Styleforum › Forums › General › General Chat › Running Windows on Mac question
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Running Windows on Mac question

post #1 of 11
10/7/09 at 5:45pm
Thread Starter 
I need to run Windows on my MacBook Pro. I know I can use the free Boot Camp but apparently that requires a full version of Windows. Someone told me that VMWare Fusion only needs upgrade version. So quick questions: Should I Boot Camp and buy full version, if so what's the cheapest place to get a legit copy? Is there anything I should know about buying VMWare Fusion on eBay? Halp!
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 11
10/7/09 at 6:27pm
I don't know whether VMWare does install Windows from an Upgrade DVD/CD or not, but i'm pretty sure that you need a full copy from a legal perspective.

The only advantage of VMWare and Parallels is that you can run Windows at that same time as Mac OS X without rebooting. But in terms of what copy you need to legally run Windows on your Mac, it doesn't really matter...
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 11
10/7/09 at 6:42pm
The big difference between BootCamp and a VMWare / Parallels type software is that BootCamp allows the OS to utilize all the resources of the computer, whereas VMWare / Parallels limits the resources available to Windows, since it primarily uses them to run Mac OS.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 11
10/7/09 at 6:46pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by imageWIS View Post
The big difference between BootCamp and a VMWare / Parallels type software is that BootCamp allows the OS to utilize all the resources of the computer, whereas VMWare / Parallels limits the resources available to Windows, since it primarily uses them to run Mac OS.
Whoa, welcome back to SF. I think I need to go with Boot Camp in case virtualization is not compatible with some of my programs. So buying full Windows anything I should know about buying something like XP Pro SP3 for $70 on eBay? Legit? Cheaper option? I want to do this soon.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 11
10/7/09 at 8:20pm
Do you know anyone with a .edu email address? You can get windows 7 on Oct 22 for about $30. Its a student deal. From what I have heard, using that version, you can do a clean install on bootcamp. I haven't done it yet, but I will try it on the 22nd.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 11
10/7/09 at 8:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdcpa View Post
Do you know anyone with a .edu email address? You can get windows 7 on Oct 22 for about $30. Its a student deal. From what I have heard, using that version, you can do a clean install on bootcamp. I haven't done it yet, but I will try it on the 22nd.

Where did you see the $30 pricing?
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 11
10/7/09 at 8:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by HomerJ View Post
Whoa, welcome back to SF.
I think I need to go with Boot Camp in case virtualization is not compatible with some of my programs.

So buying full Windows anything I should know about buying something like XP Pro SP3 for $70 on eBay?
Legit? Cheaper option? I want to do this soon.

Well, first off make sure that the install disc is XP SP2 or higher, I recall that BootCamp does not install properly with XP SP1 (not that there are a lot of SP1 discs around, I just thought I would mention it just in case).

Second, if you still have the SP serial # off of an old computer, you could use that serial # to install XP on your Mac, just as long as the serial # is not being used by another computer. Now, this goes against the end user license, but frankly MS is not going to go after you over a single copy of XP, plus since you did purchase the original copy in the first place...

Third, print out the BootCamp install options in their entirety from Apple's database website. Its a lot of steps to properly install Windows on your Mac and its best to have the instructions just in case.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 11
10/7/09 at 9:05pm
Here is the link for the student pricing: http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/...windows-7.aspx
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 11
10/7/09 at 9:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdcpa View Post
Here is the link for the student pricing:
http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/...windows-7.aspx

Cool. Thanks.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 11
10/9/09 at 4:28pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdcpa View Post
Do you know anyone with a .edu email address? You can get windows 7 on Oct 22 for about $30. Its a student deal. From what I have heard, using that version, you can do a clean install on bootcamp. I haven't done it yet, but I will try it on the 22nd.
I read that the student Windows 7 deal is an upgrade and won't work as a Mac clean install. I'm going by this comment at a different forum:
Quote:
Originally Posted by some guy
The difference between Vista and 7 with this process is that Vista did _not_ have to be activated before the 2nd install. It appears that from the qualifiers above, the prior OS _must_ be activated, which throws a money wrench into the already discovered process.
Let me know if it works though.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 11
10/9/09 at 9:08pm
I heard mixed things about it being an upgrade. I had heard both that it can and cannot be used as a stand alone install, so I am still unclear. On the website I sent previously it seemed to intimate that it could be used as a stand alone. See custom install. However, I am still unclear if it would work. I already ordered it so I can try it on my mac...if not it can go on my windows machine.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: General Chat
Styleforum › Forums › General › General Chat › Running Windows on Mac question