Other - Virtual PC for Mac

Leonardo · Leonardo #1 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 11:54 AM

I just got virtual PC version 7 for mac (not installed yet) and I was wondering, since my mac only has 256MB of ram and in order to run virtual PC you need 512MB, if I could hook up an external hard-drive and install the program directly into that, keeping the PC part virtually and physically separate.

louishen · louishen #2 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 12:16 PM

What do you want to run in Windows, Virtual PC is painfully slow, at least it was on my old G4

iPod Nano · iPod Nano #3 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 12:23 PM

Yeah, VPC not the best. It works wonders in OS/2 WARP (yes, my dad still uses OS/2) but on the Mac, don't waste your time. It's horrible, and I could never get it to work right.

Leonardo · Leonardo #4 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 12:29 PM

Quote:

What do you want to run in Windows, Virtual PC is painfully slow, at least it was on my old G4

Well, my thought was it would just be nice to be able to use both PC and Mac and maybe be able to use PC cd software.

Having an extra external hard-drive for it to go through wouldn't make it faster?

iPod Nano · iPod Nano #5 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 12:32 PM

It's almost a waste of time to try running Windows on a non-intel machine. VPC just doesn't do a good job. I wonder if VirtualBox could run on s G4. Hold on...I'll check on that...be back soon!

lifeisabeach · lifeisabeach #6 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leonardo

I just got virtual PC version 7 for mac (not installed yet) and I was wondering, since my mac only has 256MB of ram and in order to run virtual PC you need 512MB, if I could hook up an external hard-drive and install the program directly into that, keeping the PC part virtually and physically separate.

Using an external drive would by no means accommodate for not having enough RAM to begin with. Not even slightly. If anything, you could make matters worse if the external drive and port used are slower than the internals.

Leonardo · Leonardo #7 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 02:04 PM

So you think I shouldn't install the virtual PC at all?

vansmith · vansmith #8 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 02:35 PM

Not unless you absolutely need it. Having a VM on an external will just slow things down and there is no point in trying to run a VM on 256 MB of RAM. Think of it this way - you have to run two OSes off of 256MB of RAM. Also, VBox is Intel only.

You could try Q but I can't guarantee anything.

Leonardo · Leonardo #9 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 02:44 PM

Just out of curiosity, how much RAM would you need to run VPC comfortably?

louishen · louishen #10 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leonardo

Just out of curiosity, how much RAM would you need to run VPC comfortably?

You can give it a try, but no matter how much RAM you have, my experience of VPC on a G4 was that it was much slower than an early pentium

The only realistic way to run Windows on a mac is through virtualiastion on an Intel Mac, emulation on a G4 is a very very tiresome process

D3v1L80Y · D3v1L80Y #11 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leonardo

Just out of curiosity, how much RAM would you need to run VPC comfortably?

Point is, it never runs comfortably.
I have 2 GB in my PowerBook G4 and it still runs doggedly slow.

SammySlim · SammySlim #12 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 04:28 PM

What we're telling you is not to bother with the install. Not worth it even if you had 2 GB.

Cheers

harryb2448 · harryb2448 #13 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 06:42 PM

Agree agree agree. VPC is too slow for running anything and is the very devil to set up and use over the 'net. Suggest looking for a cheap laptop, such as a Dell D640 if you desperately need to use Windows/Games.

Leonardo · Leonardo #14 (**permalink**)

05-25-2009, 07:44 PM

Alright then, I guess it's going on the back shelf until one day it is old enough to be displayed in a frustrating software museum.

Thanks for your help.

louishen #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 22, 2007 Location: London Posts: 8,648 Mac Specs: Mac Mini Core i7 2012 \| White 2009 MacBook 2 Ghz \| 733 Mhz G4 Quicksilver	05-25-2009, 12:16 PM What do you want to run in Windows, Virtual PC is painfully slow, at least it was on my old G4 Member of the Month September 2008 & August 2012 \| Found advice useful? – use the rep system
	QUOTE Thanks

iPod Nano #5 (permalink)
Member Since: May 15, 2009 Posts: 1,094 Mac Specs: White MacBook. iLife '09. iWork '09. Mac OS X 10.6	05-25-2009, 12:32 PM It's almost a waste of time to try running Windows on a non-intel machine. VPC just doesn't do a good job. I wonder if VirtualBox could run on s G4. Hold on...I'll check on that...be back soon! Chris K.
	QUOTE Thanks

vansmith #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 19, 2008 Location: Ottawa Posts: 15,283 Mac Specs: 2012 13" MBP (2.5 i5, 8GB)	05-25-2009, 02:35 PM Not unless you absolutely need it. Having a VM on an external will just slow things down and there is no point in trying to run a VM on 256 MB of RAM. Think of it this way - you have to run two OSes off of 256MB of RAM. Also, VBox is Intel only. You could try Q but I can't guarantee anything. Important Links: Community Guidelines : Use the reputation system if you've been helped. M-F Blog :: Write for the blog :: M-F IRC Channel - Chats every Sunday at 8PM EST.
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Leonardo #1 (permalink)
Member Since: May 24, 2009 Posts: 84 Mac Specs: eMac OS X 10.4.11 1.25GB RAM 40GB original hard drive,	05-25-2009, 11:54 AM I just got virtual PC version 7 for mac (not installed yet) and I was wondering, since my mac only has 256MB of ram and in order to run virtual PC you need 512MB, if I could hook up an external hard-drive and install the program directly into that, keeping the PC part virtually and physically separate.
	QUOTE Thanks

Leonardo #7 (permalink)
Member Since: May 24, 2009 Posts: 84 Mac Specs: eMac OS X 10.4.11 1.25GB RAM 40GB original hard drive,	05-25-2009, 02:04 PM So you think I shouldn't install the virtual PC at all?
	QUOTE Thanks

Leonardo #9 (permalink)
Member Since: May 24, 2009 Posts: 84 Mac Specs: eMac OS X 10.4.11 1.25GB RAM 40GB original hard drive,	05-25-2009, 02:44 PM Just out of curiosity, how much RAM would you need to run VPC comfortably?
	QUOTE Thanks

SammySlim #12 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 12, 2008 Posts: 937	05-25-2009, 04:28 PM What we're telling you is not to bother with the install. Not worth it even if you had 2 GB. Cheers
	QUOTE Thanks

harryb2448 #13 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 28, 2007 Location: Nambucca Heads Australia Posts: 14,058 Mac Specs: iMac i5 2.7GHz OS X.8.3	05-25-2009, 06:42 PM Agree agree agree. VPC is too slow for running anything and is the very devil to set up and use over the 'net. Suggest looking for a cheap laptop, such as a Dell D640 if you desperately need to use Windows/Games.
	QUOTE Thanks

Leonardo #14 (permalink)
Member Since: May 24, 2009 Posts: 84 Mac Specs: eMac OS X 10.4.11 1.25GB RAM 40GB original hard drive,	05-25-2009, 07:44 PM Alright then, I guess it's going on the back shelf until one day it is old enough to be displayed in a frustrating software museum. Thanks for your help.
	QUOTE Thanks

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