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Parallels with 32-bit Windows 8.1
- Thread starter maxsteel
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3 GB of RAM is more than enough since 32-bit Windows can't use more than 4 GB. As far as CPU cores, it depends on what you're doing. If it's basic tasks, such as Office, web, etc, 1 is enough. Computation programs (eg MATLAB) can benefit from 2 cores.
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I agree with saturnotaku. I'm using Parallels 8 with Win 8.1 Pro 32-bit and I've assigned 3GB of RAM to my VM - the reporting I get in the VM is that 2.75GB is accessible, regardless of my assignment over that. I don't game, and 1 core works well - I'll back out of Win 8.1 and assign 2 cores if I use MS Access 2013 then switch back to 1 core for everything else.
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How to allocate memory to bootcamp/win8
Please excuse my ignorance. I recently purchased a mini with Win 8 (32 bit?) installed in Bootcamp. How would I reduce the RAM and HD space on the Bootcamp partition?
I just want to learn Win 8 and I have a few games & apps I use occasionally.
It currently Has 400 Gig allocated and I don't know how much RAM is spent there. I would be fine with 3G RAM and 100 Gig HD. (I think)
Please excuse my ignorance. I recently purchased a mini with Win 8 (32 bit?) installed in Bootcamp. How would I reduce the RAM and HD space on the Bootcamp partition?
I just want to learn Win 8 and I have a few games & apps I use occasionally.
It currently Has 400 Gig allocated and I don't know how much RAM is spent there. I would be fine with 3G RAM and 100 Gig HD. (I think)
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I'm not answering your question but offering the alternative I chose - I bought Parallels Desktop and "migrated" my Bootcamp partition into a virtual machine, then deleted the Bootcamp partition altogether. Now I can run Windows and allocate what resources (cores, RAM, disk space) as I see fit.
http://kb.parallels.com/en/113658
I have 4 user profiles on my Mac, and installed the virtual machine in my "Shared" directory, modifying the User Privileges so that each User can Read/
Write to the VM. I can access the VMs in each User account and set up the number of cores and RAM that a VM can use for each User - I allocate 2 cores when I use Access in one User account, and 1 core in the other accounts. QED. I'm running Parallels Desktop v. 8 on 10.9.2 and it works fine; I'll update to v. 10 when it comes out likely this summer (and after its first service update comes out!
).You could even put the VM(s) on a thumb/SD drive or external disk, which I've done in the past with no issues...
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I'm not answering your question but offering the alternative I chose - I bought Parallels Desktop and "migrated" my Bootcamp partition into a virtual machine, then deleted the Bootcamp partition altogether. Now I can run Windows and allocate what resources (cores, RAM, disk space) as I see fit.
http://kb.parallels.com/en/113658
I have 4 user profiles on my Mac, and installed the virtual machine in my "Shared" directory, modifying the User Privileges so that each User can Read/
Write to the VM. I can access the VMs in each User account and set up the number of cores and RAM that a VM can use for each User - I allocate 2 cores when I use Access in one User account, and 1 core in the other accounts. QED. I'm running Parallels Desktop v. 8 on 10.9.2 and it works fine; I'll update to v. 10 when it comes out likely this summer (and after its first service update comes out!
You could even put the VM(s) on a thumb/SD drive or external disk, which I've done in the past with no issues...
Thanks.Do you need the registration code for Win 8 to migrate it? This came with Win 8 on the Bootcamp partition and it has asked me to register it twice? I think that indicates it may not be kosher? I don't have the code and when asking the seller he sent me a code that doesn't look correct. 8 seems to be working OK so I don't want to enter a bogus code and have it stop working.
I had Parallels on my old Mini with win 7 that I migrated from my old PC. Worked fine. As I recall I needed the code (which I had).
I have moved and lost the Parallels disc, I still have the code thou. Guess I'll contact the parallels folks and see what I can do. Bootcamp takes forever to load.
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Sorry, looooooong day today and I've got to hit the road in the morning for a few days for work.
I didn't at the time, and haven't since. Win 8 was but isn't now a PITA to register - I also use Little Snitch to find out what applications "phone home". Parallels has been great with making my SNs available, and I haven't had one problem with my Win 8 VMs as I moved it from an iMac to a rMBP to another rMPB. When prompted for whether I moved or copied the VMs to another machine I'm using I answered truthfully (moved). I haven't had to re-enter my Win 8 SN - period (yay!).
FWIW, my 3 Window VMs are running perfectly. Parallels support has been great, and they've answered all of my questions promptly.
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I'm not sure about Parallels, but in VMware, one core basically means one thread. So I assign 4 cores (which translates to 4 threads) out of 8 in order to assign 2 cores to the VM.
For a 32-bit system, I'd recommend 2-3GB.
That said, I'm wondering why you're running off a 32-bit system when x64's the norm
Personally, I assigned 6GB of RAM to Windows 8.1 (x64) in VMware, out of my total of 16GB in my rMBP. On my iMac with 32GB of RAM, I assigned 8GB and it runs real smooth.
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Thanks guys
I bought the Mini used and it had the 32 bit installed. Is there a way to upgrade to 64 bit?
I bought the Mini used and it had the 32 bit installed. Is there a way to upgrade to 64 bit?
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That said, I'm wondering why you're running off a 32-bit system when x64's the norm
I took advantage of the $40 Win 8 upgrade when it was available, was running 32-bit XP SP3 at the time. This "fiasco" is bantered about elsewhere, but all I use is Office and several XTERM utilities to connect to surveying hardware - no need for much RAM for my uses.
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Yes, there is! Go buy a new install disk, and install a new, clean 64-bit Win 8 partition. No, seriously. MS ties the SN of an install to one install - period, forever.
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I took advantage of the $40 Win 8 upgrade when it was available, was running 32-bit XP SP3 at the time. This "fiasco" is bantered about elsewhere, but all I use is Office and several XTERM utilities to connect to surveying hardware - no need for much RAM for my uses.
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Yes, there is! Go buy a new install disk, and install a new, clean 64-bit Win 8 partition. No, seriously. MS ties the SN of an install to one install - period, forever.
Thanks. Actually I moved Win 7 from my old PC to my last Mini (into Parallels) and the code worked fine. Also, I can't locate the slot for the disc drive?
(Note sarcasm )
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Update and explanation of the Mini life?
I bought a 2012 Mini when they came out. Parallels with Win 7. Had to move suddenly, a divorce type thing. Had to sell the Mini and lots of other toys.
So now I'm back on my feet I scored a used Mini same as the old 1. Without Parallels but with Win 8.1 in Bootcamp.
Note: the used 2012 Minis can be had quite resonably because the next Mini is coming any day. It has been coming soon for a year or so?
I am just an old hobbyist? Not making any $$$ from this. I have 1 game I play, HOMM3, old and clunke, I know, like me. Not as clunky as Bootcamp loading Win 8!
In my infinite wisdom I backed up the old Mini and was able to retrieve all my bits and bytes? I have Parallels installed and am now trying to get a Win 7 going to play the game.
Sorry you wasted 3 minutes of you lives reading this drivel
I bought a 2012 Mini when they came out. Parallels with Win 7. Had to move suddenly, a divorce type thing. Had to sell the Mini and lots of other toys.
So now I'm back on my feet I scored a used Mini same as the old 1. Without Parallels but with Win 8.1 in Bootcamp.
Note: the used 2012 Minis can be had quite resonably because the next Mini is coming any day. It has been coming soon for a year or so?
I am just an old hobbyist? Not making any $$$ from this. I have 1 game I play, HOMM3, old and clunke, I know, like me. Not as clunky as Bootcamp loading Win 8!
In my infinite wisdom I backed up the old Mini and was able to retrieve all my bits and bytes? I have Parallels installed and am now trying to get a Win 7 going to play the game.
Sorry you wasted 3 minutes of you lives reading this drivel
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