Windows on Mac?

I have a Mac Pro with 2 x 2.8 GHz Quad Core and 10 GB RAM. I have recently put Parallels on with Windows 7 onto a partitioned hard drive used solely for OS. I have 3 other hard drives for Photoshop and storing photos. I put Windows on because I use Pictures to Exe and Powerpoint which are only available for Windows.

Since putting Windows on I now have all the idiosyncrasies of Windows, it takes an age to load up, to switch off, and generally slow working, and worst of all I can not get images loaded in Bridge in Photoshop, they just will not load and yet I have 6 GB or RAM reserved for the MAC.

So I have gained the facility of using two programmes that i use frequently, but lost most of the use of Photoshop which I use continually. I guess I have no alternative but to uninstall Windows and Parallels so that I can get Photoshop working normally again, but thought I would ask first whether i will ever get Photoshop back again, and how best to do this, or is there an alternative?????

I'm not a lover of Parallels. It's still somewhat buggy and their support is poor. Personally, I use Fusion. However, it would seem for what you need that it might be better to install Windows 7 using the Boot Camp assistant and run Windows 7 natively. I think you'll find that will speed things up - although the same things that are the downside of using Windows (malware, viruses, etc) will still be present.

chscag said:

I'm not a lover of Parallels. It's still somewhat buggy and their support is poor.

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Wow...you are REALLY being nice regarding the customer support part!!! I would say that customer support is almost non-existant (other than an FAQ page). The last time I tried...talking to a human was IMPOSSIBLE...and if you did want to talk with a human (or even send e-mail based Q&A)...I think that you had to pay for it on a case by case basis.

- Nick

Thanks chscag, I did consider using bootcamp but I need access to the folders on my hard drives to be able to run both Pictures to Exe and Powerpoint, for example I have just finished a lecture containing over 60 photos and I dip into folders to choose them.
If I did decide to use bootcamp would I need to uninstall Windows 7 and Parallels and install Windows afresh using bootcamp?

daveat22 said:

Thanks chscag, I did consider using bootcamp but I need access to the folders on my hard drives to be able to run both Pictures to Exe and Powerpoint, for example I have just finished a lecture containing over 60 photos and I dip into folders to choose them.
If I did decide to use bootcamp would I need to uninstall Windows 7 and Parallels and install Windows afresh using bootcamp?

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As for accessing the folders on your OS X side from Windows, (read and write) MacDrive 8 is available. It's a great app and works well.

To answer your second question - Yes, you will have to reinstall Windows 7 fresh using the Boot Camp assistant. That means having BC create a partition and then installing Windows. After it's up and running to your satisfaction, you can remove Parallels if you wish or leave it be. You do not have to remove Parallels or the Windows 7 virtual machine.

Thanks again cgscag, one last question I had already partitioned my hard drive from OSX to put Parallels and Windows 7 in the other half, will I need to partition again or put what you suggest in with the Parallels partitioned half, or even in the half with OSX?

dave

Remove the partition you created for Parallels and Windows 7 provided you haven't already filled it with data. You do that by booting with your Snow Leopard DVD, use Disk Utility, select the partition tab, click on the partition you created, press the minus button at the bottom and select apply.

Next, drag the partition border (line) until it fills the entire hard drive. Again, select apply. Reboot back to OS X.

If you don't do the above, you will be unable to use the Boot Camp assistant. Of course any time you mess with the hard drive make a backup of everything first.

Thanks for helping me out chscag.