Running bootcamp and Parallels together - Where do I install my Windows Softwares?

[omojesu]

I have just installed Windows 7 on my iMac via Bootcamp. I am about to install and point Parallel 7 to use the Bootcamp partition.

My question is that, once all the setup is completed, which application do I install my Windows software, should I be installing apps via Bootcamp or via Parallels? I want to make sure I am doing it right the first time. I know the differences between Parallels and Bootcamp, what I don't know is where to install my windows applications like Adobe CS and other RAM intensive softwares that I will be using.

Pls advise.

Thanks

 

[balamw]

I recommend installing them where you will use them.

If you have a RAM and CPU intensive app that you will predominantly use under Boot Camp, install it there. If you have a little app that you will use under Parallels install it there.

Generally it doesn't matter, you will be able to run any app in both environments, but there may be some optimization or activation that makes it preferable for the system to be seen one way or another during install.

B

 

[johnhurley]

I have just installed Windows 7 on my iMac via Bootcamp. I am about to install and point Parallel 7 to use the Bootcamp partition.

My question is that, once all the setup is completed, which application do I install my Windows software, should I be installing apps via Bootcamp or via Parallels? I want to make sure I am doing it right the first time. I know the differences between Parallels and Bootcamp, what I don't know is where to install my windows applications like Adobe CS and other RAM intensive softwares that I will be using.

Pls advise.

Thanks

You have me more than a little confused about what you are asking.

When you install bootcamp you get a copy of windows running from that partition and you boot up directly into that partition. Only windows is running at that point.

When you use parallels and point it over to the bootcamp partition it runs windows inside mac os x in a virtual machine.

However it is still using the windows installation from that partition.

Each time you are using windows under parallels you should shutdown windows when you are done using it ... making sure that your windows system has a good clean shutdown.

If you are asking about installing additional software into your windows environment you can install it either when booted up directly into your bootcamp partition or when windows is running in a virtual machine. It will stay installed either way. It really does not matter which environment you install it in ... but obviously a big install will probably go faster when directly in bootcamp.

When you define a virtual machine you specific how much memory it uses ( a max size limitation ) out of all the memory available to mac os x.

People run bootcamp so that windows is natively running on their machine with access to all the system resources and all the memory on the machine directly. If you have a memory intensive application which under windows will use up a lot of memory it will respond much better in bootcamp than under parallels because parallels limits how much of the system memory is available to the windows operating system ( and all the applications running under windows ).

 

[omojesu]

Thanks. I am planning on installing some graphic and web design programs that I will like to run via Parallels but was not sure if there will be memory issues. So I think installing directly in Bootcamp may be the best option for such programs as long as I can still access the program when I launch Parallels.

Many thanks