Boot camp, parallels, or vmware?

I'm looking at buying a mac this fall for school. I'll be studying engineering and running some fairly heavy software for programming and 3D modeling. I'm also interested in running Windows somehow, but I don't have much of an idea as to how to do that. I've heard that boot camp, VMware, and Parallels would all be capable somehow. I know that with boot camp I could only run one or the other. In order to access files in one operating system that I saved in the other, would I have to use external storage somehow to transfer it? Also, would it be easier at that point to just go with VMware or Parallels instead? Or would they significantly slow down my laptop?

momorauls,
with Boot Camp, you’d have read-only access to the other operating system’s partition — NTFS read-only under OS X, HFS+ read-only under Windows.
Whether a virtualizer would be easier than Boot Camp or not depends on what you’d like to do. The advantage of a virtualizer is simultaneous access to both operating systems; the disadvantages are that some portion of your RAM would be exclusively dedicated to the virtualizer, and that the guest OS would be somewhat slower than if it were in a Boot Camp partition. If your Windows programs are demanding on the hardware (e.g. GPU-heavy games), then that would make the slowdown even more noticeable.

Similar Messages

Boot Camp / Parallels Installation

Purchased 2nd IMAC a few weeks ago. Apple staff per request transferred files, etc from previous mac to new. Also created partition and installed Parallels and Win 7. I can only access Windows from my login account. None of other user accts can access. This a completely different install than on previous IMAC. It seems a virtual copy of the OS is in my Documents folder under Finder view.
I contacted store where purchased - which is out of state; contacted national tech support and even took the Mac to a store 2 hours away from my home- no one can seem to assist or correct. I cannot readily tell by looking in Finder if the disk was partitioned. I really need my Mac..any suggestions on next steps?
This is my 1st disappointment with Apple......always great customer service but this stinks..no one stepping up to plate.

Sometimes what you learn doing things yourself is worth the time and effort. I wouldn't want someone else doing the installs.
It sounds like Windows is on its own partition and can dual-boot natively as well as run under OS X.
Anyone should be able to that way. But, if they have just VM in your account - easy to know and find out if there is a large 20GB -ish sized image then it isn't using Boot Camp + Parallels.
I would be asking and looking in Parallels (also).
http://forum.parallels.com/forumdisplay.php?&f=58

How many licenses for Windows 7 via both Boot Camp and either VMware Fusion or Parallels on the same MacBook?

This concerns a white MacBook running OS X 10.5.8 Leopard.
If I install Windows 7 on my MacBook with Boot Camp, and then use either VMware Fusion or Parallels to access that Boot Camp partition, will I need to buy two Windows licenses from Microsoft?
I had not anticipated this, but when calling VMware and Parallels to check out the tech support services of the two companies, the person at VMware mentioned that I would need two licenses. When I called Parallels, I then asked the person at that company whether two Windows licenses would be needed. That person told me that only one license would be necessary.
I then called Microsoft. The representative there told me that my question could not be answered by Microsoft because that company does not provide support for users installing Windows on Apple computers.
After that, I called Apple. The Apple representative was not familiar with this type of issue. She mentioned the possibility that the VMware Fusion and Parallels products might be different, and that that might be why using the former would involve two licenses and using the latter would involve only one license.
Has anyone had experience with installing Windows 7 via Boot Camp, and then accessing that Windows 7 installation from VMware Fusion or Parallels? If so, did you have to buy two Windows licenses?

One license. You may have to re-register Windows online when you start it up in Parallels because Windows sees that it is now running on new hardware (virtualized) and thinks it has been installed on a new computer. If the online re-registration does not work, just call the registration number and go through the automated registration process. Once re-registered then use Windows from Parallels. If you are also installing MS Office in Windows you will need to go through the same process again for registering Office.
The process is automated, simple, and free. You have made the process more complicated than it is by calling Apple, Parallels, and Microsoft when there is an automated MS registration number to call.

Windows, Boot Camp & Parallels. Are 2 activations needed?

If I want to be able to choose to either boot directly into XP or instead use XP in a Parallels window, should I install XP first (using Boot Camp) and then install Parallels, which will likely ask for the XP activation key? I have a brand new XP sp2 disc so I should have two activation chances.
If I install and activate XP in Parallels, so I need to set up a Boot Cam partition first?
Ia there is no way to accomplish this using only one activation key?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Click here for information. These were found by searching Google, not the Apple Discussions; in the second case, the search query 'VMware "Boot Camp" activation' was used.
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Boot Camp - Parallels - Windows 7 - 32bit - 64bit

Hi. First off, and not looking for sympathy - just a little background of myself: I have recently recovered from two bouts of high dose chemo and a stem cell transplant. My memory and brain...processing speed, for lack of correct word or two, is no where near what it used to be. I need things to be explained just a tad bit more thorough.
I have an iMac 27" 3.4GHz i7 - 8GB Ram - 2GB Radeon HD 6970 - 1TB HD and use FCPX for a lot of editing. I will, in the near future, need to use some Windows programming/software. Ok, now my questions:
1) Do I even need Parallels 7, which I just bought today, to use Windows 7 or is Boot Camp the way to go? (And I can get my $50 back.)
2) I have Norton's via COMCAST. I never assume, so, will I need to load my own Norton's with Windows 7 or will COMCAST internet connection, using Norton's, be acceptable protection?
3) ...I forgot...
Thank you in advance for your assistance!
Jason

1.) Depends on your usage of Windows and on the programs you want use with Windows.
BootCamp is the better solution for hardware-demanding Windows programs in the field of gaming and/or §d-rendering/movie-editing since it uses the native (real) hardware of your Mac.
Downfall of BootCamp is that you have to reboot your Mac to switch from OSX to Windows and back.
Parallels biggest asset is the ability to run Windows alongside OSX. Downfall is that hatdware-demanding programs are running slower.
2.) I am not familiar with the Comcast Norton, but when running Windows you must have a decent Anti-Virus solution for it.
3.) when it comes back, ask...
Get well soon
Stefan

Transfer boot camp, parallels, windows to internal drive

My 2011 MBP crashed for the 4th time (bad graphics chips), so I was given a new MBP. They nicely kept the old machine and transferred the HD info over to the new one.
However, they did not transfer any of the boot camp/windows/parallels stuff. I had a $5500 CAD program in there. and lots of files.
Fortunately, I have been doing bootable backups using SuperDuper, so I have an external HD with all the stuff on it. The backup is several weeks old, however, and I don't want to erase the new stuff.
My question is how can I transfer the boot camp partition intact from the external drive to the internal drive?

Cosman wrote:
My 2011 MBP crashed for the 4th time (bad graphics chips), so I was given a new MBP. They nicely kept the old machine and transferred the HD info over to the new one.
However, they did not transfer any of the boot camp/windows/parallels stuff. I had a $5500 CAD program in there. and lots of files.
Fortunately, I have been doing bootable backups using SuperDuper, so I have an external HD with all the stuff on it. The backup is several weeks old, however, and I don't want to erase the new stuff.
My question is how can I transfer the boot camp partition intact from the external drive to the internal drive?
It seems to me probable that on your original HD you must have had a Bootcamp Partition, and that you had Parallels installed and set up to use the Bootcamp partition. Apple did not move your Bootcamp to your new HD so it does not have a Bootcamp partition at all, so when you launch Parallels it can't find an operating system. Unfortunately, as CSound1 says, SuperDuper does not backup Bootcamp partitions so your external HD will not have a backup of your Bootcamp on it. Bootcamp partitions need a completely separate method (Winclone is the best) to back up or transfer to a new HD.
Unless you backed up the Bootcamp Partition some other way, I am afraid you have probably lost everything Windows.
The only remote possibility is that you did actually have a separate Parallels installation which was not using the Bootcamp partition. If this is the case the Parallels Virtual Machine will be on your new hard drive and will be a substantial size compared to one which is simply pointing to a Bootcamp Partition. Parallels VMs are usually installed in username/Documents/Parallels/ but could be somewhere else in your user directory.
If you recover from this situation have a look at Winclone as the best way to backup your Bootcamp Windows partition. Personally I gave up on Bootcamp a few years ago because of the problems of backing up restoring Bootcamp partitions, but that was before Winclone was as good as it is now. A pure Parallels set up is much easier to manage and is fully backed up by Superduper. Parallels is much faster than most Bootcamp devotees realise, and plenty adequate for all except extreme gaming (IMHO).
Another thing to think about in the future is to establish a discipline of testing your backups from time to time.

Boot Camp, Parallels or Both?

I recently ordered a MacBook Air with the following configuration:
1.3GHz Intel Dual-Core Core i5 (Turbo Boost 2.6GHz)
8GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM
512GB Flash Storage
Intel HD Graphics 5000
I need to install Windows because I have to run an application for work called Delmia Quest. It's a 3D simulator of an industrial environment for production and manufacturing. I also need to install Microsoft Visio and Bizagi Process Modeler, and those will be all the programs I'll need to run on Windows. After reading some forum topics about the best way to install Windows on Mac I became confused. My preferable option would be Parallels because this way I could run both OS at the same time. However, I'm concerned the graphics won´t display well on Parallels with the 3D simulator as I've read on some forum topics, despite having plenty of RAM.
What would be the best option for this scenario? Will Parallels be enough or should I install Boot Camp or even Boot Camp and then run it by Parallels?

Given that one program is a 3D modeler I'd be concerned about using it in Parallels too. Microsoft can be a real PITA about Windows activation but the phrase "Apple computer" tends to work magic if/when you have to call about too many activations. I'd install Windows in BootCamp due to the 3D software and once the Windows and software are configured I'd install Parallels and see how the programs run in Parallels. If nothing else that lets you run the one program at its best while giving you the option of having both the Mac and Windows available some of the time when that software isn't being used.

My Boot Camp, Parallels and Adobe quest.

I've been a pc user since 1983! For now my desktop will still be a windows pc, but since deciding to get my first laptop I wanted to dive into the Apple waters and bought a MacBook Pro. My main apps are Adobe Lightroom 2 and Photoshop CS4. Without doing the full research I knew I could run both in OS X and Windows so I got the MBP. I also got a free copy of Parallels, since that seemed promising, with the Mac. Only after doing the initial MBP setup did I fully research everything.
I found out Adobe will let me run in only OS X OR Windows not both. Since I'm not going Mac Pro for awhile that forces me to run LR2 & CS4 in Windows on my MBP. Since this might be done on week to month trips with the laptop my thought is to install Boot Camp with just my photo apps and 50% more space in a Boot Camp partition and run them that way. My data will be on Quad interface drives that I plan on accessing through ec34 eSATA card. I'll install Parallels perhaps, but don't plan on letting it touch my BC partition. I'll use the OS X with Paragon NTFS for all other non photo related work, i.e. stuff I do not also do concurently. Does that seem the optimum approach?
If the MBP turns out as well as Apple says I'll plan for a long term software/hardware transition to an iCore7 based Mac Pro in the future with my Mac Book Pro heling smooth the transition.

Nobody's answered in a year -- giving up.

AutoCAD LT - Boot Camp - Parallels/Fusion

I need to run AutoCAD on a new iMac 21.5" purchased this week, and am wondering how best to accomplish this?
Is AutoCAD processor-intensive to the point that Boot Camp would be the preferred method, or would Fusion or Parallels work fine, without too much of a performance hit?
I will probably hold off on this until Apple releases their Boot Camp drivers for Windows 7. I would rather not install an obsolete OS like XP or Vista now that Windows 7 is out...but think it might be wise to wait for the Boot Camp in case that's the best way to go.
There will be some other work-related apps running on the Windows side...but I don't think it's going to be needed on a daily basis...more like 2-3 times a week.
Any advice on which way to go (Boot Camp or Parallels/Fusion)...and, also, is it recommended I go with 64-bit or 32-bit version of Windows 7?
Advice would be greatly appreciated.

I have AutoCad installed on the Mac, both in Parallels and in Boot Camp. The installation works best in Boot Camp for me and feels as good as on a PC. In fact it seems to run faster on the Mac. I also have 4GB of Ram installed, and it seems fine. Will have to give it a speed test some time just to find out. I have it installed as 32 bit and see no problems. Depending how intense your design is you probably won't need any more memory, wich is one of the big reasons for using a 64 bit. Also I would actualy install your AutoCad on a friends windows 7 and make sure it runs well. I have heard from friends they had several problems with it. Don't know the reasons for it............Art

Boot Camp + Parallels 5

I just installed Windows 7 in boot camp, everything worked well there, but when I boot into OS X the Boot Camp drive is not even visible, and I would like to use it with Parallels. I try to go into Disk Utility and mount it but it doesn't mount either. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Have you seen this thread...maybe something there:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=10273760&#10273760
Do a search as well if you have time, as there have been other similar threads recently.

Removing/hiding Boot Camp partition from VMWare Fusion?

I've just created and configured a Windows Vista Boot Camp partition and all is well. However I don't want to use it within VMWare Fusion but VMW displays it. Is there a way I can stop it from appearing in the VMW menu?
Thanks.

I've just created and configured a Windows Vista Boot Camp partition and all is well. However I don't want to use it within VMWare Fusion but VMW displays it. Is there a way I can stop it from appearing in the VMW menu?
Thanks.

Boot Camp partition missing, VMware Fusion not working

I'm using OS 10.10.2
Windows 7
Fusion 7.1.0
Winclone 3.7
I've been sharing a boot camp partition with Fusion for a while. I don't know when it happened but when I recently tried to log in using Boot Camp, the partition didn't show up in Apple's start up screen or in the Finder even though I could see it in Fusion.
I needed to expand the partition so I backed it up with Winclone changed the partition from 40 to 75 gig and reinstalled the Winclone file.
Now I'm unable to boot into Windows using Fusion and I still can't see the Boot Camp partition when I start up.
Fusion said
so I did.
The new virtual machine said
and
Now it wants me to upgrade Windows.
Please help.

I saw R.NTFS so I started on the Windows DVD and ran Repair.
Unfortunately I still can't get Boot Camp to do anything beside give me a flashing cursor on a black screen.
What else can I do?
This is from the terminal screen after I did everything above. It still says R.NTFS
Last login: Sat Mar 14 01:30:47 on console
Bruces-MPB:~ bruce$ sudo dd if=/dev/rdisk0s4 count=1 2>/dev/null | hexdump -C
Password:
00000000 eb 52 90 4e 54 46 53 20 20 20 20 00 02 08 00 00 |.R.NTFS .....|
00000010 00 00 00 00 00 f8 00 00 3f 00 ff 00 00 58 c8 6f |........?....X.o|
00000020 00 00 00 00 80 00 80 00 ff 0f a8 04 00 00 00 00 |................|
00000030 00 00 0c 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
00000040 f6 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 c9 3e 83 34 55 83 34 4e |.........>.4U.4N|
00000050 00 00 00 00 fa 33 c0 8e d0 bc 00 7c fb 68 c0 07 |.....3.....|.h..|
00000060 1f 1e 68 66 00 cb 88 16 0e 00 66 81 3e 03 00 4e |..hf......f.>..N|
00000070 54 46 53 75 15 b4 41 bb aa 55 cd 13 72 0c 81 fb |TFSu..A..U..r...|
00000080 55 aa 75 06 f7 c1 01 00 75 03 e9 dd 00 1e 83 ec |U.u.....u.......|
00000090 18 68 1a 00 b4 48 8a 16 0e 00 8b f4 16 1f cd 13 |.h...H..........|
000000a0 9f 83 c4 18 9e 58 1f 72 e1 3b 06 0b 00 75 db a3 |.....X.r.;...u..|
000000b0 0f 00 c1 2e 0f 00 04 1e 5a 33 db b9 00 20 2b c8 |........Z3... +.|
000000c0 66 ff 06 11 00 03 16 0f 00 8e c2 ff 06 16 00 e8 |f...............|
000000d0 4b 00 2b c8 77 ef b8 00 bb cd 1a 66 23 c0 75 2d |K.+.w......f#.u-|
000000e0 66 81 fb 54 43 50 41 75 24 81 f9 02 01 72 1e 16 |f..TCPAu$....r..|
000000f0 68 07 bb 16 68 70 0e 16 68 09 00 66 53 66 53 66 |h...hp..h..fSfSf|
00000100 55 16 16 16 68 b8 01 66 61 0e 07 cd 1a 33 c0 bf |U...h..fa....3..|
00000110 28 10 b9 d8 0f fc f3 aa e9 5f 01 90 90 66 60 1e |(........_...f`.|
00000120 06 66 a1 11 00 66 03 06 1c 00 1e 66 68 00 00 00 |.f...f.....fh...|
00000130 00 66 50 06 53 68 01 00 68 10 00 b4 42 8a 16 0e |.fP.Sh..h...B...|
00000140 00 16 1f 8b f4 cd 13 66 59 5b 5a 66 59 66 59 1f |.......fY[ZfYfY.|
00000150 0f 82 16 00 66 ff 06 11 00 03 16 0f 00 8e c2 ff |....f...........|
00000160 0e 16 00 75 bc 07 1f 66 61 c3 a0 f8 01 e8 09 00 |...u...fa.......|
00000170 a0 fb 01 e8 03 00 f4 eb fd b4 01 8b f0 ac 3c 00 |..............<.|
00000180 74 09 b4 0e bb 07 00 cd 10 eb f2 c3 0d 0a 41 20 |t.............A |
00000190 64 69 73 6b 20 72 65 61 64 20 65 72 72 6f 72 20 |disk read error |
000001a0 6f 63 63 75 72 72 65 64 00 0d 0a 42 4f 4f 54 4d |occurred...BOOTM|
000001b0 47 52 20 69 73 20 6d 69 73 73 69 6e 67 00 0d 0a |GR is missing...|
000001c0 42 4f 4f 54 4d 47 52 20 69 73 20 63 6f 6d 70 72 |BOOTMGR is compr|
000001d0 65 73 73 65 64 00 0d 0a 50 72 65 73 73 20 43 74 |essed...Press Ct|
000001e0 72 6c 2b 41 6c 74 2b 44 65 6c 20 74 6f 20 72 65 |rl+Alt+Del to re|
000001f0 73 74 61 72 74 0d 0a 00 8c a9 be d6 00 00 55 aa |start.........U.|
00000200
Bruces-MPB:~ bruce$

Having trouble with Boot Camp/Parallels on new macbook

I just recently purchased a new macbook last week.
I first tried installing Windows via bootcamp, Everything worked fine until I inserted the XP disk and it started the installtion, after loading all the files it would tell me _.sys (different file every time) was missing or corrupt and I never got anywhere.
I then tried parallels and it got through 40% of the first install no problem, then stopped several times telling me a certain file was missing or something with options to retry or skip, retried everytime to finish installation, but after that after I get windows xp loading screen just got the Blue Screen of death and it crashed.
I don't think the problem is the disk since last week my HD crashed and I installed XP on my PC no problem. Disk is Windows XP Media Center OEM, 2 setup disks and one for SP2

I had similar problems with Win XP intallation. If you got extra RAM, remove it before installing Win XP.

Parallels to Boot Camp migration

I want to migrate from parallels to Boot Camp and do not want to lose my Outlook email or files I have creasted. Anyone have suggestions or has anyone done this with success? Thanks,
Michael

I'm still looking for this too...
Its a real pain in the tush, you still can't convert a parallels disk into a boot camp partition.
Parallels and VMware can't share the same image.
but both can boot off a boot camp partition.
VMware and Parallels can't read eachothers disk format, but can convert it into their own.
Its a messed up world we live in...

Parallels Desktop, Boot camp or something else

I am wanting to run Windows on my MacBook Pro - but didn't know what route to go. Has anyone tried Parallels, Fusion, boot camp, etc - What are the pros/cons of them. I am currently running Tiger on mine.
And just to make sure...I do have to my Windows XP correct - Is there a packaged deal out there where you buy boot camp and XP?
THANKS!

Windows on Intel Macs
There are presently several alternatives for running Windows on Intel Macs.
1. Install the Apple Boot Camp software. Purchase Windows XP w/Service Pak 2 or Vista. Follow instructions in the Boot Camp documentation on installation of Boot Camp, creating Driver CD, and installing Windows. Boot Camp enables you to boot the computer into OS X or Windows.
2. Parallels Desktop for Mac and Windows XP, Vista Business, or Vista Ultimate. Parallels is software virtualization that enables running Windows concurrently with OS X.
3. VM Fusionand Windows XP, Vista Business, or Vista Ultimate. VM Fusion is software virtualization that enables running Windows concurrently with OS X.
4. CrossOver which enables running many Windows applications without having to install Windows. The Windows applications can run concurrently with OS X.
5. Last is Q. Q is a freeware emulator that is compatible with Intel Macs. It is much slower than the virtualization software, Parallels and VM Fusion.
Note that Parallels and VM Fusion can also run other operating systems such as Linux, Unix, OS/2, Solaris, etc. There are performance differences between dual-boot systems and virtualization. The latter tend to be a little slower (not much) and do not provide the video performance of the dual-boot system.
See MacTech.com's Virtualization Benchmarking for comparisons of Boot Camp, Parallels, and VM Fusion.
Boot Camp is only available with Leopard. The Boot Camp Beta that was used with Tiger has expired and is no longer available for use. So contrary to the other poster's comment, Boot Camp isn't truly "free." You must purchase Leopard to get it.

Boot camp, parallels, or vmware?

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