01-17-2014, 06:25 PM

I need to install Windows 7 as a VM with Parallels on my MBP. Can someone suggest a good place to purchase it? Do I get the OEM version? I appreciate any help I can get. Thank you!

01-17-2014, 06:57 PM

G'day and welcome to the forums.

Windows 7 is available from Microsoft Download Centre or you can find an authorized seller who may sell you the OEM (Builder's Version) copy. You cannot use a Dell, HP etc disc. Suggest purchasing 64bit, depending on your machine details which you have not provided, and the OEM should come on a DVD.

01-17-2014, 07:10 PM

Actually, you can just start up Parallels, tell it you wish to install a Windows 7 virtual machine and Parallels will download it for you and then install it. Choose the 64 bit version.
(Of course have your credit card ready to pay for it.... )

01-17-2014, 07:13 PM

Charlie, Will VMWare do that also?

01-17-2014, 07:54 PM

Nice thing about Windows 7 is that if you do an install you get a 30 day trial before you have to buy. I went this route with my Mac Mini.

Official Windows 7 SP1 ISO Image Downloads | Windows 7 Forums

Download ISO of your choice, burn to install media, and you're all set.

BTW it is not really illegal or anything to keep using Windows 7 after the trial phase ends, your desktop just gets hobbled big time (you lose access to updates, and it does lots of other annoying spywareish things)

01-17-2014, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by bobtomay

Charlie, Will VMWare do that also?

I honestly don't know if it will or not. I might jump on their forums later on tonight and see if I can find out.

Edit: I just looked in the Fusion knowledge base and FAQs for an answer. From what I read in both places is that you must provide the copy of Windows, in other words, Fusion will not download and install it automatically as Parallels does. However, Fusion has a lot more options regarding what it can use for a virtual machine. Makes for interesting reading.

01-18-2014, 01:41 AM

One thing to note regarding the download and thirty day accounts. Line one reads and quote:-

These are now available for those who currently have Microsoft Windows 7 with Genuine Activation Keys.


I was asked for the key prior to the download commencing. Try and see what happens.

01-20-2014, 01:34 PM

[QUOTE=Algus;1562554]Nice thing about Windows 7 is that if you do an install you get a 30 day trial before you have to buy. I went this route with my Mac Mini.

Official Windows 7 SP1 ISO Image Downloads | Windows 7 Forums

Download ISO of your choice, burn to install media, and you're all set.

Just so I have this straight....I can download the 64 bit version off the link you've provided (which is official Windows MS site it looks like) and I don't have to actually burn it to a physical disc correct? I can put it on a thumb drive and use an external drive formatted as FAT32 as my boot drive right?

01-20-2014, 02:01 PM

Yes sir. When I installed Windows 7 on my Mac Mini I used an 8 GB thumb drive. I use Boot Camp myself so I don't have a lot of experience with Parallels but I ~assume~ Parallels will allow you to use the thumb drive as an install media for Win 7 (or however it works). Most computers these days do allow for USB installs because OSes are getting larger and more complex. Linux distros have been doing it for years.

IIRC Windows does not play nice with being installed to an external drive. Among other issues data transfer speeds on a non SATA drive are significant enough that you'll get pretty awful performance.

But my experience only runs to installing Win 7 on a partition on my internal drive for Boot Camp so I can't 100% give you the breakdown on getting it going with Parallels.

01-20-2014, 06:03 PM

Thank you all for your help. I was able to get W7 installed and working fine. Well, as fine as Windows can...