Installing XP - thru VMF or Bootcamp?

Hi,
I plan to install XP and run it via VM Ware Fusion.

Would it be better to install it through Bootcamp first or just straight to VMF - what difference will it make?

I'll be using it to:
1. Play Windows CDs
2. MS Office
3. Sync my Windows Mobile Phone

Just thought I'd list the above incase it made a difference!

Cheers!

Nothing you've listed would need bootcamp so I'd just go ahead and install in VMWare.

Just know that if you want to use bootcamp and VMWare with the same instance of XP you'll need to install into bootcamp first

Thanks mrplow,
I was just wondering as some people have said that to run e.g. games, they need Windows installed on bootcamp (and then vmf or w/e later). Wouldn't the same be true with a windows formatted CD?

Secondly, if I'm running VMF Windows and I plug my phone it - would it be detected by Mac OS and Windows? Sorry I'm just not quite sure about how this would work!

I was also thinking that when I needed better Windows performance, I'd be able to boot it up through Bootcamp (not VMF)?

I apologise for the n00bish questions, just really apprehensive about the whol eprocess - so much could possibly go wrong!

A lot more can go wrong with a Boot Camp installation than a VMF installation. My advice is to download the free Fusion trial, install Windows and try out all the applications you want to use. If it works, you're set - buy a license and be done with it. If you find you need to run Windows natively (e.g., for gaming or other apps that require 3D hardware acceleration), then delete the virtual machine and do a Boot Camp install (and subsequently, if you want, a VM install from there on top of it). But note that if you have a Mac with integrated graphics, there's not much of an advantage to running Boot Camp over Fusion because the graphics can't handle it either way.

My experience is that Windows in Fusion for most apps runs just as fast as it does natively. Also, you can try out all your peripherals (e.g., phone, USB devices, etc.) and confirm that they work. All for the cost of your single windows license.

Good luck

Veej said:

Thanks mrplow,
I was just wondering as some people have said that to run e.g. games, they need Windows installed on bootcamp (and then vmf or w/e later). Wouldn't the same be true with a windows formatted CD?

Click to expand...

Not quite sure what you're getting at here

Secondly, if I'm running VMF Windows and I plug my phone it - would it be detected by Mac OS and Windows? Sorry I'm just not quite sure about how this would work!

Click to expand...

The VM will detect and offer to mount the USB device. If you don't mount it in the VM it will be available in OSX

I was also thinking that when I needed better Windows performance, I'd be able to boot it up through Bootcamp (not VMF)?

I apologise for the n00bish questions, just really apprehensive about the whol eprocess - so much could possibly go wrong!

Click to expand...

If you are considering gaming or you think you need the option of using the full power of your mac then try bootcamp.

As SammySlim notes bootcamp setup can be tricky, a search of this forum will show that......however..... as long as you have the correct windows version, read, understand and follow the bootcamp install and setup instructions to the letter and you'll be OK.

I put bootcamp on on the day I got my MacBook. Never owned a Mac before. Didn't have a problem.

Don't worry about asking questions 'noobish' or otherwise

OK, a quick update - boot camp wouldn't install! Google the error and it seems I'm not alone, tried a few solutions but none worked - depending on how desperate I am, I might try the other more complicated ones (I have an OEM copy - is that a problem?). So I gave it a break and just installed through Fusion first as SammySlim suggested - worked great! I've tried almost everything I'll need to and it works great!

But wait! I often need to use the laptop without having power available (e.g. in classrooms, on the bus). Running Win inside Mac consumes battery power faster whereas having just Windows run on its own through Boot camp would be slightly better for battery life - fair point or is there really not much of a difference in battery consumption?

Cheers

You'll have higher battery consumption running a VM under OSX than just booting into XP.

What error were you getting? Was it the bootcamp setup or the Windows install you had problems with? Does the XP disc have SP2 or 3 included?

It's the error which doesn't give you the option to format your windows disk (page 12 of BC manual). So it copies Windows files, then just restarts and says Press any key to boot from CD.
If you do press a key, the installation just starts again and the whole process epeats. If you don't press a key, it says Disk Error, press any key to restart. At this stage, it doesn't register any keypresses and so you have to switch off the computer by holding the OFF button for a while.

I was thinking - now that I've got VMF running, could I create a partition using Bootcamp assistant, then using Partition Magic through the XP install on VMF, format this partition as NFTS or FAT32 and then finish my install through Bootcamp Assistant?

Oh and it's a Win XP Pro 32-bit edition SP2 OEM CD.

Presumably you got the option to format during the VM installation? This seem to be a recurring issue with OEM discs. But I haven't been able to determine what's different about them that upsets the install under bootcamp.

Have you got the latest version of bootcamp?

I'm not sure if formatting via VMWare would work. I doubt it would be able to 'see' the partition.

You could create the partition in BC Assistant. Use Disk Utility to format it as FAT32. Then Install. Once XP is install you can use the XP convert tool to convert to NTFS.

OR You could install Mac-Fuse & NTFS 3G which gives you the ability to format drives with NTFS straight from Disk Utility.

I know this is probibly in the wrong place.

But can you have bootcamp running and have another program like parallels or vmware running?

Possibly off the same windows partition?

windows#1sprfan said:

I know this is probibly in the wrong place.

But can you have bootcamp running and have another program like parallels or vmware running?

Possibly off the same windows partition?

Click to expand...

You can have XP installed on both a bootcamp partition and use VMWare or Parallels to access that partition while under OS X - yes

Veej, feel free to try all that if you like - personally, I think it's more trouble than it's worth. While the battery consumption is higher, as a practical matter, I have not noticed a substantial shortening of battery life using the VM in Fusion. Just suspend the VM when not in use and unsuspend it when you need it again - way faster than rebooting (which, by the way, also chomps on the battery). I don't think you'll notice many practical issues with a little sensible power management.

And, I am also using OEM version of XP SP2, you're fine there. not sure why you had the BC error - I installed Windows on my MacBook first time with such a disk, no problem (ultimately deleted it because Fusion met my needs).

I just think that monkeying around unnecessarily with disk partitions can leave you worse off unless it is absolutely necessary to meet your needs, and it doesn't quite sound like it from here ...

Good luck!

Sammy - yeah good point. I think that's fair enough. I'll have a look at VMF's effect on the battery life and take it from there.

As for the not installing through bootcamp issue, it's really bizarre! Some discs work and some don't. Out of curiosity - can you remember if your Windows installation CD had a proper Recovery Console or just 'Automated System Recovery?'

Cheers for all the advice

Sorry, I don't remember. It was an OEM SP2 disk from Newegg.com - and because it worked I never had to check that! Plus it's at home and I'm at work. I think you'll get hooked on Fusion - I have used it to download and install Linux VMs, all kinds of stuff (known as "virtual appliances") from the VM Ware website. But if you do that, be sure you have a broadband connection, as those are large files.

Cheers

problem with bootcamp

when you had the failior with boot camp at the screen asking you to boot up from the cd, if you dont press anything it will continue to the next installation screen. I just installed XP, tinyVista, linux mint threw bootcamp and came on to several problems like this.