The more I use Parallels
I am sure that part of this is that my new 27″ iMac
I am in the main using Windows 7, though now and again I do boot into Windows XP.
If you are using Boot Camp, I would recommend you give Parallels a go.
Boot Camp Done
Installed new Boot Camp drivers on iMac. Windows 7 now working a treat.
Realty easy to install. However it was huge… 381MB is one big download.
Well my wireless keyboard and mouse now work.
Windows 7 on a 27” i7 iMac – Update now available.
Boot Camp Software Update 3.1 for Windows 32 bit
This update adds support for Microsoft Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate), addresses issues with the Apple trackpad, turns off the red digital audio port LED on laptop computers when it is not being used, and supports the Apple wireless keyboard and Apple Magic mouse.
This update is highly recommended for all Boot Camp 3.0 users.
Installing now….
Okay… 381MB
Downloading now…
Installing, shall we say day after tomorrow!
Where’s my keyboard?
So I have installed Windows 7 on my iMac, despite not having the proper Boot Camp drivers. It did eventually install, however lacking the proper drivers is causing me a few issues.
Notably though I can use the wireless keyboard and mouse to log on to Windows, once logged in, the iMac under Windows 7 decides that it can no longer see the keyboard and mouse. So the only solution is to plug in an USB keyboard and mouse. The thing is that the OS can see the keyboard and mouse, it’s just that they don’t function!
The other problem is with the audio drivers.
Hopefully it won’t be too long before Apple release proper Boot Camp drivers for Windows 7.
Windows 7 on a 27” i7 iMac – Better luck this time! It works!
It didn’t work before, but it is working now!
I have installed Windows 7
Problem number one was that currently there is no support in Apple’s Boot Camp for Windows 7.
I hoped that it wasn’t going to be an issue. But it was…
Apple’s Boot Camp Assistant is very nice piece of software and the ease by which I can create a partition for Windows is so quick and easy and has virtually no impact on my OS X partition (apart from reducing its size).
Then slot in the Windows 7 installation disk and off we go. Remembering the format the Boot Camp partition, the Windows 7 install process starts to do its stuff. However after installing the files the whole process hung on a black screen It didn’t look right.
Quick Google search.
Ahhh
This blog entry states that the problem is with the display drivers.
So once more a fresh install and then into the DOS prompt to delete the “faulty” display driver.
However this did not work for me.
I tried again and still no luck.
Hmmm….
Was going to give up when searching for the original article I read this blog post.
The black screen problem is that for some reason, Windows 7 running on this new ATI 4670 card sends the video to the secondary monitor, leaving the primary display black. If you merely plug another monitor into the Mac, you get display just fine.
Hmmm, I was lucky that I had one of those nice 24” Apple Monitors in my office. Could this work?
Once more I configured the drive using Boot Camp Assistant, once more I put in the Windows 7 install disk, once more I set the whole process going…
Well…
Who would have guessed it! The install process worked, true the 27” iMac was all dark, but there on the secondary screen was the whole Windows 7 install process. Once installed it was very simple to install new graphics drivers and “pop” there on the 27” iMac was the Windows 7 desktop. In with the OS X install disk to install all the Windows drivers.
Job done, no need to delete files or reconfigure drives, just plug in a second monitor.
Windows 7 on a 27” i7 iMac – No luck!
Well that didn’t work did it….
I have installed Windows 7
Problem number one was that currently there is no support in Apple’s Boot Camp for Windows 7.
I hoped that it wasn’t going to be an issue.
So off I went.
Apple’s Boot Camp Assistant is very nice piece of software and the ease by which I can create a partition for Windows is so quick and easy and has virtually no impact on my OS X partition (apart from reducing its size).
Then slot in the Windows 7 installation disk and off we go.
Remembering the format the Boot Camp partition, the Windows 7 install process starts to do its stuff. However after installing the files the whole process hung on a black screen. Hmm this doesn’t look right.
Reboot and try again…
Hmmm same problem.
Well back into OS X, delete the partition and try again. Nope same problem.
Quick Google search.
Ahhh
This blog entry states that the problem is with the display drivers.
So once more a fresh install and then into the DOS prompt to delete the “faulty” display driver.
However this did not work for me.
I tried again and still no luck.
Hmmm….
Now this looks interesting…
If you want to run Windows on your Mac, you have had up until now four main choices.
Now there is a fifth choice, Virtualbox from Sun.
VirtualBox is a family of powerful x86 virtualization products for enterprise as well as home use. Not only is VirtualBox an extremely feature rich, high performance product for enterprise customers, it is also the only professional solution that is freely available as Open Source Software under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL). See “About VirtualBox” for an introduction.
Presently, VirtualBox runs on Windows, Linux, Macintosh and OpenSolaris hosts and supports a large number of guest operating systems including but not limited to Windows (NT 4.0, 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista), DOS/Windows 3.x, Linux (2.4 and 2.6), and OpenBSD.
I have downloaded it, but not yet installed it or tried to run Windows on it. Certainly looks like it could be useful for a whole range of virtualization solutions.
Can I use OEM versions of Windows on my Mac?
Can I use OEM versions of Windows on my Mac?
Generally the answer is yes. Though if you purchased a computer with an OEM version of Windows then the license only covers that hardware and according to the terms of use can not be transferred to another computer.
These OEM versions will work with Boot Camp and/or Parallels or VMFusion. Though as OEM versions you won’t get any support from Microsoft, for that you will need to purchase the full retail versions.
Note that Windows Vista Home can not be used with Parallels or VMFusion due it licensing restrictions.
Can I use OEM versions of Windows on my Mac?
Can I use OEM versions of Windows on my Mac?
Generally the answer is yes. Though if you purchased a computer with an OEM version of Windows then the license only covers that hardware and according to the terms of use can not be transferred to another computer.
These OEM versions will work with Boot Camp and/or Parallels or VMFusion. Though as OEM versions you won’t get any support from Microsoft, for that you will need to purchase the full retail versions.
Note that Windows Vista Home can not be used with Parallels or VMFusion due it licensing restrictions.
Windows on a Mac
If you want to run Windows on an Intel Mac there are basically four choices.
Boot Camp
This is an either or situation, which means you are running Windows or OS X, therefore if you want to change applications you need to reboot.
Has the advantage that you are when running Windows for all intents purposes your mac is a Windows PC. This means that you get the full power of your Mac for running Windows.
You need a licensed copy of Windows XP *SP2* or Windows Vista
Comes as part of Leopard, so if you have Tiger you will need to upgrade.
Parallels and VMFusion
http://www.parallels.com/en/products/desktop/
http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/
These applications create virtual Windows PCs, which allow you to run Windows (and Windows applications) at the same time as OS X and therefore you can switch between them withoout needing to reboot. There is a slight performance hit when running Windows in this way but for most people this is negligible. Also you will need a lot of RAM to run these, at leat 1GB and preferably 2GB of RAM.
Coherence mode on Parallels allows you to run Windows applications seamlessly alongside Mac applications.
Both require a Windows licence, but doesn’t need to be SP2, with Parallels you can even install and run Windows 3.1! Parallels XP support is excellent, however support for Vista is less good, so you can’t use things like Aero for example.
Crossover
http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/
Allows you to run Windows applications (some but not all) within OS X and you don’t need a Windows licence as you don’t install Windows.
Downside is that it doesn’t work with all applications.
Summary
Therefore there are four choices when it comes to running Windows on a Mac. Which is best? Well that depends much more on your needs when it comes to running Windows.