Help with merging from PC

[DynamicNotch]

Have PC with XP.
Getting Imac this week. Did not realize that now I need to buy a windows disk as it came preloaded on my pc and also need to buy an apple "super drive".
Where can I upgrade cheap to run my windows programs/software? Ebay? Amazon?
I read here by someone that Bootcamp is for dummies.
Which version windows should I get and what bit size do I need?

 

[Quackers]

Yes, you'll need to buy a new Windows (full version). If your iMac is new I would recommend 64 bit. I would also recommend using BootCamp (whether it's for dummies or not!).
One word of caution if using Boot Camp!
Get your choice of partition sizes right first time. You cannot change them afterwards other than by deleting Boot Camp and starting again. There are programs that claim to be able to do this (they are not free) but they don't always work well.

 

[r0k]

Have PC with XP.
Getting Imac this week. Did not realize that now I need to buy a windows disk as it came preloaded on my pc and also need to buy an apple "super drive".
Where can I upgrade cheap to run my windows programs/software? Ebay? Amazon?
I read here by someone that Bootcamp is for dummies.
Which version windows should I get and what bit size do I need?

There is a free version of windows available for the Mac. It's available for developers to test their web pages in IE 8, IE 9 and IE 10. It runs in Virtualbox and you simply paste come command line code into a terminal and it downloads everything and just works. Of course you have to have Virtualbox installed for it to work.

I do NOT recommend bootcamp unless you are just buying the iMac for the hardware and really want to run Windows all the time. The only advantage I could think that Bootcamp has is that Windows is the only OS running so you could use any working Windows license you have lying around even if it said something like you can't run it inside a Virtual Machine.

I recommend running Windows in either Virtualbox (freeware) or in Parallels or Vmware. This is mostly because I enjoy working in OSX and prefer not to launch Windows unless absolutely necessary. Furthermore, I'm not willing to do without OSX in order to use Windows, hence my preference for using Virtual machines.

Of course if you want to run something more than a quick browser session, I do recommend you get a legit copy of Windows. BTW, take a look at the CUA label on your XP box. If it offers 2 installs, you don't need to buy anything. Simply get your hands on an XP OEM install disk (widely available on ebay last time I looked) and use the key numbers from your PC when prompted. Of course you'll have to fully activate to get any updates from Microsoft but if your CUA offers more than one install, you don't need to buy anything to run Windows on your Mac.

I do not recommend 64 bit Windows. I think it's overkill and might take more RAM and disk space. I find 32 bit Windows works just fine for casual usage. If you're doing something intense in Windows, that might change but for casual use, 32 bit is good enough, especially for running in a Virtualbox.

You can purchase OEM windows installs for Windows 7 and while they will work in a Virtualbox, be sure to look at the license to make sure you are allowed to use them. I also find that Win 7 takes up less space in Virtualbox because there are fewer updates and patches required to get it up and running.

I remember hearing that at one time, the only official way you could run Windows inside a virtual machine was to buy a "full retail" version. While I remember users saying they were successful in running OEM versions, please review the license wording before you buy Windows expecting to use it in a VM on your Mac.

 

[DynamicNotch]

I dont know about partitioning, but would like to put all rarely used windows stuff I use on a 32GB flash thumb drive as I will always use the Imac for most of everything else I do.

 

[DynamicNotch]

Will this work?

I have a PC laptop pre-loaded with Windows 7 home premium with the Key code on the back and a Reinstallation DVD of Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit that came with a PC desktop that I no longer own, that says:
" the software is already installed on your computer. Use this DVD only to install the operating system on a Dell PC. This DVD is not for reinstallation of programs or drivers. Support for these products is provided by DELL. For Distribution Only with a New Dell PC"

 

[hallux]

Legally, no. The key code on that PC is FOR THAT PC. That's why the sticker can't be removed without destroying it, it's not transferrable. A Windows license can only be used on one computer (at a time, so if you have a retail box license for a self-built, you can re-build the computer and re-use the license). You'll need to source a license for it to be legal.

 

[r0k]

It might be legal. I bought a few off-lease Dell computers with stickers that actually said the license was good for up to 2 installs. This was a Win XP thing and so I don't even know if such a thing exists for Win 7. Furthermore I think it's pretty rare. I used one of those key numbers to install XP in a virtualbox to tinker around with and it worked, including activation.

I picked up an OEM copy of Win 7 and used it in a virtualbox. Again it worked. You need to read the license for any copy of Windows you buy, but to me an OEM copy that has never been used to build a PC is fair game to use on a Mac. All these posts saying you have to pay "full retail" for Windows in order to use it on a Mac are taking a rather literal interpretation of the license.

Lastly, Microsoft gives away an install of Win 7 with ie9 as a virtualbox appliance at modern.ie. You can go grab it with a sudo command in OSX. Start by installing Virtualbox. Then run the script and it shows up and just works. Of course it's a 30 day time bombed copy but it gets you the ability to test things which is why MS made it available in the first place. Get here...