do i need antivirus for vista running parallels?

Do I need to install an AV program for parallels?

If you are running windows, you need an AV program.

I would suggest Microsoft's Security Essentials.

Free and seems to keep resource usage to a minimum.

Even if you are dreaming about Windows you need antivirus. ;D

That's must one pretty sick nightmare if it has windows in it

Windows is Windows, whether running in Boot Camp on through a VM software like Parallels, VMWare Fusion or VirtualBox, you still have to do everything you normally do to protect it..

The only upside of going the VM route is that should the copy of Windows get corrupted, it can NO way affect your Mac and you can blow away that instance and create a new one..

Regards

Ok,

I need windows as a few of my work programs that are propritory to our business are windows only.

so either way I slice it, I need windows.

Im going to try those on parallels....

the8thark said:

That's must one pretty sick nightmare if it has windows in it

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Lol. Yes...yes it is

Steve Adams said:

I need windows as a few of my work programs that are propritory to our business are windows only.

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That's part of the reason why I also have Windows installed. The point everyone is trying to make is that it really is actually Windows you are installing so everything you normally do in Windows like having antivirus should also be done for your Windows partition.

Raz0rEdge said:

The only upside of going the VM route is that should the copy of Windows get corrupted, it can NO way affect your Mac and you can blow away that instance and create a new one..

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Very true. This is why I recommend that after you create your Windows VM and activate it, back up a copy of the VM. With a "pure" and activated Windows VM backup, you can easily and quickly start over again by copying it over as opposed to having to reinstall and reactivate Windows.

Oh yes! You need all the prophylactics customary to PC use. The only exception would be if you NEVER went online while using Windows, AND virus scanned all files coming into your Mac from whatever source. But, who would depend on that? It would be crazy. So yes, you need anti virus.

VegasGeorge said:

The only exception would be if you NEVER went online while using Windows, AND virus scanned all files coming into your Mac from whatever source.

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The only thing I would like to add to that statement is that even if a person's Window side has no contact with the outside world viruses can still be brought over from their Mac side.

Windows viruses don't affect Macs but because of this Mac users aren't aware about possibly passing along PC viruses so if a person uses files back and forth between their Mac and Windows sides then their Windows side may get infected.