Bootcamp V Parallels

Bootcamp verse Parallels

As i work in a retail store, i have been asked this question a lot on apples thought i would throw this out here.

For people not aware of what im talking about

Bootcamp was made by Apple for Os X, Before attempting to load windows via bootcamp, make sure you have all the latest updates Including THE LASTEST FIRMWARE update for mac, Very important that that's upgraded. Also you have to have windows Xp Full version with Sp2 in order to install windows. bootcamp sets up a partition eather a max of 32 gigs of Fat32 or anything above 32 would be NTFS
Fat32 allows you to be able to see the drive from OS X an able to transfer files between different partions. NTFS does not allow you do to this.


Bootcamp burns a disk of all devices on your mac and turns them into a driver enabling windows read those devices. And then ask you to place a disk into the drive and ask you to restart, soon as you do you will begin the installation of windows. Once windows is installed, plug in the disk that bootcamp burned prior to installing windows, This will installed all necessary devices for windows, bluetooth (if you have it) wifi, video drivers... ect.., once thats done make sure you activate windows


Parallels is actually a virtual machine. benefits for using this program is your able to have Mac OS X and Windows Xp on at the same time...(Bootcamp you cannot, you have to restart and hold down the option key to start windwos) This program is easier to setup then bootcamp but, there's disadvantages on using this program.
1.System splits your ram up on how much you dedicate to windows and how much you want on Mac Os X (bootcamp uses all your ram, for eather windows or Mac OS X, theres no spliting up)
2.Running to OS at the same time mean more load on the cpu, now, looking at the preformance level between Bootcamp and Parallels, Bootcamp tends to be alot better in gamming preformance, but for simple apps, Word, Flash, Internet there is no differance between them, (thanks intel core 2)

anyway i thought to point that out to people in question if it hasn't been posted already, i just made this bref post on this subject

Bootcamp - www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/
Parallels - http://www.parallels.com/

 

You missed a few bits.
Parallels allows many different OS's.
Technically Bootcamp can support other OS's as well, but driver support is iffy.

Currently Parallels can not use the video card for 3d rendering. That is in the works, but it's unknown when it will be applied.

Parallels is also 79.99
Part of the reason why Parallels is so efficient is that AMD and Intel have been putting virtualization optimizations in their processors.

when you install an OS on Parallels, it has the option of changing the "partition" size dynamically. Parallels OS partition is also actually a single file, so it's easily backed up. Much easier than backing up the Bootcamp partition.

 

Thanks for the info. Very usefull to know

 

Another piece to add is that Parallels has added Bootcamp support with the recent 3036 beta release. In other words, you can now boot off of the bootcamp partition within parallels.

Best of both worlds, eh?

 

i just wanted to say that there may be another solution which is crossover from codeweavers- it looks really great ! you can launch any windows app without installing the os.
however, it is still in beta 2, just wait and wait a little... ^^
http://www.codeweavers.com/beta/cxmac/

 

Yeah, crossover still sucks. I tried it a while ago. Not very good yet.
Maybe one day, but so far not worth it and it works with an extremely limited number of apps. It also can't properly access the dvd drive.

 

Just a slight correction, Mac OS X does read NTFS, it just doesn't write to it. So you're almost correct

Other than that, good post

 

i'm not sure of the meaning, do you mean parallel can not run 3D applications ? for exemple even small games in 3D ? (i don't have any example sorry...)

 

It can only play 3d games in Parallels if it allows software rendering.