Running Windows on a Mac: A Switcher's Guide

Windows on Mac

Thx MikeV99. I did just that. It couldn't have been easier. Gosh, now I can throw away all the pages I printed explaining much more complicated ideas that were way beyond me.
I would love to trade my apple gift card to pay for the Parallels software.

Follow-up to Virus question

cwa107 said:

1. Running Windows on a Mac is just like running Windows on a PC. So, your Windows installation is certainly susceptible to viruses.

2. Yes and no. If you run Windows in a virtual machine (i.e. Parallels or VMWare) and you give the virtual machine access to your Mac's hard drive, there is a potential for a virus to damage your Mac's files. Likewise, if you run Windows in Boot Camp and you've installed a driver that allows the Windows installation to access your Mac's partition, the same thing could potentially happen. In either case, this would require a very specific set of circumstances and is rather unlikely. In real world usage, any virus infections would be relatively confined to the Windows installation and not harm Mac OS X in the slightest.

3. No. Just as you can't run Windows software on Mac OS, you can't execute a Windows virus and have it effect OS X. While you could potentially download a virus, the virus would not be able to run in Mac OS X. With that said, you could potentially forward on a Windows virus to another Windows machine, but your Mac OS install would remain undamaged.

Click to expand...

I was advised by a Mac expert from an authorized Apple retailer to install ESET Cybersecurity for Mac before installing Parallels and the Windows os. This way, I would be protecting both Mac and Windows at the same time, thus alleviating the necessity to buying separate antivirus software for the Mac and PC OS's. Can I get a confirmation on this. Thanks...

It's not needed. Just install the free "Microsoft Security Essentials" in your Windows virtual machine running under Parallels. A virus or malware contracted in Windows has no impact or effect on OS X whether you're running Windows from a dual boot or VM.

Thank you chscag for that answer; it has saved me $$ and precious TIME. BTW, that's a great photo of your avatar...

Flying Seed

Is there a way to install Windows 7 using a VM on a Mac without an optical drive (and not using an external optical drive at all)? So far my Googling has brought up complicated procedures and using rEFIt or other odd approaches.

MYmacROX said:

Is there a way to install Windows 7 using a VM on a Mac without an optical drive (and not using an external optical drive at all)? So far my Googling has brought up complicated procedures and using rEFIt or other odd approaches.

Click to expand...

In a VM? Sure. All you need is an ISO of Windows 7. VMWare Fusion will boot off of it and proceed with the install seamlessly. I've done the same with XP, 7 and Linux. No problem at all.

cwa107 said:

In a VM? Sure. All you need is an ISO of Windows 7. VMWare Fusion will boot off of it and proceed with the install seamlessly. I've done the same with XP, 7 and Linux. No problem at all.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the quick reply and info. I am planning out how to get Win 7 on my new iMac since it has no optical drive. (there's no way to just download Win 7 onto the iMac, is there?)


Ok, so I could use my MBP's disc drive to read the Win 7 CD and create the ISO. I just found directions for that - seems pretty straight-forward.

Then do I copy it to a flash drive and install it onto the iMac? I'm thinking of using VirtualBox. Does VBox allow for that type of install (flash drive ISO)?

MYmacROX said:

Thanks for the quick reply and info. I am planning out how to get Win 7 on my new iMac since it has no optical drive. (there's no way to just download Win 7 onto the iMac, is there?)


Ok, so I could use my MBP's disc drive to read the Win 7 CD and create the ISO. I just found directions for that - seems pretty straight-forward.

Then do I copy it to a flash drive and install it onto the iMac? I'm thinking of using VirtualBox. Does VBox allow for that type of install (flash drive ISO)?

Click to expand...

I can't speak to VirtualBox, unfortunately. I believe that in Parallels, you can actually purchase Windows 7 through Parallels itself and then it will download and prep it as needed to allow for the install. Not sure if Fusion will do this - but I've read that Parallels can.

Boot Camp Solution vs. Office Suite for Mac?

I'm a new Forum member and new to the Mac family. I received a Macbook Pro w. retina display (15.4/2.6GHz/8GB/512GB Flash Storage) for Christmas and intend this to be my "go to" travel computer for personal and office use. The problem is that my business has operated in a Windows environment for 25 years, and for those business needs, I will have to be able to work well and remotely link into our office files and file server that is all in a Windows environment. That means being able to operate the Office suite of products (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Access). We run Windows XP Professional on our office computers and server.

I have read much of what has been posted on "A Switcher's Guide" with great interest, and found it helpful. I may have missed a thread that addresses my particular question, however, and that is: With the obvious disadvantage of installing Boot Camp to run in the Windows environment (to me, that is having to shut down and re-boot when switching OS's), why not just install the latest Microsoft Office for Mac on my Macbook?

If this has been already addressed on the Blog someplace, I would greatly appreciate being directed to that thread. I just haven't been able to find anything on this. Otherwise, I look forward to hearing from someone on the advantages/disadvantages, etc. Thanks!

cbavol said:

With the obvious disadvantage of installing Boot Camp to run in the Windows environment (to me, that is having to shut down and re-boot when switching OS's), why not just install the latest Microsoft Office for Mac on my Macbook?

Click to expand...

The simple answer is that MS Office for the Mac is somewhat incomplete. The Mac version comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook in the highest end edition. You're missing Access, Publisher, OneNote, InfoPath and in the more advanced editions, Visio.

There are of course Mac-specific replacements for these products, but if 100% feature-parity is needed, there's no substitute for running a native install of Office.

I have the Mac version of Office (2011) Professional and use it regularly. I also have a copy of Windows 7 running in VMWare Fusion. I very rarely need to use it, but during those times that I do, it's a lifesaver and very convenient.

A number of Mac users here are happy using Parallels and XP and it was mentioned that they used XP with at least SP2.

My question is can a XP installation disk (without any SP) be used instead and after installation, let Windows downloads the SPs and whatever patches it needs? I am trying to avoid getting another copy of XP, but with SP2 or 3, just for this purpose of running Windows on my iMac.

I need to work on this soon as my PC is getting very unstable and I may have to rely on just the iMac.

Thank you.

I'd recommend creating your own XP with SP3 disc via slipstreaming.

Slipstream Service Pack 3 into Your Windows XP Installation CD

bobtomay said:

I'd recommend creating your own XP with SP3 disc via slipstreaming.

Slipstream Service Pack 3 into Your Windows XP Installation CD

Click to expand...

I'll second that. The recommendation of using a Windows XP disc with SP2 or later is more related to Boot Camp (which required SP2 in order for the keyboard to work in early stages of the install). Parallels, VMWare, VirtualBox, etc. should install fine with an earlier disc, however, slipstreaming SP3 is simple and avoids a lot of unnecessary patching, tweaking and time spent once you finish your install.

Thank you, Bobtomay and Cwa107, for the clarification. The issue is now crystal clear in my mind. I will work on the slipstreaming first.

Thanks again.

Autostreamer is free and easy to use. I've used it numerous times to slipstream Windows service packs. Download from here.

From its explanatory note, Autostreamer sounds easier to use than the slipstreaming way, I will give it a try as well.

Thanks Chscag for the info and guidance. Cheers.

Let me share what I have done trying to run XP on my iMac using Parallels. Firstly, I need to have an XP installation disk with SP3, as recommended. Tried Autostreamer but the program simply refused to run. Then an XP Slipstreamed disk was created with SP3 imbedded.

Parallels 8 trial version was installed and after keying in the Windows serial number, the program was looking for a bootable XP installation disk all over the place and it failed. Have to abort the installation as the slipstreamed disk was somehow not bootable.

I read that XP with SP3 is critical for Windows installation using boot camp and if using Parallels, SP3 and other updates can be done after the basic XP is installed albeit more time consuming. So I use my ancient XP disk and installation was successful.

Then come the various SP and patches updates and I realised SP3 will only run with at least SP1 installed. So went googled for XP SP1 and the link at Microsoft wont work and fortunately, got a copy from another independent system site and finally SP3 and hundreds of other Windows patches were installed. Btw, the ancient IE can only be updated to IE8 with the installation of SP3.

Windows on iMac seems to work pretty smoothly but not sure what I have done as there is now a message that says "unable to load coherence". With this, Windows still work except a Parallels icon that works like the Windows start button on the top menu bar is now missing.

--------------
Updates on the "coherence" issue: The matter has been resolved. It is due to settings of the Display Adapters. The driver is now set to Parallels Video Adapter and Parallels/XP is now working like a charm.

iMAC said:

how do i switch between mac and windows.

Click to expand...

5 years later and the answer is: Hold down the option key while rebooting.

OK, here goes.I am using a Mac Mini from mid 2010. It runs like a dream and rarely gives any trouble. It's only when I try to complicate things by adding bits to it that I need help.
For example, when talking about installing Windows on to the Mac's hard disc drive in order to use Windows Apps, I keep seeing mention of OS X Tiger or OS X Snow Leopard. It's as if the reviewers are saying, without actually saying, "This stuff won't work on anything newer than Snow Leopard. The bad news there is that I run Mountain Lion with all of the latest updates.
I have discs for Windows XP Pro SP3, Windows Vista 64 bit and Windows 7 64 bit.
So which software should I install in order to run any of these discs, preferably Windows 7?
Any help gratefully received.
Steve.

ps ... Am I also right in saying that with a version of Windows running within the Mac, I will be able to run a CD disc that is made specificallt for Windows?
Ta very much

For example, when talking about installing Windows on to the Mac's hard disc drive in order to use Windows Apps, I keep seeing mention of OS X Tiger or OS X Snow Leopard. It's as if the reviewers are saying, without actually saying, "This stuff won't work on anything newer than Snow Leopard. The bad news there is that I run Mountain Lion with all of the latest updates.

Click to expand...

I don't what Tiger or Snow Leopard have to do with installing Windows? Boot Camp was first made available in the Intel version of Leopard. Snow Leopard also includes Boot Camp just as every version of OS X since Leopard.

The stuff that won't work on anything newer than Snow Leopard are Mac apps that are PPC coded. But that again has nothing to do with Windows.

I have discs for Windows XP Pro SP3, Windows Vista 64 bit and Windows 7 64 bit. So which software should I install in order to run any of these discs, preferably Windows 7?

Click to expand...

In order to run Windows 7 or 8, you need to stick with Mountain Lion which is what you're currently running.

Am I also right in saying that with a version of Windows running within the Mac, I will be able to run a CD disc that is made specifically for Windows?

Click to expand...

Yes.