how can i boost up VPC on MAC 10.3.4?

zhenboy · June 10, 2004 12:36PM

Is there any way I can boost up VPC 6.1?

Its far too slow on my new 1.5Ghz powerbook with 1G RAM.

I set 512MB memory to VPC. Installed WINXP PRO and turned off all the appearance effects in winxp.

Now its still working as a 296HMZ 686 family PC with 512MB ram....but the speed is like a P2 266 WITH 128MB RAM...

Help!!!

dfryer · June 10, 2004 12:39PM

Emulation (like virtual PC) always causes a big speed hit. I don't really think there's any way around it..

omega505 · June 10, 2004 11:52PM

Install Windows 2000 instead... It runs lighter than XP even on a PC box.

fuzz_ball · June 11, 2004 7:05PM

Unless you *need* to, don't allocate so much memory to it. The memory you give it translates into a larger virtual swap (in the VPC guest OS) and that can slow things down. Unless you have an app that requires it, I would run 2000 with only 192 - 256 MB RAM allocated. You're not going to see a monster speed increase (well maybe you will, I've never tried XP, I always use 2000) but hopefully this will help.

Btw, if you were hoping to play any games, then just return VPC. It only exists to run Windows apps that you just can't do without.

randycat99 · June 12, 2004 12:15AM

Yeah, XP is one unnecessary resource sucker on there already. That's not much of a solution, since you probably aren't willing to just go out and switch your Win OS on a dime, of course. Alternatively, you may consider toggling the "XP look" back to the "Win2k Classic look" setting. That may lighten up the CPU load a bit by ridding all that gimmicky window fixin's.

A nice, slim Win2k installation is still the best way to go, however. I still have a Win95 partition running, and it actually runs quite spiffy with a 900 MHz G3 (that is running in Mac OS 9.1, though- haven't yet got a chance to try OSX VPC, but will soon). If you honestly need every drop of speed you can get, it probably makes sense to run the least resource intensive OS's in the whole process- that is, OS 9.1/classic VPC/Win98 or 2k. Otherwise, you have to just be happy with what you get running OSX VPC (considering it is now a M$ product [cough]bloated[cough], not a Connectix deal). If there is one last company that has the least incentive to make VPC remotely fast, it is M$...and now they own the software, so that'll be all she wrote.

bathgate · June 16, 2004 3:30PM

zhenboy,

I just installed VPC 5.0 on 10.3.4 on a 15" alu 1Ghz. Runs like a charm with W2000. Quite quick but then again I haven't been able to even install successfully on any other version of Panther - this just seems like that sort of flakey app. Maybe check versiontracker, see if anyone has a good combination for xp/vpc/Panther.

I understand emulation is a complex thing but this must be the flakiest app. for a Mac around. The only thing which will cause a kernel panic in my experience.

randycat99 · June 17, 2004 1:36PM

Damn, VPC is giving you kernel panics?! Fricken M$!

(For the conspiracy minded) Serves Apple right for putting that hook in OSX to NOT run older VPC's from Classic.

Wouldn't that have been a trip if we could see Classic VPC clearly running better than M$'s "OSX native" VPC?

thousandstars3 · June 17, 2004 7:21PM

I have another question about VPC.

I'm presently a Windows XP user, but considering a Superdrive PowerBook model for my next computer. Between this board and Ars Technica's, as well as the occasional Slashdot article, I've been learning about Macs and liking what I see.

Still, I cannot give up Access, which Mac MS Office does not include. So my question is: does anyone have Office XP working on Windows XP through VPC?

My e-mail is indimedia3 (at) yahoo (dot) com if anyone would rather send to that than reply. Thanks in advance for any help!

bathgate · June 18, 2004 2:42AM

ThousandStars,

VPC will run most any PC program - I've used it with everything from graphics apps (*shudder*) to obscure little TFTP programs. The only thing is it will run MUCH slower than you would be used to. I guess it really depends how much you access Access, as it were.

and whether you can stand the slow-down.

I have heard of people using VPC purely for Access with success. I use it for testing PC browsers mainly and opening obscure attachments clients sometimes send.

Hope that helps.

bathgate

PS-the powerbooks are beautiful, truly the nicest computers I've ever used. I'm thrilled with mine.

bathgate · June 18, 2004 2:53AM

RandyCat,

Even VPC doesn't often drag the system down - a few times a year maybe. If that's as bad as it gets, I think we're doing okay

I'd be interested to see what Microsoft can do with VPC 7 - they might just make something worthwhile. If only to keep the DOJ away

I find VPC pretty convenient and heck, it saves me buying another box.

talksense101 · June 18, 2004 7:53AM

VPC can run Office without issues. You are not executing a lesser version of Windows, it is the same. However, you are emulating a worthless graphics card that makes any graphics intensive applications useless. VPC doesn't give any kernel panics though. I am running Solsuite on VPC using Windows 98 as I type this in using Safari on 10.3.4

I won't recommend buying Office for Windows and running out of VPC if you need Powerpoint.

thousandstars3 · June 18, 2004 3:05PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bathgate

I have heard of people using VPC purely for Access with success. I use it for testing PC browsers mainly and opening obscure attachments clients sometimes send.

Hope that helps.

bathgate

PS-the powerbooks are beautiful, truly the nicest computers I've ever used. I'm thrilled with mine. [/B]

Thanks very much for your reply -- I only ask for personal experience ahead of time because I'd rather not buy the PowerBook to find that Access, for whatever reason, won't run, and then ask for help just to have people say "What? You didn't know?" Access and Lotus WordPro are the only two programs that I can't fully leave, at least not at this time. Still, I think the positive aspects of a PowerBook outweigh those two programs, provided I can run them if needed.

I won't be doing anything heavy in Access through VPC, as most of my work consists of adding and deleting entries by hand, and only then every two weeks or so.

And the Powerbooks do look good. The only thing I wait for is WWDC, beacuse even though most people apparently don't expect updates, that would be a logical time for any that may be coming.

how can i boost up VPC on MAC 10.3.4?

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