Noob Question re Parallels

I have an iMac, with a 1TB HDD. 300Gig is devoted to Win 7 Ultimate, via Bootcamp. All works fine.

I am I correct in the simple assumption, that should I purchase and install the latest version of Parallels, that I will be able to enter into that Win 7 install, and use the a program without needing to reboot?

Or do I have to set up a virtual machine on the mac side, and do another install of Win 7 and the programs I want to use?

If (as I am hoping) I can access my current Win 7 install virtually, then thats great, and I will purchase Parallels today.

Shouldn't be an issue. I use VMWare Fusion instead of Parallels to do exactly that. I did have to activate Win7 again from within VMWare. But a non-issue for me and it works very good both from VMWare and from the BootCamped install. And, I'm using a $30 educational version of Win7 ultimate on my Mac.

So I wont need to reinstall win7 again, (+ all the programs) get all it setup again as I want it, all from scratch?

It can just use the bootcap partition version?
Cool...

Im downloading a trial version now...

OK, I have downloaded the trail of Parallels, and I am looking through the documentation.

I see that I can apparently just tell it to use the bootcamp partition, as part of its setup - Nice...

But I have one niggly question - Before I install...

Its this business of re-activating win 7. I bought a copy of 7 Ultimate, fully legit for a little under £200.00 I believe it has a single user licence. Thats fine, cause I am just a single user. I have it running fine on bootcamp, but here is my question.

If I only have a single licence, will I need to de-activate the actual version that is on bootcamp? Or can I use the same two 'versions' (The Word versions is used loosely - it will be the same install of the same product on the same computer by the same person) at the same time?

I mean, can I still have my bootcamp version available should I want to boot into it, and my parallels version, so I can access it running at the same time, or by using Parallels, and re-activating win 7, am I having to choose one or the other?

Thanks in advance for the answer.

It has to be re-activated but once you do that - you can either run in parallels or reboot through bootcamp with the same license. You do not need a second license.

IvanLasston said:

It has to be re-activated but once you do that - you can either run in parallels or reboot through bootcamp with the same license. You do not need a second license.

Click to expand...

Thanks

Last Question... I promise

By reactivated, what EXACTLY does that entail?

When I installed it, I gave it the number in my CD box, and clicked microsoft genuine test and stuff... But it has yet to ask me for any personal details - Name, Address etc... Perhaps it wont ask me? I dont know.

So is re-activating just meaning clicking something and telling it the serial?

Or is there more to it?

I dont wanna end up with 2 'versions' of win 7 and neither of them working LOL

You're overthinking this - just install Parallels and tell it to use your BootCamp installation.

When you get the pop up in Windows asking if want to activate it now, click Yes.

OK !

I do like to overthink, and plan for the worst, but then as a long term windows user... Can you blame me? lol

As an example, see my recent thread about a EM330 mobile phone !

But Your right, I'll give it a go

Will report back later

Well I tried it. Not that impressed actually. Rather over complicated for the simple thing I need (Just the odd program, now and then)

I also found it rather intrusive on the mac osx, as opposed to virtually invisible, like the site suggested... (Probably just needed more configuration I suppose...)

But in all honesty, it was an interesting exercise, but not for me. So I have unistalled.

Thanks for all the help though, and it did not want to activate my win install. It said it was illegal!

I think that when I occasionally need a certain program, a reboot (in my case) may be quicker than using parallels

Mine said it was illegal also, but it still activated.

I don't even launch the Windows side of my Mac but about once every 2-3 months anymore. Come to think of it, not even sure why I have XP and Win7 installed on it at all.