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Just got a new Macbook Pro the other day, and wanted to install Windows 7 on it incase I need it in the future. I know the computer comes with Bootcamp (though I have no clue as to how to use it), but I have been reading about the ease and convenience of Parrallels. My questions is, A: is it worth it to have Parrallels compared to bootcamp, and B: am I endanger of getting Windows based viruses if I run Parrallels and use windows applications? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I am not too tech savvy .

Thanks for your answers in advance,
-Onion

Tag. And try posting this in the All Things Geek thread. Those guys and girls know their shit.

I have tried it both ways, and I gave up on Parallels and am using Boot Camp.

If you need windows for test-taking, parallels won't cut it, you're going to need to dual boot. Also, as there are limited times I want to use windows in the first place, there's no real reason need to work in both windows and OSX at the same time (the real advantage of an emulator like VMware or Parallels). Rebooting doesn't take that long, and any files I need in both operating systems can be stored online or an external drive.

No, there's no way you could get a Windows virus to infect your OS X installation. That said, there's the possibility of a virus on your Windows installation being passed on to other people you email and send files to that use Windows despite it having no effect on your Mac. Windows 7 is really good about preventing viruses, though, so I think you'll be fine.

Microsoft's free virus scanner (Microsoft Security Essentials) is rated as one of the top scanners and is one of the best performing ones in terms of resource use. It's free, so why not? I run a Windows PC, haven't turned it off in almost a year, have downloaded all kinds of weird programs and files and still have yet to catch a virus.

The one concern I would have is whether the Exam taking software your school uses would work in a virtualization environment (using Parallels that is). They might require it to be on a full Windows installation (i.e. Bootcamp) but that's not for sure, just something to check out beforehand.

Thanks for the replies, I feel like Parallels is not worth it from what everyone is saying. I will just have to learn to run Windows when I boot my computer. Is it challenging to install windows and use bootcamp? Will my MS Word and other programs work though Windows in Bootcamp? Will I need them too?

What would make you think that Microsoft Word would not work in Windows?

You won't be able to use the copy of Office you bought for Mac, though, you'd have to buy a new one for Windows. There are plenty of free alternatives though.

Before you install parallels, check with your tech department to see what, if any test-taking software you will be using. The software may detect parallels, and it won't run at all. Then you wouldn't be able to take exams on your laptop, unless you used a different computer altogether.

Onion wrote:Thanks for the replies, I feel like Parallels is not worth it from what everyone is saying. I will just have to learn to run Windows when I boot my computer. Is it challenging to install windows and use bootcamp? Will my MS Word and other programs work though Windows in Bootcamp? Will I need them too?

1) No, it is not challenging to do the install. Make sure you are plugged into a power source, and follow the directions. It is really easy. To switch back and forth, you just have to restart into the other operating system. It's a few more clicks, and then you reboot. Simple as.

2) No, any Windows programs you are running will not work when you are running Mac OS, and vice versa. Generally speaking, your software is going to be operating system specific.

3) Whether or not you will even need them depends on what you are doing. If you are just doing note taking, and other things where your operating system doesn't matter, then you will be fine only having Word on the Mac OS, while staying primarily in Mac OS (I only boot into Windows if I am either taking an exam or working with Fruityloops, both of which happen with equal frequency). If you need note-taking specific software, there is a One Note alternative for Mac. I forgot what it is called, and I have not found it too useful, to be honest (I have gone back to paper and pen for notes).

fwiw i use vmware and think it's absolutely worth it. i love being able to run windows and macos side-by-side.

enygma wrote:fwiw i use vmware and think it's absolutely worth it. i love being able to run windows and macos side-by-side.

Why? What do you do that necessitates two operating systems at the same time?

Renzo wrote:

enygma wrote:fwiw i use vmware and think it's absolutely worth it. i love being able to run windows and macos side-by-side.

Why? What do you do that necessitates two operating systems at the same time?

onenote and various internet poker apps.

enygma wrote:

Renzo wrote:

enygma wrote:fwiw i use vmware and think it's absolutely worth it. i love being able to run windows and macos side-by-side.

Why? What do you do that necessitates two operating systems at the same time?

nothing.

Gotcha

Renzo wrote:

enygma wrote:

Renzo wrote:

enygma wrote:fwiw i use vmware and think it's absolutely worth it. i love being able to run windows and macos side-by-side.

Why? What do you do that necessitates two operating systems at the same time?

nothing.

Gotcha

onenote is phenomenal. and internet poker is worth the extra $$$*eleventy.

enygma wrote: onenote is phenomenal. and internet poker is worth the extra $$$*eleventy.

Ok, but what do you need to do in OSX while you're using onenote and playing poker?

Renzo wrote:

enygma wrote: onenote is phenomenal. and internet poker is worth the extra $$$*eleventy.

Ok, but what do you need to do in OSX while you're using onenote and playing poker?

not hate windows.

enygma wrote:

Renzo wrote:

enygma wrote: onenote is phenomenal. and internet poker is worth the extra $$$*eleventy.

Ok, but what do you need to do in OSX while you're using onenote and playing poker?

not hate windows.

You either need A) a copy of windows 7 or B) to get over your windows phobia. It's not OSX, but it's downright useable.

Renzo wrote:

enygma wrote:

Renzo wrote:

enygma wrote: onenote is phenomenal. and internet poker is worth the extra $$$*eleventy.

Ok, but what do you need to do in OSX while you're using onenote and playing poker?

not hate windows.

You either need A) a copy of windows 7 or B) to get over your windows phobia. It's not OSX, but it's downright useable.

i've got windows 7. and it is usable. but it's not as good as OSX. if i'm going to spend as much time doing something as i do on my computer, i'm not going to be scrimping and saving. mac it is. best of both worlds it is.

enygma wrote:
i've got windows 7. and it is usable. but it's not as good as OSX. if i'm going to spend as much time doing something as i do on my computer, i'm not going to be scrimping and saving. mac it is. best of both worlds it is.

Agreed, which is why I don't emulate. A laggy OS-in-a-window is a poor substitute for an OS running from a natively form a partition

Renzo wrote:

enygma wrote:
i've got windows 7. and it is usable. but it's not as good as OSX. if i'm going to spend as much time doing something as i do on my computer, i'm not going to be scrimping and saving. mac it is. best of both worlds it is.

Agreed, which is why I don't emulate. A laggy OS-in-a-window is a poor substitute for an OS running from a natively form a partition

it's really good enough if you're not doing hardcore gaming. the only price is battery life, and the times i need my battery running for long enough for it to matter while i'm using windows are few and far between.

Renzo wrote:

enygma wrote:
i've got windows 7. and it is usable. but it's not as good as OSX. if i'm going to spend as much time doing something as i do on my computer, i'm not going to be scrimping and saving. mac it is. best of both worlds it is.

Agreed, which is why I don't emulate. A laggy OS-in-a-window is a poor substitute for an OS running from a natively form a partition

This. Not being a lazy bitch, and dealing with the whopping three minutes it takes for a computer to reboot into a different OS is underrated these days.

So if I use bootcamp to install Windows, I can run OneNote on my Mac?

RW65 wrote:So if I use bootcamp to install Windows, I can run OneNote on my Mac?

Yes. But it will only be a Mac on the outside when you're running Windows.

Renzo wrote:

RW65 wrote:So if I use bootcamp to install Windows, I can run OneNote on my Mac?

Yes. But it will only be a Mac on the outside when you're running Windows.

And we all know it's what's on the inside that really matters