Windows Virtualization on Intel Macs

[savar]

Is it $50 per virtual machine, or $50 flat?

If its $50 to create as many virtual machines as you want, that is an amazing deal. Isn't VMWare the opposite -- each VM is add'l money?

Also, regarding control of the video card. Can you switch Windows to full screen, and if so, can it monopolize the video card in that configuration? Adding a 2nd vid card (and monitor, I presume?) to play games in Windows seems a little flaky.

 

[milo]

Depends on what you construe as "negative news".

Both of those were news from yesterday and the day before. It's hard to construe either of those as negative news considering how much the stock went up those two days. Today, there was no real apple news. And 2% isn't a big drop. After such a huge runup, drops like that are expected, that's actually pretty small considering how big the jump was, tempting people to do some profit taking.

Also, regarding control of the video card. Can you switch Windows to full screen, and if so, can it monopolize the video card in that configuration? Adding a 2nd vid card (and monitor, I presume?) to play games in Windows seems a little flaky.

You can switch to full screen, but it never gets direct access to the video card. With one video card, it looks like there won't be any way to play 3d games.

 

[vamp07]

You can switch to full screen, but it never gets direct access to the video card. With one video card, it looks like there won't be any way to play 3d games.

For 3d gaming that is what boot camp is for. I doubt gaming will ever be all that impressive in one of these emulators with parallel's being the best.

 

[gkarris]

$599 - Ouch

It'll run like XP on a typical Pentium M laptop, since that's essentially what you've got i.e. think of the performance of a Pentium M 1.4 GHz with integrated graphics and 512MB of RAM.

No speed demon, but no slouch either.

B

At $599, that's a pretty expensive 1.4GHz Pentium 4 with integrated graphics w/ 512Megs, 60Gig HD, and a combo drive.... okay, add Windows XP Media Center and a remote control...still...

(Do I hear a can of worms opening???)

We need to keep in mind we buy these for the fact they are Apple OS X machines...

 

[speelurker]

For 3d gaming that is what boot camp is for. I doubt gaming will ever be all that impressive in one of these emulators will parallel's being the best.

I wouldn't be so sure. Once Parallels gets Intel's Directed I/O (VT-d) working it should be possible to dedicate a second video card to a virtual machine. That should enable full speed 3D gaming.

 

[vamp07]

I wouldn't be so sure. Once Parallels gets Intel's Directed I/O (VT-d) working it should be possible to dedicate a second video card to a virtual machine. That should enable full speed 3D gaming.

Who is going to buy a second video card for this? Are we talking about some form of virtual card?

 

[milo]

Who is going to buy a second video card for this? Are we talking about some form of virtual card?

I don't think anybody will, not for gaming. You might see a few people with towers running two video cards mainly for additional monitors and firing this up for gaming. But 99% of gamers will go dual boot and skip virtualization.

 

[andrewheard]

At $599, that's a pretty expensive 1.4GHz Pentium 4 with integrated graphics w/ 512Megs, 60Gig HD, and a combo drive.... okay, add Windows XP Media Center and a remote control...still...

(Do I hear a can of worms opening???)

We need to keep in mind we buy these for the fact they are Apple OS X machines...

A 1.4GHz Pentium 4 is far slower than a 1.4GHz Pentium M.

 

[speelurker]

Who is going to buy a second video card for this? Are we talking about some form of virtual card?

The hardcore gamers I know are always upgrading their video cards so its not too far-fetched to think they have a spare.

As to whether or not people would want to do this, I think it comes down to usage patterns. Wouldn't someone who uses Safari, Mail and iChat regularly like to have access to them while hardcore gaming for a couple of hours?

 

[sfwalter]

If its $50 to create as many virtual machines as you want, that is an amazing deal. Isn't VMWare the opposite -- each VM is add'l money?

Also, regarding control of the video card. Can you switch Windows to full screen, and if so, can it monopolize the video card in that configuration? Adding a 2nd vid card (and monitor, I presume?) to play games in Windows seems a little flaky.

Its $50 for the Parallel license, you can create and run as many virtual machines as you want. VMWare has the same licensing, although their workstation product costs alot more, $249

I can't get full screen mode to work at the moment.

scott.

 

[FredAkbar]

I can't get networking to work. Mac OS X 10.4.6 running the Parallels 2.1 Beta with WinXP Pro. In the "virtual" PC's settings, I have networking enabled, connects at startup, and is bridged ethernet with en0 set in the popup menu. My Mac is on a wireless network. How can I get networking in my PC, or does my Mac need to be on ethernet?

 

[billyboy]

Could this not signal the end of Windows as a viral deathtrap? If you have Windows running for your daily work (if that platform is your thing of course) with no contact with the internet and Switch to OS X for internet, email work the average non geek Windows user is safe for the first time in existence?

 

[ManchesterTrix]

I can't get networking to work. Mac OS X 10.4.6 running the Parallels 2.1 Beta with WinXP Pro. In the "virtual" PC's settings, I have networking enabled, connects at startup, and is bridged ethernet with en0 set in the popup menu. My Mac is on a wireless network. How can I get networking in my PC, or does my Mac need to be on ethernet?

You need to change the bridging to en1. en0 is your Mac's ethernet connection, en1 is the airport.

 

[AidenShaw]

As many as you have licenses for, that is.

Its $50 for the Parallel license, you can create and run as many virtual machines as you want.

Note that each Windows virtual machine would need a Windows license (and Windows Activation can enforce that).

If you install an app in a VM, that may be a violation of the EULA if you also have the app installed on another machine.

If you clone a virtual machine, you may be in violation of all of the licenses of all of the software installed on that machine. And it may not even require running the VM - just to clone the virtual hard drive would be a violation. (A powered off virtual machine and a powered off physical machine are the same - most licenses specify the number of installations, not the number of concurrently running installations.)

Software companies are starting to adjust their licensing terms to deal with the reality of virtualization - but in the meantime many VM users are regular software pirates. They'll all say it isn't really stealing, but have you ever gone a week without a rationalization?

 

[rumbletum]

I can't get networking to work. Mac OS X 10.4.6 running the Parallels 2.1 Beta with WinXP Pro. In the "virtual" PC's settings, I have networking enabled, connects at startup, and is bridged ethernet with en0 set in the popup menu. My Mac is on a wireless network. How can I get networking in my PC, or does my Mac need to be on ethernet?

Parallels doesn't support wireless networking as yet

 

[floatingspirit]

Virtual or Real Stuff

Well, I couldn't figure out how to install Windows on Paralles, so I gave up and tried boot camp. That I got no problem. And my compy does fly in comparison to my work PC, woo hoo! Now if I can only figure out what i need to make a VPN to work.

Paralles said it had no boot drive, so popped in my Windows CD but couldn't seem to convince Paralles that I was pointing it towards the right drive or location to boot up from that real disc...If it doesn't support wireless connections to the internet though, it will be worthless to me anyway.

This is just a layman's two cents.

 

[FredAkbar]

Parallels doesn't support wireless networking as yet

Okay, that makes sense. I switched it to en1 and it still didn't work.

Once it does work, will it be pretty fluid, or will I have to do some setup stuff in Windows? I don't know much about networking in Windows beyond just clicking "Create a new connection" and getting through the setup wizard(s), hoping I'm making the right choices.

 

[rumbletum]

I'm hoping it will be straightforward, I think you'll just have to type in any passwords you've got setup.

I've just dug out an ethernet cable and it's working fine now, just downloading anti-virus software

 

[vamp07]

Parallels doesn't support wireless networking as yet

They don't need to. You just bridge it to whatever interface you want to use. I did read there are some issues with Ethernet but bridging to en1 works like a champ.

 

[vamp07]

Well, I couldn't figure out how to install Windows on Paralles, so I gave up and tried boot camp. That I got no problem. And my compy does fly in comparison to my work PC, woo hoo! Now if I can only figure out what i need to make a VPN to work.

Paralles said it had no boot drive, so popped in my Windows CD but couldn't seem to convince Paralles that I was pointing it towards the right drive or location to boot up from that real disc...If it doesn't support wireless connections to the internet though, it will be worthless to me anyway.

This is just a layman's two cents.

Both these work just fine. I think you may need to restart the app before it will let you pick the CD to boot from it. Bridging to the wireless network card en1 works just fine too. I have boot camp and Parallel installed but for almost everything I will use parallel. May end up uninstalling Boot camp.

 

[ManchesterTrix]

Parallels doesn't support wireless networking as yet

It may not recognize that it's bridging from wireless but it does work. I believe I had to completely restart Parallels, not just the VM but I do have internet access from my airport card.

 

[vamp07]

Could this not signal the end of Windows as a viral deathtrap? If you have Windows running for your daily work (if that platform is your thing of course) with no contact with the internet and Switch to OS X for internet, email work the average non geek Windows user is safe for the first time in existence?

This is nonsense macintosh users love to make Windows sound far worse then it is. I love my Mac but the amount of disinformation propagated by these Mac boards is amazing.

 

[sfwalter]

I can't get networking to work. Mac OS X 10.4.6 running the Parallels 2.1 Beta with WinXP Pro. In the "virtual" PC's settings, I have networking enabled, connects at startup, and is bridged ethernet with en0 set in the popup menu. My Mac is on a wireless network. How can I get networking in my PC, or does my Mac need to be on ethernet?

You need to use en1 for wireless

 

[rumbletum]

It may not recognize that it's bridging from wireless but it does work. I believe I had to completely restart Parallels, not just the VM but I do have internet access from my airport card.

Are you using it on a MBP or an iMac? The official line is that it doesn't work with Airport, but like yourself some on the Parallel forums reckon they have it working, though people like myself with iMacs don't seem to be able to get it working.

I may try it with my MBP later, to see if I have any joy there.

 

[Billy Boo Bob]

I'm still thinking that if MS comes out with a new VPC that it'll be the best way to virtualize. I think they'll have the best integration of the two, like drag and drop between desktops, shared clipboard, drag a folder onto the icon at the bottom to make it a new drive on the PC, etc...

Not having an Intel Mac to test either solution out, I don't know what they have already for Parallels Workstation in this line. Perhaps by the time beta turns release (or soon after with updates) they'll have all the same, but I think some of it might be a challenge without knowing the insides of Windows like MS does.