I'm all ready to buy my New Mac, then...?!

[Lizbv]

FYI Parallel release

[Mar 08, 2007]

Reluctant to switch to a Macintosh because so much of your favorite software requires Microsoft Windows? Now you don't have to hold back.
Apple's free Boot Camp beta software can also make your Intel-based Mac a screaming-fast Windows machine. But when you turn your computer on, you must choose to work in either Windows or Mac's OS X Tiger.
That's why I've been more intrigued by Parallels Desktop for Mac. The $80 "virtualization" software lets you run the Mac's operating system and Windows side-by-side. Alas, compared with Boot Camp, Parallels was poky and buggy when I first tried it last year.
Last week, the Seattle-area start-up behind Parallels unveiled a less-geeky update that addresses many of its shortcomings, including plug-and-play support for USB 2.0 devices. Moreover, Parallels piles on new features, the neatest of which makes it look like you are running Windows programs right on your Mac desktop, along with other Mac programs.
It's still not for beginners. And I got off to a tough start testing the latest version of Parallels with Windows XP on an iMac. Windows couldn't recognize my Hewlett-Packard USB printer or Seagate USB storage device. I encountered the lingering hourglass, bizarre "fatal error" messages and the dreaded "blue screen of death" that sometimes precedes a PC meltdown.
Parallels said the snags had more to do with a corrupted copy of XP rather than its own software. Seems so. The glitches disappeared when I loaded a fresh retail copy of XP Professional.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columni...s_N.htm?csp=34

PN, U Think this may be the answer to the dragon/mic usb issues cited talked about? thx

[PN]

Hi Liz,

It looks to me like the makers of Parallels may have resolved the USB device issues (microphone headsets) with regards to DNS. I can understand a corrupted copy of XP causing device problems in Parallels. I am a little puzzled about the "fresh retail copy of XP Professional." It appears you have to buy a new copy (not an upgrade) of Windows XP Professional. I have heard that Microsoft used to allow you to put Windows XP on two of your home computers but never stated this publicly. I guess times have changed.

Trust but verify before you buy.

[Patonb]

I wonder if they had a burned copy of a "company" copy of XP. I could see where a tester would use backup copies when installing on multiple test systems.

This still doesn't all you to use DNS to run the Mac.

[PN]

Patonb: A belated happy birthday! If you read the posts in this Forum, you will find that one user is running DNS 9 Pro on a Mac using Apple's Boot Camp. Larry (October 7, 2006) in the Voice Recognition Forum writes that he has seen DNS 9 run on a Mac using Parallels. However, he goes on to state that the Mac was not able to accept USB microphone input.

I am also aware of users who have purchased a brand new copy (not an upgrade) of Windows XP Pro and have had problems with USB devices when using Parallels on a Mac. I don't think you would need to purchase Windows XP Professional and you could save money by buying Windows XP Home. When I purchased Windows XP Pro SP-1 (not an upgrade), I paid $135 at Office Max and that was a few years ago. Now that Vista is out the price for Windows XP should drop.

[Patonb]

After 11 pages i forget who was the original poster... I was commenting for those who want to use DNS to control the Mac, as alot of people have been wanting too do.

Unless i've read the links wrong..

[PN]

After 11 pages i forget who was the original poster.

As the King of Siam once said, "it's a puzzlement."

[Lizbv]

After 11 pages i forget who was the original poster... I was commenting for those who want to use DNS to control the Mac, as alot of people have been wanting too do.

Unless i've read the links wrong..

I dont think anyone ever implied that they could run a Mac completely with DNS in this thread. The discussion has been about HOW and IN WHAT CAPACITY DNS can work with Mac.

[Patonb]

There was some post where people were wanting too do this, not the main group, but some.

[Scorpion]

There was some post where people were wanting too do this, not the main group, but some.

I got that impression, too.

[Lizbv]

Ok, my bad. sorry

[Patonb]

Ok, my bad. sorry

Not really, it was 12 pages of alot of intertwining topics... I had to go back and read to double check...

Sadly some of the better reading on this site as of late.

[john smith]

Sadly some of the better reading on this site as of late.

Posted by Patonb

So true. However, there is nowhere to go but up!

John

[Zeus]

Sadly some of the better reading on this site as of late.

Thanks to a new job I've been MIA for the most part over the last two months. I caught up with some threads today and have to agree with your observation.

Chris.