VMWare Fusion vs Bootcamp???

[RYCeT]

Hi guys, I'm planning to install XP Pro on my new macbook, however my Xp pro copy comes with sp1, not sp2. The other reason I want vmware Fusion is because I've got MS office for windows, I see no reason for me to buy another one for mac.

Can I install xp pro sp1 w/ vmware fusion? or Do I need another copy of Xp Pro w/ sp2?

How's your experience w/ fusion? any pros & cons?

I read that installing windows on bootcamp partition create problem with vmware fusion? Any solution to this problem?

What's exactly fusion do? Can I run several windows program at once or should I run them one at a time?

[enjoiflobees]

I think fusion is a great product, but the one reason I wanted windows on my computer for this online game gunbound, and it is really picky and it doesnt work on fusion. but I am pretty sure other games have no problem but yea, this one did. so I deleted it.

Also it makes you reregister your windows if you are running the version that you have in boot camp. So that was inconvenient because I had a school license which only works onces.

If you are looking for a program to switch back and forth all the time between windows and mac, then fusion is amazing. It runs super fast and I didnt have a problem running multiple things in both OSes. and if you have leopard, it is pretty cool in spaces just changing from one space to another and one being mac and one being windows.

Hope that helps.

[AlanY]

I prefer VMWare Fusion to its competitor, Parallels. But they're both pretty good.

Basically VMWare lets you run Windows without rebooting, and it has a mode where Windows applications are made to look just like OS X applications (they appear on the dock, you can control-tab to them, you can minimize them, etc.). You can run any version of Windows you want. You can even run multiple versions at the same time, or Linux, or whatever.

That said, you can transform any Windows XP SP1 disc into a SP2 disc that works with Boot Camp. It's called "Slipstreaming." It's pretty straightforward; you just have to follow the steps. Here are instructions how to do it:
Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows: Slipstreaming Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2)
I've followed those same instructions. It's pretty easy.

[che_fox]

Originally Posted by RYCeT

Hi guys, I'm planning to install XP Pro on my new macbook, however my Xp pro copy comes with sp1, not sp2. The other reason I want vmware Fusion is because I've got MS office for windows, I see no reason for me to buy another one for mac.

Can I install xp pro sp1 w/ vmware fusion? or Do I need another copy of Xp Pro w/ sp2?

How's your experience w/ fusion? any pros & cons?

Fusion will happily run XP Pro SP1, but note that if you actually connect that to the Internet without patching it first, you'll be instantly infected with malware and viruses.

I'd recommend downloading or slipstreaming SP2 and making sure you upgrade before even using Internet Explorer.

I read that installing windows on bootcamp partition create problem with vmware fusion? Any solution to this problem?

Fusion supports Boot Camp partitions happily. The only problems are if you have custom multi-boot installations with Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X all booting from the same hard drive.

What's exactly fusion do? Can I run several windows program at once or should I run them one at a time?

Fusion makes a full virtual computer inside your computer. You can do just about anything with this virtual computer that you'd do with an actual computer.

That includes running lots of Windows programs at once, playing games, using the network, etc.

You can even run multiple virtual computers at once! On Mac OS X Leopard, I use Spaces to run Mac OS on one desktop, Windows on another, and Linux on a third. It's way cool.

[RYCeT]

If I run fusion from Leopard, Should I worry about virus, trojans, etc (windows based)?

[AlanY]

Originally Posted by RYCeT

If I run fusion from Leopard, Should I worry about virus, trojans, etc (windows based)?

By default, VMWare doesn't share any of your Mac folders or anything on your Mac hard drive with Windows (thought it can if you want). Basically Windows runs in its own little world. There's no real way Windows can affect Leopard. Also, if you turn on your Mac firewall, your Windows machine lives behind that firewall too. So no, there isn't much to worry about.

Of course, Windows itself could get infected, as always, but if a Windows VM gets screwed up you can just blow it away and reinstall. If you're installing a piece of software you're not sure about, you can take a snapshot of Windows' state and then roll back to that snapshot on one click. (You can also use Time Machine to go back to old Windows states, though backing up Windows images does churn through your backup space.)

[krmathis]

I quite like VMware Fusion as well.
Runs MS Windows XP SP2 at close to native speed. Unity is nice as well.

[dangtong]

+1 vote for VMWare Fusion.

I've tried all, bootcamp, parallel and fusion, all work well. But I prefer fusion for its performance and the convenience of running windows and Mac apps simmutaneously. I love Leopard's spaces with fusion, I can run Windows in full screen mode in its own space and switch back and forth easily.

You can install XP pro SP1 inside fusion first and once you Windows virtual PC is up and running you can update it to SP2.

Not only you can run multiple windows programs with fusion, you can also running them and switching them with Mac programs easily.

Highly recommend having 2gb of RAM on your Mac for running virtual windows.

[blessingx]

As an user of virtualization on OS X who currently doesn't use one, ask what you're trying to do. If MS Office, Google has solved that for you with Docs and Spreadsheets. If you need a more complex word processor consider Scrivener. DB? You have lots of options.

[jmmtn4aj]

Originally Posted by che_fox

Fusion will happily run XP Pro SP1, but note that if you actually connect that to the Internet without patching it first, you'll be instantly infected with malware and viruses.

Eh? You just made the internet sound really scary, haha.