Running Windows on my Macbook Pro

[ig541]

Good morning to all. I am a proud new owner of my first Mac, a new beefed up Macbook Pro.

Apple tech support advised me that I have two options and am looking for other users feedback on what they found works best. Using bootcamp to partition the hardrive and install windows, or install a virtual windows program that allows me to run windows within the mac os.

Since I typically ran multiple applications on my windows pc in the past, I would prefer doing the same without having to partition the drive with bootcamp and have to reboot to shift between mac and windows apps. My macbook pro runs 2.66 GHz i7 with 4GB 1067 MHz DDR3 mem> can anyone let me know if they have had experience running the vistual windows without having freezing up or crashing problems?

I like to use existing programs and would prefer to not reinvest in the software and just install them on the Macbook Pro and work with the virtual method.

Thank you much for your feedback and I look forward to sharing my experiences with the forum.

Luis

 

[Hellhammer]

Virtualization works fine if you're not going to run heavy apps. You need either Parallel, VMWare or VirtualBox (VirtualBox is free) and Windows disc in order to do that. I would, however, upgrade the RAM to 8GB as that will speed up virtualization by a lot

 

[MacDawg]

My experience has been that running virtualized is sufficient for most users unless:

1. You game... if you do, then Boot Camp
2. You use programs that are very processor or memory intensive

What programs do you plan on using in Windows?
That will be key in making your decision

Parallels and Fusion both work well and each has their supporters
With 4 GB RAM you should have no real issues

Of course, you can always Boot Camp and run your Boot Camp partition from within Parallels or Fusion and that will still give you the option to boot natively

I used to Boot Camp but found that virtualized filled all my needs and I was never booting natively

Booting Windows on a Mac

 

[djasterix]

I run Win7 with Fusion and it works ok, no problems with 4GB RAM, and you can work in both OS as the same time. I do not use heavy progs or games on Win btw.

 

[ig541]

My experience has been that running virtualized is sufficient for most users unless:

1. You game... if you do, then Boot Camp
2. You use programs that are very processor or memory intensive

What programs do you plan on using in Windows?
That will be key in making your decision

Parallels and Fusion both work well and each has their supporters
With 4 GB RAM you should have no real issues

Of course, you can always Boot Camp and run your Boot Camp partition from within Parallels or Fusion and that will still give you the option to boot natively

I used to Boot Camp but found that virtualized filled all my needs and I was never booting natively

Booting Windows on a Mac

Thanks for the reply.

Primarily, I could be running a combination widows simultaneouls primarily using MS office suite products such as Excel, Word, PPT, Publisher & Visio, ACROBAT Professional and COREL Suites. I also periodically open up ACAD, for reviewing and commenting not for designing and would like to install it too.

I am not a gamer. I am impressed by the speed of this new machine and do not want to end up compromising it by forcing window's issues upon the MAC OSX.

Additionally, there are some proprietary programs that run on Windows that I would prefer to not have to convert to MAC and would like to enjoy running them on the MAC. I am leaning towards virtualizing and installing windows xp and taking it one step at a time.

I will have to explore each program to decide which one to use for my virtualing experience.

Thanks for the feedback!
Luis

 

[jlc1978]

Thanks for the reply.
Additionally, there are some proprietary programs that run on Windows that I would prefer to not have to convert to MAC and would like to enjoy running them on the MAC. I am leaning towards virtualizing and installing windows xp and taking it one step at a time.

I will have to explore each program to decide which one to use for my virtualing experience.
Luis

I have both - Fusion and Parallels and they run quite fine on my i5 w/4gb (I now have 8gb).

If you but Parallels you can get an upgrade to fusion (until 31 DEC) for $9.00.

Parallels seems to be running a $39.99 special on their upgrade page as well; it did not seem to ask for a serial number to upgrade.

Both run Office quite well; as a gauge of non-gaming usability.

 

[jtus]

I run Parallels on a i7 266 with 4 mega. I run auto cad, corel, and a program called omega which is a sign manufacturing program. All work fine even if they are all on at the same time. You can also get Auto cad for Mac now. Also MS Office for the Mac.

 

[tjb1]

I tried AutoCAD on Parallels and personally it sucked as far as performance, to add to that the Mac version is COMPLETLY different than the Windows version. They both use the same commands but the interfaces are not even close.

I have used parallels and personally it sucks, the program isnt that great and the customer support is HORRIBLE. Absolutely HORRIBLE.

 

[calaverasgrande]

In my experience, users can run parallels on 4gb just fine, but the 8gb really makes a difference. Most users I have upgraded have reported less crashes/beachballing since getting 8gb installed.
Thanks for mention of the VMware offer. I already have Parallels and my new Macbook Pro came with Parallels 6 (from B&H Photo). I have heard from my colleagues that VMware is a much more robust VM-ing solution so I am eager to check it out. Anyone know if you can import Parallels VHDs into VMware?

 

[duggram]

I have a 13" MBA with 4GB RAM running Win7 Pro in VMWare. I normally have SQL Server, Visual Studio, and IE running on the Win side while I have iTunes and Kindle on the Mac side. It works but the Win apps develop screen traces when I move a window after a couple of hours of work. When the MBA comes out with 8GB RAM I will have one and sell this one.

 

[Jaro65]

Thanks for the reply.

Primarily, I could be running a combination widows simultaneouls primarily using MS office suite products such as Excel, Word, PPT, Publisher & Visio, ACROBAT Professional and COREL Suites. I also periodically open up ACAD, for reviewing and commenting not for designing and would like to install it too.

I am not a gamer. I am impressed by the speed of this new machine and do not want to end up compromising it by forcing window's issues upon the MAC OSX.

Additionally, there are some proprietary programs that run on Windows that I would prefer to not have to convert to MAC and would like to enjoy running them on the MAC. I am leaning towards virtualizing and installing windows xp and taking it one step at a time.

I will have to explore each program to decide which one to use for my virtualing experience.

Thanks for the feedback!
Luis

You may eventually consider getting more RAM and an SSD. That way your Win VM will run pretty close to what you would get on a native Win machine.