Long time lurker, now a convert Mac User

[Bossone]

Like others, I'm a long time PC user and finally pull the trigger and bought a new imac (i5), with parallels +Win 7 Professional.

So I ask in advance for your understanding as I will have a ton of questions. Thus far I'm very happy with everything and learning as i go. I do want to say thanks to those who have already shared their wisdom with others here. It helped convince me to dive in give it a try.

 

[spinnerlys]

Some Mac basics:
http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/ , http://www.apple.com/support/switch101/ and http://www.apple.com/findouthow/mac/

 

[smithrh]

I might be a bit late with this advice, but I'd delay loading up Parallels for a while. Try to force yourself to use the Mac GUI; it's different from Windows (not always better, but usually so).

Parallels does some things to the GUI that may be confusing to someone just starting out on the Mac. Plus, you might find yourself drifting back to PC apps when there are good Mac equivalents.

 

[Cynicalone]

This is a good book for starting out with OS X.

http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596153281/?CMP=ILC-MMh0me

 

[Jaro65]

Also, before asking questions and starting new threads, please do the search first. It is quite likely that if you have a question, someone already asked it....

You may also check out http://www.lynda.com for some tutorials. They do charge $25/month to access them, but they have hundreds of courses dealing with OS (several for OS X), Adobe, etc. I found the courses highly informative. It may help with the transition.

Congrats on your i5 iMac!

 

[Mhmm]

I can't help but disagree with the previous poster. Mac Os X is too easy to pay $25/month for tutorials. You'll find out that everything feels much more natural and obvious than in Windows in most cases. If you're anything like me, you'll enjoy it and there won't be any frustration. A helpful, free tool is Mroogle, linked in my sig.

 

[lexvo]

I might be a bit late with this advice, but I'd delay loading up Parallels for a while. Try to force yourself to use the Mac GUI; it's different from Windows (not always better, but usually so).

I agree with that. I switched from PC to Apple a month ago and I try to use as much standard Apple products (OS-X, Pages, mail, ...) as possible, to get used as quick as possible. And I have to say that the transformation and getting used to went very swift and easy.

 

[Bossone]

Thanks for the advise. I'm doing just that. Right now the main reason to get parallels was so that i could run cod5. I will slowly upgrade my pc software to mac software and or slowly use them here in windows. I do find the virtual desktop a bit confusing, like when am I really in the windows mode etc. My biggest issue was how do i power the imac down with out holding the on button. And yes I discovered the little apple logo and figured it out. Google is such a great tool.

I'm still in shock, but I know this was a good move.

btw I had the dang flciker issue this afternoon and I upgraded and nothing since. But I'll key an eye on it.

How do I tell when my unit was made? Week wise?

 

[lexvo]

How do I tell when my unit was made? Week wise?

I don't know if I write down the right terms in english here (as my system is dutch): go to Programs (from the dock), then choose utilities and then choose system profile. You wil see a serial number like W123456... Digits 3 and 4 are the week number (in this example 23).

 

[Bossone]

Then it would be week 51. Still getting flickering when I use parallels/win7.And istat says my temp is running 50c when using it, 30 idle.

Can install bootcamp after installing windows 7 and parallels? With out screwing things up?

 

[stridemat]

Right now the main reason to get parallels was so that i could run cod5?

COD5 would be very 'laggy' in parallels. You would be better off using bootcamp!

And yes you can install bootcamp as well as use Parallels. I think you can boot into your bootcamp partition from parallels, thus you only need one install of windows.

 

[Bossone]

COD5 would be very 'laggy' in parallels. You would be better off using bootcamp!

And yes you can install bootcamp as well as use Parallels. I think you can boot into your bootcamp partition from parallels, thus you only need one install of windows.

I'm not sure why the dealer didn't install bootcamp, but since i have Parallels and windows 7 installed, do i need uninstall them and start fresh with bootcamp, then add win7 and parallels after? He also messed up my partitions as I wanted 320 gb in windows and i only have 64. Or can i install boot camp now without screwing things up.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Winni]

Like others, I'm a long time PC user and finally pull the trigger and bought a new imac (i5), with parallels +Win 7 Professional.

So I ask in advance for your understanding as I will have a ton of questions. Thus far I'm very happy with everything and learning as i go. I do want to say thanks to those who have already shared their wisdom with others here. It helped convince me to dive in give it a try.

I'm really not getting it. Why do people buy a Mac just to run Windows in a virtual machine? Where is the benefit in that and why do people who obviously need Windows go and - unsuccessfully - try to dump it as their main platform?

Anyway, you bought an iMac and Windows 7 Professional. The first one is a nice PC and the second one is probably the best incarnation of Windows that Microsoft has shipped since the release of Windows NT 4.0 Workstation.

Just do yourself a favor and install Windows 7 as your only operating system on that iMac and you have the best possible alternative. After all, as everybody here is always so excited to point out, especially when the discussion about OS X on non-Apple computers pops up and why it is in Apple's best interest not to allow that in their EULA: Apple is a HARDWARE company. And the build quite good PCs. So just use your Mac as a PC and be happy with it. With Windows 7 on a market, switching to OS X usually does not make much sense anymore. It will just cost you additional money for almost zero return.

 

[stridemat]

I'm not sure why the dealer didn't install bootcamp, but since i have Parallels and windows 7 installed, do i need uninstall them and start fresh with bootcamp, then add win7 and parallels after? He also messed up my partitions as I wanted 320 gb in windows and i only have 64. Or can i install boot camp now without screwing things up.

Thanks for the help!

Your best bet would be too delete your parallels windows's 7 and start again. If you follow this guide. Once bootcamp is up and running, you can start parallels and run the bootcamp machine through it. Thus you are getting the best of both worlds.

 

[Bossone]

I figured as much. Thanks for your help!

 

[Bossone]

I'm really not getting it. Why do people buy a Mac just to run Windows in a virtual machine? Where is the benefit in that and why do people who obviously need Windows go and - unsuccessfully - try to dump it as their main platform?

Anyway, you bought an iMac and Windows 7 Professional. The first one is a nice PC and the second one is probably the best incarnation of Windows that Microsoft has shipped since the release of Windows NT 4.0 Workstation.

Just do yourself a favor and install Windows 7 as your only operating system on that iMac and you have the best possible alternative. After all, as everybody here is always so excited to point out, especially when the discussion about OS X on non-Apple computers pops up and why it is in Apple's best interest not to allow that in their EULA: Apple is a HARDWARE company. And the build quite good PCs. So just use your Mac as a PC and be happy with it. With Windows 7 on a market, switching to OS X usually does not make much sense anymore. It will just cost you additional money for almost zero return.

I appreciate your point of view, but if I wanted a pure windows machine I would of bought it. However I do need/want to have the windows ability, especially to do some minimal gaming (cod5) and it should be ran under boot camp.

But as was suggested here, I am using the Mac OS for as much as I can versus running windows in a virtual window. Yea there will be times I will do that, but I'm primary focused on using the Mac and learning it.

 

[stridemat]

I appreciate your point of view, but if I wanted a pure windows machine I would of bought it. However I do need/want to have the windows ability, especially to do some minimal gaming (cod5) and it should be ran under boot camp.

But as was suggested here, I am using the Mac OS for as much as I can versus running windows in a virtual window. Yea there will be times I will do that, but I'm primary focused on using the Mac and learning it.

Exactly what I do, I love the OSX and Mac experience, however for certain applications I need Windows (i.e. Autocad etc) as the Mac counterparts are not fully compatible or as well supported.

 

[archipellago]

I appreciate your point of view, but if I wanted a pure windows machine I would of bought it. However I do need/want to have the windows ability, especially to do some minimal gaming (cod5) and it should be ran under boot camp.

But as was suggested here, I am using the Mac OS for as much as I can versus running windows in a virtual window. Yea there will be times I will do that, but I'm primary focused on using the Mac and learning it.

good luck doing lots of Win gaming on that machine, mind you you'll be able to heat the room with it!!!

 

[Bossone]

good luck doing lots of Win gaming on that machine, mind you you'll be able to heat the room with it!!!

Yea it will be minimal, but I didn't want to machines. I think with Bootcamp, I'll be fine. I know others using it and they can game a decent level.

However if they don't get the frickin screen/flickering/flashing issue, I may go to a hackintosh version where I can do both. Naturally i give up the screen and would prefer to say with the 27 inch. But imo they haven't solved the issue yet.