Parallels Desktop 3 for the Mac

Parallels Desktop mending fences

2008-05-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

Parallels software was mending fences between the PC and Mac community. Parallels recently announced that that Parallels Desktop for Mac had sold more than one million copies making Parallels the number one company in desktop virtualization. The software is now sold in 10 different languages - Chinese, Czech, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, and Spanish.

"Parallels Desktop not only broke down the barrier between the Mac and PC worlds, it also broke down the barrier that kept desktop virtualization from becoming a mainstream technology for consumers and professional users,"

said Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Parallels.

VMware Fusion and Parallels Desktop for Mac?

2008-05-03T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hmm?! Which is the best way to run Windows, Linux, or Solaris at the same time as Mac OS X - without rebooting? VMWare Fusion or Parallels Desktop for the Mac?

VMware Fusion has nearly a decade of virtualization expertise to fully utilise your Mac hardware, while still supporting Windows applications, USB 2.0 devices, 64-bit, and accelerated 3D graphics.

The Windows desktop completely disappears. Windows XP applications just like Mac applications in Exposé mode (similar to Parallels Coherence to switch between any application). You need only highlight an application you use regularly by using familiar Mac keyboard shortcuts.

Keep your favourite Windows applications in the Dock as the VMware Fusion Launch Palette makes it easy to access your Windows functions .

There is also basic support for iPhone under Windows under VMware Fusion with even greater enhanced Unity support.

Windows XP Installation hangs on "Installing Devices

2008-05-02T10:34:00.000-07:00

Sometime when installing Windows XP, at the Installing Devices step, the setup eternally stays at 30-something minutes remaining. It's not frozen though (the text on the right hand side changes periodically). This has happened on Parallels 3.0, on a new (Less than 2 weeks old) MacBook.

I tried the following, to no avail:
- Tried using both a .dmg and a .iso instead of the actual disc. When I do this, though, it doesn't find the disc. A dialog pops up and tells me to insert the Windows XP Home Edition CD-ROM.
- Tried copying the files to another CD. When I do this, the same problem as above occurs. It doesn't find the disc.
- Tried running it in fullscreen mode.

Resolved:

http://kb.parallels.com/en/4975

Even though the title of that refers to XP with SP0, it's also a problem with SP1.

Parallels Desktop and Windows Vista Service Pack 1

2008-05-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

There is a possible issue with Parallels Desktop and Windows Vista Service Pack 1.
A Boot Camp Virtual Machine can get broken after SP1 installation in virtual environment.

Parallels are recommending installing Service Pack 1 in native Boot Camp mode only.

If you have already installed SP1 in your Windows Vista Virtual Machine and are now encountering problems, please repair Windows using native Boot Camp and install SP1 natively afterwards.

Virtual Windows Vista on Mac OS X

2008-05-02T09:03:00.001-07:00

I love booting up my Mac and working in the Mac OS environment. Then I like to launch a Windows application without having to reboot. It sounds weird I know, but that's the world of "virtualization" I suppose.

Virtualization has been common in the servers world for some time but now desktop's and now notebooks have become so powerful as to make running multiple operating systems viable with acceptable performance.

Running another operating system side by side is achieved with a virtual machine, sometime known as VM or "VE" for Virtual Environment. A VM runs the guest operating system like Windows primary operating system like the Mac OS. Quite simply Windows is "fooled" into running as Guest Operating system.

The most successful virtualization option for the Mac seems to come from Parallels Inc (a rebranded SW-Soft. Their $79.99 Parallels Desktop 3 for the Mac allows you to run a full Windows computer within your Mac operating system. Most Microsoft family are supported, including legacy OS's such as XP, NT, 98 and 95. I gather even Windows 3.11 and MS-DOS are supported if you are on a nostalgia trip and want to revive old games. Parallels Desktop Premium is also available for immediate download and bundles in Acronis Disk Director Suite, Acronis True Image Home, and Kaspersky Internet Security for $99

Run Libronix Windows Bible Software on your Mac

2008-05-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

Came across this cool video on Youtube and thought I'd pass it on. Seems you can use Parallels to run your Windows based bible software on your Mac. Ideal for those using Libronix Software:

Parallels Desktop for beats competition in real-world performance testing

2008-04-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

MacTech Magazine published a very comprehensive performance and productivity benchmark comparing Parallels Desktop for Mac (build 5160, which is now out of date), Boot Camp, and VMware Fusion 1.0 (build 51348, which is not the current in-production build).

The benchmark not only tested raw performance (i.e., how fast the VM opens applications and performs processing tasks), but also "task tests", which study how long it takes to accomplish a certain multi-platform, multi-step test, such as downloading a PDF in Outlook, but opening it in Preview for Mac OS X.

Read the whole article/test results at MacTech.com.

Parallels Desktop for Mac

2008-04-28T05:38:00.000-07:00

Parallels Desktop for the Apple Mac is for thos who want to use another operating system on a casual basis. It's benefit of fast access to the guest OS is balanced by reduced performance and limited hardware support. It's not a tool to use if you're a gamer, say, but rather for dipping into that legacy accounting or bible software package you're still using after all these years.

That's not to diminish Parallels Desktop. Getting multiple operating system to operate alongside each other simultaneously is an impressive technological feat.

Parallels' software is both very clever and amazingly cheap. Parallels Desktop manages the trick of mediating between guest operating systems, Mac OS X and the hardware they're all running on. The host OS believes its operating alone; the guests each assume they're the only show in town; Parallels Desktop is the cunjuror making it all work seamlessly.

Installation is very simple. Parallesl Desktop itself is installed in the normal Mac OS X manner. Running the installer invites you to set up a Virtual Machine on which any variety of Windows, of Linux or of a number of other operating systems will be "tricked" into thinking they own.

There's no need to re-partitionining. Parallels Desktop automatically creates .hdd files and links them into each VM as if they were physical, separate hard disks.