How do you run Windows on your Mac?

**stek** · 7 January 2013, 15:22

How do you run Windows on your Mac?

VMware Fusion for me. There's Virtualbox too but to me it looks cack, Fusion looks polished.

Also there's Crossover for running Windows Apps, basically WINE in a wrapper.

**SimonMac** · 7 January 2013, 15:57

VirtualBox is not cack, it is solid and does everything I need

**stek** · 7 January 2013, 15:59

How do you run Windows on your Mac?

Originally posted by SimonMac View Post

VirtualBox is not cack, it is solid and does everything I need

I meant it LOOKS cack, the fonts, icons and dialogue boxes look very amateurish to me anyway...

**DaveB** · 7 January 2013, 16:38

Originally posted by d000hg View Post

I've used bootcamp to run Vista on OSX 10.5 but have since upgraded to a clean OSX 10.8 install and now I need Windows on the Mac as it is my only half-decent laptop!

Bootcamp is great but kind of inflexible so I wondered what virtualisation software is most commonly used? The only one I'm aware of is Parallels; as well as cost the other issue is how well graphics/sound are supported on different solutions.

I imagine I'll prefer to install W7, but I've XP and Vista available. Do I always have to install Windows myself, or do any providers provide pre-made images to save on hassle?

Virtual Box is solid if unremarkable. Don't expect bells and whistles, especially in the graphics area. If its just for office apps, buasiness software it will do fine. It's also free.

Parallells and VMWare are the big boys, not much to choose between them really.

Sound is generally well supported, graphics less so, especially if you are looking at DirectX related stuff. Don't expect to be able to run the latest games, older ones tend to fair better.

All of them need an original install image or DvD to install windows from and a pucka license to activate it.

Crossover works well for individual apps without a full windows installation and many are supported "out of the box".

Wine provides a framework to build your own wrappers for specific applications and can be useful if you run into issues with Crossovers ready made ones or have an unsupported app you want to run. It's also free but needs a bit of technical nouse to get it working for you on a Mac and needs additional software like MacPorts to support it.

**Sysman** · 7 January 2013, 16:43

Originally posted by SimonMac View Post

VirtualBox is not cack, it is solid and does everything I need

It works fine here too, but the GUI isn't as rock solid as the versions that run on Linux or Windows. Dialogues seem to lose context when configuring VMs for example, and you have to quit and relaunch to recover.

To answer the OP's question, Parallels 8 will download the the Windows 8 Preview and install it for you. Add your own licence and upgrade to the real thing if that's suitable for your needs.

From Ars Technica: Showdown: Parallels Desktop 8 vs. VMware Fusion 5

Both Parallels and VMware Fusion are available in time limited trial versions, Parallels for 2 weeks, VMware for 30 days. Both will offer money off the normal price as you get to the end of the trial period, but if you want a boxed copy instead those are only slightly more expensive than the discounted prices if you shop around.

**stek** · 7 January 2013, 16:48

How do you run Windows on your Mac?

I though the Parallels people took the Windows 8 thing out?

**RasputinDude** · 7 January 2013, 16:48

VMWare Fusion for me.

I had some nasty experience with Parallels around six years ago so moved to VMWare. I'm certain that Parallels have fixed the small bugs that I encountered but I'm happy enough with Fusion to stick with it now.

**Sysman** · 7 January 2013, 16:52

Originally posted by stek View Post

I though the Parallels people took the Windows 8 thing out?

It was still there in the Trial Version I downloaded in mid-December. I am also giving VMware a trial before I decide which one to go for.

**Moscow Mule** · 7 January 2013, 21:40

Fusion for me too.

Supposedly, you can run a boot camp partition in a window too if you don't want to come out of OSX, but I've not had boot camp for ages so never tested it.

How do you run Windows on your Mac?