Virtual PC on Powerbook g4--Real Life Results??

augustwestaugustwest
Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
I'm considering purchasing a powerbook and was wondering if anyone has experience running the new virtual pc on one.



Unfortunately, I have to run some PC CRAP for my office, and I'd like to put it on the powerbook if possible. The software I need to run is essentially a database program, not very graphics intensive, not very complicated equasions etc..,



Any idea how fast, or how SLOW rather, such programs would run on a Powerbook 667 with osX and virtual pc 5? For example, how well does Microsoft Word for Windows work on a powerbook running virtual pc? Impossibly slow? Adequate?



Thanks guys and gals...

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    scifiencescifience Posts: 55member
    I'm not sure about VirtualPC 5 on OS X, but VirtualPC 3 on OS 9 on a PowerBook G3 runs Office very well...I was actually able to do a very graphics and effects intensive PowerPoint presentation on it. Hope that helps.
  • Reply 2 of 21
    ariari Posts: 126member
    In regards to Office, why not use Office v.X? Surely if offers full compatibility with its Windows ugly-step-sister.
  • Reply 3 of 21
    colby2000colby2000 Posts: 91member
    Well, I use VPC5 for OS X on a Ti500 (512 MB RAM).

    All I can say is that it's a bit, umm, pokey. I use it mostly for Netware administration (If only ConsoleOne ran on OS X, it's java for god's sake, it should just work!!! - enough with the rant). It seems kind of wierd, but Win2k

    is significantly faster than Win98/ME...something about it being 32-bit and not having to translate or something

    - I don't know, I read it somewhere.

    Anyway, I hear the 667/800's are MUCH faster than the 500's, so you might have better luck.

    Don't get me wrong, It works, just slower than I do (for what I do with it).
  • Reply 4 of 21
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    If your windows PC at the office is hooked up to the net, you could try using the Windows RDC client for the Mac to remotely connect to it. That might be cheaper, and would most likely be faster than VPC.
  • Reply 5 of 21
    torifiletorifile Posts: 4,024member
    VPC is a nightmare. I have a rev b 667 tibook 512 megs of ram and it's not fun. On the bright side, it always managed to sync my treo I believe the newer 667s are faster than mine, so it might be better (do you have the DVI model?) and if you can get win2000 it's supposed to be faster than win98 that I had. So, maybe it would be bearable. If you gotta use it, you gotta use it, right? Just be prepared to be underwhelmed.
  • Reply 6 of 21
    brianmacosbrianmacos Posts: 548member
    Before I had Office X for OSX I ran VPC v.5 running Windows 2000 Pro with Office XP and it ran well enough on my iBook 700 with 384 megs ram. I used it pretty often in till I got my Office X. Office should work well on it but don't expect it to be like your wintel machine. It is slower but not so slow that you can't use it. When you run VPC just change your settings to some thing like that will work faster I run mine in 32 bit color and 1024x768 which is probably the best for Windows and it is pretty slow but I can't stand the other settings.
  • Reply 7 of 21
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    Easiest and cleanest way is to run you current desktop as a server and just use RDC (Remote Desktop Client) to run Office on your wintel box from your TiBook. Especially since MS just made the Official RDC for OSX, so you don't have to use the open source rdesktop ported at fink.sourceforge.net (rdesktop sometimes doesn't get fonts right and such, at least when run in debian on x86).



    [ 07-30-2002: Message edited by: pyr3 ]</p>
  • Reply 8 of 21
    dxp4acudxp4acu Posts: 45member
    I used to have VPC 4 on my PB G3 233. It ran fairly fast using WIndows 95, but was crazy slow with Windows 98. If you can use 95, please do it. I havent tried win2k, so I don't know about it. But 95 is quicker than most.
  • Reply 9 of 21
    anonymous karmaanonymous karma Posts: 174member
    [quote]Originally posted by AugustWest:

    <strong>I'm considering purchasing a powerbook and was wondering if anyone has experience running the new virtual pc on one.



    Any idea how fast, or how SLOW rather, such programs would run on a Powerbook 667 with osX and virtual pc 5? For example, how well does Microsoft Word for Windows work on a powerbook running virtual pc? Impossibly slow? Adequate?



    Thanks guys and gals...

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    VPC 5.0.4 (the *latest* version) runs quite acceptably on a new 667 (DVI) w/512MB. Computationally it is equivalent to about a 300mHz Pentium II; however, graphics draws are somewhat slower. If possible I would recommend Windows 2000 or NT 4 as the OS of choice.



    It even plays games OK... Age of Empires II runs fine in Windows 2000 under Virtual PC. :-P
  • Reply 10 of 21
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    Since I *may* be gtting a 'book' I'd like to know what the I/O functionality of VPC is like. Does it work with USB/firewire/ethernet/802.11/56K/ and bluetooth ???



    If I install a windows driver for, say, a USB periph that is PC only, will it work?
  • Reply 11 of 21
    brianmacosbrianmacos Posts: 548member
    [quote]Originally posted by Matsu:

    <strong>Since I *may* be gtting a 'book' I'd like to know what the I/O functionality of VPC is like. Does it work with USB/firewire/ethernet/802.11/56K/ and bluetooth ???



    If I install a windows driver for, say, a USB periph that is PC only, will it work?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Yes it should Matsu. When I used to have my USB external HD I used it under VPC often. VPC supports all that stuff just like it's a stand alone wintel machine.
  • Reply 12 of 21
    augustwestaugustwest Posts: 157member
    Thanks for the replies. I think I diverted the thread slightly by my "microsoft office" comments. I really need to use a windows database program called "Abacus" which we use at work, and was just looking for an idea of what speed to expect.



    What's more important with virtual pc, Megahertz of processor or Megabytes of ram. For example, what would be better, the 667 mhz powerbook at 512mb ram, or the 800 mhz powerbook at 256mb ram? <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
  • Reply 13 of 21
    isracesisraces Posts: 92member
    With those being your choices, I'd go with the 667 with the 512. Not that much difference there with the processor power but 2x the RAM is significant. VPC is a ram fiend. I run VPC 5 / Win2k on a Ti400 with 384 megs of RAM and it's kind of syrupy, but then what do you expect?
  • Reply 14 of 21
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    [quote]Originally posted by AugustWest:

    <strong>Thanks for the replies. I think I diverted the thread slightly by my "microsoft office" comments. I really need to use a windows database program called "Abacus" which we use at work, and was just looking for an idea of what speed to expect.



    What's more important with virtual pc, Megahertz of processor or Megabytes of ram. For example, what would be better, the 667 mhz powerbook at 512mb ram, or the 800 mhz powerbook at 256mb ram? <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>



    My comment about RDC is still valid. You can run any windows program through RDC. Although games and movies don't do too well since you don't get a decent fps over the protcol though. But your database program should work fine. ( this is assuming that you can have two boxes at work , the TiBook and a Wintel desktop )
  • Reply 15 of 21
    boemaneboemane Posts: 311member
    [quote]Originally posted by israces:

    <strong>With those being your choices, I'd go with the 667 with the 512. Not that much difference there with the processor power but 2x the RAM is significant. VPC is a ram fiend. I run VPC 5 / Win2k on a Ti400 with 384 megs of RAM and it's kind of syrupy, but then what do you expect?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I had to run Microsoft Access for my Univerity assignment in database design, and it ran pretty well om my Ti rev b 667 with 512 MB of RAM. I run win98 (simply because I havent got 2k, and dont want to buy it), so if you have 2k it should apparently run faster.



    The only thing that is really sluggish in VPC 5 is windows itself. Opening folders, dragging files, creating shortcuts and all that are S L O W! Other than that its pretty useful. I have a friend with a Dell P2 notebook, and its pretty comparable in speed (other than graphical work - VPC isnt for games )



    I run windows in 1024x768 fullscreen, giving it all the RAM i can (300+ megs), which helps on performance.
  • Reply 16 of 21
    augustwestaugustwest Posts: 157member
    [quote]Originally posted by pyr3:

    <strong>



    My comment about RDC is still valid. You can run any windows program through RDC. Although games and movies don't do too well since you don't get a decent fps over the protcol though. But your database program should work fine. ( this is assuming that you can have two boxes at work , the TiBook and a Wintel desktop )</strong><hr></blockquote>



    But am I correct in assuming that this solution will not help if I want to take the laptop out of the office and still run the database program?
  • Reply 17 of 21
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    [quote]Originally posted by AugustWest:

    <strong>



    But am I correct in assuming that this solution will not help if I want to take the laptop out of the office and still run the database program?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    As long as you have a network connection to the computer that is running XP. If you need to use the database program where you can't have a network connection or high-speed internet connection then my suggestion isn't useful.
  • Reply 18 of 21
    fluffyfluffy Posts: 361member
    Also make sure that your machine has as much cache as possible. A large L3 cache will make just as much difference as extra RAM.
  • Reply 19 of 21
    lawstudentlawstudent Posts: 7member
    I'm running VPC 5.0.4 w/XP Pro on a G4/800/10.1.5 and it runs fairly fast...more than adequate for the few PC-only things I need to do.
  • Reply 20 of 21
    neurokidneurokid Posts: 108member
    [quote]Originally posted by AugustWest:

    <strong>I'm considering purchasing a powerbook and was wondering if anyone has experience running the new virtual pc on one.



    Unfortunately, I have to run some PC CRAP for my office, and I'd like to put it on the powerbook if possible. The software I need to run is essentially a database program, not very graphics intensive, not very complicated equasions etc..,



    Any idea how fast, or how SLOW rather, such programs would run on a Powerbook 667 with osX and virtual pc 5? For example, how well does Microsoft Word for Windows work on a powerbook running virtual pc? Impossibly slow? Adequate?



    Thanks guys and gals...

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    VPC 5 in OS9 is slow. VPC 5 in OS X is intolerably slow, even on my PBook 800 with 512 MB ram. The only OS, in my experience, that runs even remotely well in VPC is Windows 95.
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