The info between Boot Camp and Parallels would be synchronized, right?

It's the same information, so yes.

b. If I have Parallels set to synchronize the changes I make to the partition to the OS X folder structure, then I will see such changes in OS X?

Without any other third party software, information in your shared Boot Camp/Parallels partition will be available read-only under OS X when Parallels is not running. When Parallels is running, you need to share data using a "fake" network connection.

c. Same question but with Boot Camp this time. If I make changes while in Boot Camp Windows 7, will those changes show up in OS X folder structure too?

Again, your Boot Camp partition documents folder is available read-only under /Volumes/BOOTCAMP/Users/USERNAME/Dcouments

d. What should I read/do to link the Boot Camp partition to Parallels?

Just the docs: e.g. http://download.parallels.com/desktop/v6/docs/en/Parallels_Desktop_Users_Guide/23112.htm

e. While in Parallels, can I still customize the number of processors and the amount of RAM that will be allocated?

Sure.

f. Should I also call Apple Care and have them guide me? (at least through the Boot Camp part)

Entirely up to you. It's not that hard though.

B

 

[doxavita]

Thanks for the info!

Your answers to questions b and c got me thinking. I just need the BootCamp partition to have the flexibility of gaming (shall the need arise), perhaps, I'll be using Parallels most of the time.

I asked a Mac Rep. and he told me, say I made a change while in Boot Camp Windows, he said, I would then have to run Parallels to get the synching done, (but he mentioned synching wouldn't really be the proper term) to the OS X folder structure. It's not critical to have synching done between Parallels and OS X, can't think of any important cases right now, where writing would be needed, read-only might be good enough, this wouldn't damage my OS X in any way?

EDIT: This would be for an iMac. In my MBP I already have Windows 7 installed under Parallels only. It does make changes done, "readable" in OS X, don't know if this takes place while Parallels is running or not.

 

[balamw]

It's not critical to have synching done between Parallels and OS X, can't think of any important cases right now, where writing would be needed, read-only might be good enough, this wouldn't damage my OS X in any way?

EDIT: This would be for an iMac. In my MBP I already have Windows 7 installed under Parallels only. It does make changes done, "readable" in OS X, don't know if this takes place while Parallels is running or not.

There are plenty of workarounds.

I use Dropbox for anything I might want to read/write from any of my machines and OSes.

You could use a sync app (e.g. ChronoSync) to copy from Windows -> Mac when you boot to OSX and Mac -> Windows when you boot Windows... (You run the risk of things getting out of sync though...)

You could install a third party piece of software like NTFS-3G to enable read/write operation on your Boot Camp partition, but I don't know if it interacts poorly with Parallels. I'm not a fan, and prefer to leave things out of the box.

B