Parallels 7 on rMBP

[Drask]

Hello there,

I'd like to ask a few questions regarding parallels 7 on the rMBP.

I jave a 2.3/16/256 model, so space is a little tight.

1.- I already have a bootcamp partition for gaming, if I set up a virtual machine with my existing bootcamp partition it won't install windows again, right? therefor saving me the space.

2.- I heard parallels 7 is retina optimised, how good does it look? is it the same as bootcamp?

I don't want parallels to game, I'd like to use it while coding (VS, Netbeans, etc) What do you recommend?

 

[mac jones]

Hello there,

I'd like to ask a few questions regarding parallels 7 on the rMBP.

I jave a 2.3/16/256 model, so space is a little tight.

1.- I already have a bootcamp partition for gaming, if I set up a virtual machine with my existing bootcamp partition it won't install windows again, right? therefor saving me the space.

2.- I heard parallels 7 is retina optimised, how good does it look? is it the same as bootcamp?

I don't want parallels to game, I'd like to use it while coding (VS, Netbeans, etc) What do you recommend?

When they say 'Retina optimized', all it means is that the app itself is clearer. Windows will be the same, but that's ok a you can natively scale Windows (unlike OS X ).

With Bootcamp you have two options with Parallels. You can run directly off Bootcamp in a virtual window (VMware method), or you can create a stand-alone virtual machine of the Bootcamp partition. Now, the latter method is very nice as it allows you to suspend the machine. it's a compressed version of bootcamp. VMware cannot do this, and with VMware you cannot suspend a bootcamp instance (you need to shut it down each time, which sort of defeats the whole idea). Of course you will need some space if you create a stand-alone, which you mentioned you don't have. I'm just pointing a few things out.

Someone correct me if i'm wrong as these things are in flux.

BTW, the virtual machine platform becomes more of a viable option as time goes on. Running a virtual machine now is so close to native that it should be built into OS X. For instance, running a VM in OS X is much less resource intensive than flash is

 

[Drask]

When they say 'Retina optimized', all it means is that the app itself is clearer. Windows will be the same, but that's ok a you can natively scale Windows (unlike OS X ).

With Bootcamp you have two options with Parallels. You can run directly off Bootcamp in a virtual window (VMware method), or you can create a stand-alone virtual machine of the Bootcamp partition. Now, the latter method is very nice as it allows you to suspend the machine. it's a compressed version of bootcamp. VMware cannot do this, and with VMware you cannot suspend a bootcamp instance (you need to shut it down each time, which sort of defeats the whole idea). Of course you will need some space if you create a stand-alone, which you mentioned you don't have. I'm just pointing a few things out.

Someone correct me if i'm wrong as these things are in flux.

BTW, the virtual machine platform becomes more of a viable option as time goes on. Running a virtual machine now is so close to native that it should be built into OS X. For instance, running a VM in OS X is much less resource intensive than flash is

Thanks for your answer, but I still have the same doubt, creating a VMware (as you said) I won't have to install windows again, but if I do a virtual machine I do have to create a third partition on the disk having windows 7 installed twice?

 

[Rocky244]

Hello there,

I'd like to ask a few questions regarding parallels 7 on the rMBP.

I jave a 2.3/16/256 model, so space is a little tight.

1.- I already have a bootcamp partition for gaming, if I set up a virtual machine with my existing bootcamp partition it won't install windows again, right? therefor saving me the space.

2.- I heard parallels 7 is retina optimised, how good does it look? is it the same as bootcamp?

I don't want parallels to game, I'd like to use it while coding (VS, Netbeans, etc) What do you recommend?

I'm doing what you suggested, and I haven't noticed any space changes since running a VM off my BootCamp partition in Parallels 7. I kept thinking there should be, but if there is, my computer isn't reporting it.

Also when I delete the VM set up, as in delete the VM stored by Parallels that is running from the BootCamp partition, the stuff that goes in the trash is only like 20 MB total. So all signs point to that it doesn't take up more space, but that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

I have a feeling that there are system/program files somewhere for Parallels that are being used for the VM from BootCamp. So my guess is that if it does take up more space, it'll be insignificant, or already built in to the Parallels application.

----------

Thanks for your answer, but I still have the same doubt, creating a VMware (as you said) I won't have to install windows again, but if I do a virtual machine I do have to create a third partition on the disk having windows 7 installed twice?

No, you don't have to partition a third time. You literally just open Parallels and select the option that says "Use BootCamp Partition" and it starts running after installing some files. But as I said, when I go to delete those files they appear to be small.

 

[StuMcBill]

If you point Parallels to your BootCamp partition it will just run your bootcamp partition in a virtual machine.

If you save a file in your Virtual Machine, and then boot into BootCamp it will be there. And vice versa.

Hope that helps.

 

[gentlefury]

I ran parallels yesterday. While the application is in fact hiDPI and looks great....when you run windows (this was testing windows 8, so 7 may work) the OS looked like crap. I was able to set the resolution to native, but when I set dpi scale to 200% (which is what I do in native windows and it looks great) it looks all pixelated and crappy.

 

[Hackintosh Sr.]

1. Yes

2. It looks great

 

[Meever]

For whatever reason if you set the resolution to 2880x1600 it looks ass. Very pixelated.

My osx resolution is scaled to 1920x1200.

When you set the desktop resolution to 1920x1200 it looks decent though

Oh and the graphics driver in para isnt very good. There's some UI studder from time to time.