Running Windows on a Mac: A Switcher's Guide

chscag .... Thanks very much for clearing all those points up. As for what Tiger or Snow Leopard have to do with installing Windows, it's just me being ultra paranoid. If I try to do something and follow all the rules to do it but it still doesn't work, it's never just a small technical hitch, no, it's a calamity that can never be resolved, lol.

After an update coming from Parallels, I notice Windows is now dead slow and Windows is practically not useable. Anyone any clue what is the problem? I am using Parallels 8.

Thanking in advance.

I just want to run some pc software can it be done without having to install windows,if so how do I go about it the software i want to install and run is serif.

There are several ways to install Serif Page Plus on your Mac without installing Windows:

1. Buy CrossOver from Codeweavers. LINK

2. Download and install the free WineBottler application from here.

Some info about both... CrossOver is best to use since it automates the process of installing Windows programs especially those that are more complex. It's been a long time since I've used Page Plus from Serif but I do remember that it's a rather large desktop publishing program.

WineBottler is free but the installation process is more complicated and definitely not automated. But it works well. I use both CrossOver and WineBottler.

Taking advantage of the above, excellent presentation, I would observe that I operate in Mavericks and iMAC intel pretty seamlessly with a VM (Parallels) - the Win partition even likes my Apple Trackpad, which was not true in the pre-Parallels era. I'm thinking, however, of getting a new iMac and wonder if MAC's systems available for easy transfer of data from old to new computers can even transfer the Windows material as well as the MAC programs. especially Win 7 Professional, Omnipage (not even available for MAC) and a Win-based Translation Program called Déjà Vu. Someone in a shop said "yes" but I remain a bit skeptical. Any ideas? I'm a bit paranoid about the laborious process of deactivating programs then having to reactivate them when installation is complete, so a guided transfer would be welcome.

Should be no problem using Time Machine. Just make sure you have a full Time Machine backup of your old iMac. When you first turn on your new iMac, the automatic Migration Assistant will appear and ask if you wish to transfer data from another Mac. Answer yes and make sure your Time Machine backup drive is attached. Press "apply" and everything including your Parallels VM with the Windows installation will be transferred.

One word of caution: Do not create an account on the new iMac! Let the Migration Assistant run and it will take care of that also. If you create an account first, you will wind up with overlapping accounts and folders and will have to do everything over.

Really helpful! Yes, I have Time machine but had always assumed that T M couldn't cope with the Windows partition. T M is in my LAN, so I supposed I'd let a new Mac hook up to the network and comunicate with T M through the network. Alternatively, I could put the firewire directly between the new MAC and the Time Machine, setting up the network later. Any comments?

You're right about Time Machine not coping with the Windows partition. If there is a Windows partition that you wish to save and move to the new Mac, you'll need to use special software: "WinClone". Make sure you read the instructions on how to use it.

I have downloaded instructions from Parallels saying that Parallels can manage a migration. The caveat is that I can then use Windows in the VM but, if I have understood correctly, not Bootcamp. Not quite sure what that implies, if I need Bootcamp, or if I have understood it correctly - does it mean I cannot use resident Win programs stored on my computer?
WinClone may have been discontinued, having survived up through Mountain Lion (I have Mavericks) but I can check on that, if I decide to take the plunge and change iMacs.
(It was, in fact, a drama to convince an SSD in my computer to accept a legal copy of Win 7 Professional, so it would be nice to avoid another installation).

The difference between running Windows (any version) in a virtual machine (Parallels) or running it from a boot Boot Camp partition will depend on what Windows programs you're using. Games and graphic intensive Windows programs such as Flight Simulator require a natural Windows environment. Also, running from Boot Camp means restarting your machine each time you need to enter Windows. Most Windows programs will run very well from a Parallels virtual machine. And since that does not require a restart, it may be more convenient for you.

In fact, I keep Windows only because of a certain translation program (called Déjà Vu), and because of Omnipage, both of which, in the present configuration run on an iMac with both Bootcamp and Parallels VM. It would be interesting to know if they survived without Bootcamp. (Mac seems to have nothing to compare to Ominpage).
Curiously, perhaps amusingly, I also have an internet relationship with a foreign tax office: they use only Win. Furthermore, I have to submit PDFs to them. They recognize Adobe Reader, but not Adobe Acrobat. AR and AA on the same partition conflict with one another, so I have to keep them apart as if they were Siamese fighting fish, using Reader and Win for the Feds, and Mac with Acrobat for the civilized world, Guelfs vs. Ghibillines, in other words.

Even after Mac’s popularity, most of the users still choose to work on Windows OS.

Click to expand...

I believe that statement is misleading and not entirely true. Windows is the "ruling" OS in business not because of Windows or because anyone chooses it. Most people would choose anything else, if they could. They don't have the choice. Gov't, businesses, etc. always choose the cheapest crap they can find for hardware, as it's a big expenditure in volume and they don't see the need for many of their users to have anything better. It so happens that the operating system that runs on the cheapest crap is Windows. There aren't many "users" that "choose" Windows.

I'm planning to move my iMac material to a new super iMac (if I get up the courage to buy it) and an ad has come through from Acronis True Image. It promises to put everything into a file (for me, in Time Machine) Win partition contents and all. Seems too good to be true, especially since installation of my version of Win Professional 7 was traumatic, and a guru had to intervene. Does anyone know anything about this? I was going to get Parallels to do the job, but a decision is difficult, unless someone out there has some experience with these things.

It's been a number of years since I used Acronis True Image, but it was always a dependable application and saved me many hours of reinstalling after a Windows disaster. I'm not familiar with their current offerings but if they claim being able to image an entire Mac hard drive including Windows and then copy it to a new Mac, I would test it first before using it to do the actual transfer.

Hello All
I went to the Virtual Box website and it seems VB is not available for the Mac OSX
The OSX download line doesn't provoke a download

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

I am a novice so maybe I am missing something

Thanks

I just downloaded the version for OS X from here. It's the same link you gave above, however, you need to click on the "amd64 in blue" next to the Mac version otherwise you'll download the Linux version instead. Confusing.

chscag said:

I just downloaded the version for OS X from here. It's the same link you gave above, however, you need to click on the "amd64 in blue" next to the Mac version otherwise you'll download the Linux version instead. Confusing.

Click to expand...

Thanks
Have you used Virtualbox with success?
I have been reading over the documentation
One of the things the docs say is it works with mountain lion I have snow leopard
do I need to upgrade?

Thanks

Downloader said:

One of the things the docs say is it works with mountain lion I have snow leopard
do I need to upgrade?

Click to expand...

Does the "doc" say it works with Snow Leopard? If not…I think you have your answer.

- Nick

Downloader said:

Thanks
Have you used Virtualbox with success?
I have been reading over the documentation
One of the things the docs say is it works with mountain lion I have snow leopard
do I need to upgrade?

Thanks

Click to expand...

The last time I used VirtualBox it worked with Snow Leopard but that was a long time ago. Like Nick advised..... you probably do need to upgrade first. However, keep in mind that Snow Leopard is the last version of OS X that will run PowerPC apps. If you upgrade and still have PPC apps that you use, they will no longer work.

windows gaming on OSX

windows gaming alternatives... yes, all wine


Porting Kit, used by GoG.com
Porting Kit | Install Windows apps in Mac

Play on MAC, scripted wine setup for games
Home - PlayOnMac - Run your Windows applications on Mac easily!


and Wine Bottler?
WineBottler | Run Windows-based Programs on a Mac


more fun with porting
(outdated link removed)



I have a CrossOver license to run windows steam client to play certain windows games on OS X 10.9.5