Parallels Desktop® 4.0 for Mac

Comments

• Reply 1 of 3

  mr. h Posts: 4,870member

  August 28, 2009 6:22AM

  Quote:
  

  Originally Posted by bert33
  
  
  hi guys im a newbie here..
  
  has anybody use this program at all and any tips,
  
  \t
  
  "Parallels Desktop® 4.0 for Mac" you can have your windows stuff open up on a mac..i had my last windows based comp crash and thats why i bought a mac..problem ive got is i have all the windows based stuff on an external hard drive as the comp is dead and i read some where you have to have a windows licence to put it on the mac with i dont have anymore any tips before i buy the program.
  
  regards bert
  

  
  

  
  
  If you want to run Windows programs on a Mac, you have a few options, most of them requiring you to have a full licensed copy of Windows. If your dead PC had XP on it, you can use the licence from that PC. You could then remove the Windows sticker from the PC and possibly sell it for spares/repair on eBay (probably only worth the effort if it's a branded (e.g. Dell, HP) PC laptop).
  
  
  
  Anyway, your options are:

  • Run Windows in a "virtualised environment" using any of the following:
    • VirtualBox (free)
    
    
    • VMware Fusion
    
    
    • Parallels
    
    
    With all three you need a Windows licence, with the last two you have to pay for the virtualisation program on top. This will let you run OS X and Windows at the same time (the machine is "booted" into OS X and Windows runs "on top" via the virtualisation program).
    
  
  
  • Run Windows in BootCamp, which is included in Leopard and Snow Leopard. You install Windows on a partition on your Mac, and when you need to run Windows, you reboot the Mac into Windows. So this is, in contrast to the previous option, an either/or situation: either the Mac is running OS X, or it's running Windows, never both at the same time.
    
  
  
  • Install WINE or Crossover Mac. These are third-party implementations of the Win32 API, allowing some Windows programs to run without the need for a copy of Windows. WINE is free but has less support. Neither are perfect and only a select group of Windows programs are guaranteed to work.
  
  

  However, when you say "Windows stuff" do you mean programs or just files? Most mainstream Windows programs have equivalent OS X applications, and most files will be viewable/editable on a Mac.
  
  
  
  If you make an appointment at an Apple Store Genius Bar, you can take your external drive along and they can discuss your options.
• Reply 2 of 3

  bert33 Posts: 2member

  November 23, 2009 5:38PM

  Quote:
  

  Originally Posted by Mr. H
  
  
  If you want to run Windows programs on a Mac, you have a few options, most of them requiring you to have a full licensed copy of Windows. If your dead PC had XP on it, you can use the licence from that PC. You could then remove the Windows sticker from the PC and possibly sell it for spares/repair on eBay (probably only worth the effort if it's a branded (e.g. Dell, HP) PC laptop).
  
  
  
  Anyway, your options are:

  • Run Windows in a "virtualised environment" using any of the following:
    • VirtualBox (free)
    
    
    • VMware Fusion
    
    
    • Parallels
    
    
    With all three you need a Windows licence, with the last two you have to pay for the virtualisation program on top. This will let you run OS X and Windows at the same time (the machine is "booted" into OS X and Windows runs "on top" via the virtualisation program).
    
  
  
  • Run Windows in BootCamp, which is included in Leopard and Snow Leopard. You install Windows on a partition on your Mac, and when you need to run Windows, you reboot the Mac into Windows. So this is, in contrast to the previous option, an either/or situation: either the Mac is running OS X, or it's running Windows, never both at the same time.
    
  
  
  • Install WINE or Crossover Mac. These are third-party implementations of the Win32 API, allowing some Windows programs to run without the need for a copy of Windows. WINE is free but has less support. Neither are perfect and only a select group of Windows programs are guaranteed to work.
  
  

  However, when you say "Windows stuff" do you mean programs or just files? Most mainstream Windows programs have equivalent OS X applications, and most files will be viewable/editable on a Mac.
  
  
  
  If you make an appointment at an Apple Store Genius Bar, you can take your external drive along and they can discuss your options.
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  many thanx
• Reply 3 of 3

  fer Posts: 2member

  January 5, 2010 1:43PM

  Quote:
  

  Originally Posted by bert33
  
  
  many thanx
  

  
  

  
  
  just turn to Mac and loving it. Have to keep using Office files in mails and community so been using Crossover with office files and until now working 100%. There are minor issues but nothing that keeps you from working.