Optimal settings for running VM under Fusion (for new MacBook Pro i7 mid-2010 model)

[hajime]

Hello. I installed Vista Ultimate 64-bit under Bootcamp. Then, I access it via VMware Fusion 3.0.2. I have a few questions:

1. What is the most optimal settings for highest performance?
a) Under Virtual Machine->Settings, I can choose between 1,2 or 4 cores.
Do you think 2 cores would produce the highest performance?
b) I have 8GB installed on my machine. How much RAM should I assign to
the virtual machine?
c) Any other settings that I should change?

Since Fusion and the VM are still run under Mac OS. I suppose it is not
a good idea to assign too many resources to the virtual machine.


2. Is there any way to make the virtual machine runs the Nvidia GPU?
Under Virtual Machine->Settings->Display, it just says that the 3D
acceleration is activated. Not sure if it refers to the Nvidia GPU or
the internal Intel graphic card.

3. Any way to activate speed boost?

Thanks.

 

[spinnerlys]

1.
a) If you have four (HT) cores, don't you think four cores would give you the highest performance?
b) Depends on the software you want to use.

2. Not for now, as VMWare Fusion is just a translator.

PS: Boot Camp might offer you more performance, but you haven't told us yet what software you want to use in Windows. If it is something text or number based like Word or Excel, 1 core and 2GB should more than suffice.

 

[hajime]

1.
a) If you have four (HT) cores, don't you think four cores would give you the highest performance?
b) Depends on the software you want to use.

2. Not for now, as VMWare Fusion is just a translator.

PS: Boot Camp might offer you more performance, but you haven't told us yet what software you want to use in Windows. If it is something text or number based like Word or Excel, 1 core and 2GB should more than suffice.

Thanks for the suggestion, spinnerlys. If I assign all four cores to the virtual machine, then there is nothing left for Mac OS. I am a bit confused. Am I missing something? Could you please clarify?

I am using a 3D programs. Interestingly, when I launched one of them, it says that the computer's graphic card driver does not support OpenGL version 2.1 or later! Under control panel->device manager, I see "VMware SVGA 3D (Microsoft Corportation -WDDM) under the display adapter. When I double clicked the NVIDIA control panel (probably created when I installed Bootcamp), it gives me a message that the Nvidia display settings are not being use. When I used Vista under boot Camp, the Nvidia control panel was working. So, this gives me the impression that under Fusion, the virtual machine is running the slow intel video card. Under both Boot Camp and Fusion (2 cores, 4GB assigned), Vista gave a performance index of 5.5