Dec 12, 2012 Parallels vs Bootcamp for Windows 8? Discussion in 'Windows, Linux & Others on the Mac' started. Is it possible to use the same product key to activate windows 8 on a mac. If not where can I buy a key from. The live titles are really just a bloated start menu an once I started working from that point of view, it was simple to navigate. A tool called Parallels Transporter was included to allow users to migrate their Windows PC, or existing VMware or Virtual PC VMs to Parallels Desktop for Mac. Netsys lawsuit [ edit ] This section needs to be updated.
Screenshots
Description
Parallels also makes it extremely easy to access Windows files on OS X and vice-versa. When using Windows 10, your Mac’s Home, iCloud, Photo Library are mounted as network drives, which makes it extremely easy to share content between the two devices (the Mac and the virtual machine).
Parallels Desktop Lite allows users to easily run Window, Linux, and popular applications on your Mac.
Avoid rebooting your Mac to switch between operating systems or when switching between Mac, Windows, or Linux applications.
Note: Existing Parallels Desktop® for Mac users are not recommended to move to Parallels Desktop Lite.
Run Internet Explorer®, Quicken®, QuickBooks, and hundreds of other Windows and Linux applications side by side with macOS apps like Pages® and Keynote®.
Brought to you by the world-class developers of the #1-rated Mac virtualization software.
### Pricing:
Running virtual machines requires an in-app purchase of an auto-renewable subscription (1 year). You can cancel at any time.
There is a fully functional 14-day trial, so you can test Parallels Desktop Lite (including installation and use of Windows) before you commit.
Note: Microsoft Windows is not included and must be purchased separately.
With Parallels Desktop Lite, you can run the following operating systems in a virtual machine on your Mac:
• Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista®, and XP
• macOS Mojave 1014, macOS High Sierra 10.13, macOS Sierra 10.12, OS X El Capitan 10.11, OS X Yosemite 10.10, OS X Mavericks 10.9, OS X Mountain Lion 10.8, and OS X Lion 10.7.x
• Most Linux distributions
System Requirements:
• Late 2011 or newer Mac
• macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 or later
• 4 GB of memory (8 GB recommended)
• 450 MB of disk space on the boot volume (Macintosh HD) for Parallels Desktop installation
• SSD is recommended for best performance
• Additional disk space for virtual machines (varies on operating system installed)
Seamless integration features between Mac and Windows, including productivity boosters built in. These features include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Copy/paste formatted text between macOS, Windows, and Linux
• Drag and drop files between macOS, Windows, and Linux
• Share Mac folders with Windows—including Desktop, Documents, and Downloads—without duplication and saving precious disk space on your Mac
• Resize window to get desired Windows or Linux resolution
• 3D graphics acceleration up to DirectX® 10.1
• Use Mac printers in Windows
• Mouse synchronization enables the mouse to move seamlessly between the macOS, Windows, and Linux
We want you to be completely satisfied with Parallels Desktop Lite. If you have any feedback, problems or concerns, please contact us at https://www.parallels.com/products/lite/support/
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Duration and price of each subscription are displayed in the Parallels’ storefront, updated at the time of purchase. Payment will be charged to iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off no later than 24 hours before the end of the current period. Subscriptions and auto-renewal can be managed/turned off in the iTunes account settings.
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Terms of Use: https://www.parallels.com/about/legal/terms/
What’s New
This update for Parallels Desktop Lite 1.4.0 addresses overall stability and performance issues, and includes the following fixes and improvements:
Performance
• Up to 80 percent faster application launch.
• Up to 30 percent faster suspend operation on APFS partition.
• Up to 130 percent more frames per second in Shared Camera.
Linux support
• Install Ubuntu 18.04, Fedora 28, and Linux Mint 19 in virtual machines right from Parallels Desktop.
• Support for mmap() in Linux Shared Folders.
• New pre-configured virtual machines with Debian GNU/Linux 9 and CentOS 7.
• Resolves an issue with Parallels Tools not installing in openSUSE Leap 15 and Ubuntu Linux.
• Resolves an issue with Parallels Tools not working in Linux virtual machines with X Server 1.20.
• Resolves an issue with Ubuntu 18.04 virtual machines periodically crashing or locking up.
• Resolves an issue with Ubuntu 18.10 virtual machines not installing.
• Resolves an issue with not being able to mount the same shared folder twice in a Linux virtual machine.
Graphics
• The new “Auto” mode for graphics allows Windows to use more than 2 GB of Mac system memory for graphics, while allowing Windows applications to use it when possible.
• Support for OpenGL 3.x in Windows virtual machines.
• Improved the way a virtual machine is displayed on 4K+ monitors:
• reduced the system and graphics memory consumption;
• increased performance when 3D acceleration is turned off.
• Improved the way a virtual machine is displayed on multiple monitors when the macOS “Displays have separate Spaces” option is turned off.
Ready for macOS 10.14 Mojave
• Parallels Desktop Lite supports Dark Mode.
• Use the virtual machine’s Edit menu to insert pictures from your iPhone or iPad into Windows applications.
• Quick Look in Windows has the same functionality as that in macOS.
• Parallels Desktop Lite uses the Mojave technology to take screenshots.
Integration with Mac
• Use your Mac’s camera that supports up to 4K resolutions in a virtual machine
• Use the Touch Bar to work with more Windows applications.
• The size of the virtual machine hard disk (.hdd file) is optimized by means of native Windows defragmentation.
Security
• Backing up a virtual machine with Time Machine has been simplified. Now if you want to add a virtual machine to the backup list or exclude it from this list, just do what you need in the Time Machine preferences.
• Backing up a virtual machine with Acronis True Image has been improved.
Usability
• Easier way to get help from Parallels - click Help > Support Center to access the webpage where you can find the most popular knowledgeable articles, links to the Parallels forums, social media and technical documentation, get personalized support and much more.
• The “Free Up Disk Space” dialog has been redesigned and simplified. Now you can use it to reduce the amount of disk space occupied by all your virtual machines.
• A paused virtual machine resumes automatically when you drag a file to its window.
• As most of Windows customers have switched from Windows 8 to Windows 10, the “Enable swipe from edges” option is disabled by default in order not to confuse users.
• Windows Maintenance feature has been improved.
• For new virtual machines, the SmartGuard backup functionality now keeps 3 snapshots by default (not to occupy additional disk space).
• The Resource Monitor has been redesigned. Use it to check how much CPU and memory is consumed by your Mac and all virtual machines.
• Monitor the virtual machine CPU usage in the virtual machine status bar.
• When you click a macOS notification that a technical data report has been sent, the report ID is automatically copied to the clipboard.
Support for keyboard layouts
• Improved support for the German keyboard layout.
• Improved support for the Japanese keyboard layout.
• Added support for the Brazilian Portuguese keyboard layout.
Best option for Mac OS X (when it was free)
I'm only interested in running Linux occasionally in a guest on my Mac and it seems to be significantly faster than VirtualBox (at least when it comes to handling the retina display). Taking a star off as the lastest update requires a yearly subscription, although I've been given 1 year trial as an existing user (thanks!). I have a year to think about, try other options, but it looks like buying Parallels Desktop directly (one-off payment, possibly with the occasional upgrade) is still cheaper than the Parallels Desktop *Lite* subscription (from which Apple probably grabs a bing chunk).
Shame it now requires a subscription
I've been playing around with Ubuntu a bit, mostly for fun. Parallels Lite was decent for that when it was free, but, unless I fine a killer use for it before my year's free subscription is over, it's highly unlikely I'll want to pay a £74 per year subscription after that.
Unable to upgrade via Lite
I used the 14 day trial to test this out, and was pretty impressed. It allows you to work seemlessly between mac and windows applications. I was impressed enough to upgrade to the annual subscription. This has not worked for me, and it appears that the only option is to purchase the full desktop package from the website, outside the app store. This is a more expensive product than quoted in the app, and means I need to manage the subscription separately.
Not very impressed, and still deciding whether I want the hassle.
I’m very supprised that I can not follow the upgrade model offered in the app, but from speaking to your online support there seems to be no way to resolve this issue.
Developer Response,
Dear RichardGWood, Thank you very much for the review and please accept our apologies for the inconvenience you have had. Please drop us an email at dg@parallels.com and our support will look into this for you. Thanks, Parallels Team
Information
macOS 10.13.2 or later, 64-bit processor
English, Czech, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese
Supports
Family Sharing
Up to six family members will be able to use this app with Family Sharing enabled.
As Mac users, it’s easy to turn our noses up at running Windows, but the truth is that it sometimes can’t be avoided. Be it for work or for playing video games, running Microsoft’s operating system on Apple hardware isn’t nearly as hard as it seems like it would be.
There are two main ways to go about this: virtualization and Boot Camp. The former involves running a macOS application that allows you to run Windows within, while the latter equips you to reboot your Mac fully into Windows.
There are several factors involved in picking the correct path, including price, ease of use, and flexibility. It’s also important to consider what sorts of tasks you need to achieve with your Windows installation, as that may make the right decision more clear.
If you need access to a couple of Windows apps while you’re running macOS, it’s best to virtualize. Running Windows in a virtual machine (dubbed a “VM”) also allows you to store it all on something like an external SSD, as Boot Camp requires a chunk of your boot drive.
For that trade, Boot Camp offers direct, native access to your Mac’s hardware. If you want to game in Windows on your Mac, it’s the way to go.
Virtualization Apps
There are three virtualization apps worth considering.
Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion are very similar options. Neither are free, but they come with great customer support if you need help:
- Parallels runs anywhere from $79.99/yr to $99.99/yr, depending on your needs. That subscription means your software is always up to date, ready for new versions of both macOS and Windows.
- Fusion follows a more traditional model. The current version is $79.99 for a new license, while an upgrade license will set you back just $49.99.
The third option is VirtualBox, an open-source (and free) option. While there is a vibrant online community around this application, if you are virtualizing Windows for work, I think it’s more than worth the price of admission to pick up Parallels or Fusion.
Parallels
Parallels Desktop is the best way to run Windows on your Mac. It offers lots of flexibility when it comes to which operating systems it can run and it offers a customizable experience to make it your own.
Set-up & Settings
Installing Windows 10 from an .iso downloaded directly from Microsoft’s store took just a few minutes. While most people will probably be installing Windows, Parallels can host all sorts of operating systems:
You can install Windows from an ISO, as I did, or even download a trial of Windows from Microsoft within the application. Additionally, Parallels can download a bunch of Linux distros and even download Modern.IE virtual machines, which are helpful when you need to test websites in old versions of Internet Explorer.
Parallels can transfer information from an existing PC, including that computer’s operating system. You can boot your Boot Camp partition as if it were a VM.
For my purposes, I installed the 64-bit version of Windows 10. After installation, I was prompted to create a Parallels account. This ties the app to Parallels’ website, keeping your license keys and subscriptions updated. After logging in, I was greeted with my Windows 10 VM:
There are a whole bunch of settings that can be tweaked. Things like how much RAM is allocated to the VM and what sort of network access it has can be adjusted. You can grant access to hardware like your Mac’s SD card slot, USB ports, and more as needed.
Parallels comes with a bunch of creature comforts too, though.
It can automatically share the contents of your Mac with the VM and vice versa. This means if you create a text file and save it to your Desktop, it will appear on the desktop of your macOS virtual machine:
It can open Mail.app on your Mac if you click an email link within the VM itself, and even automatically pause the VM when you aren’t using it, giving macOS more resources when possible. Parallels can even sync your clipboard across your Mac and its VMs and add your printer to your VM’s operating system automatically.
For those of us with macOS shortcuts engrained into our hands and brains, Parallels can pass those to your VM so you don’t have to hit Ctrl + C to copy when you are used to Cmd + C.
If you want your VM to be completely isolated from its host Mac, you can enable that, too.
Coherence Mode
The integration between host is even visual with Parallels. Running Windows apps can appear in your macOS dock, for example:
By default, Parallels VMs are in their own windows, but in Coherence mode, the lines are blurred. Here’s Finder and File Explorer, side by side, for example:
There’s no Windows background anymore. My Windows apps still look like Windows, but they operate like macOS apps. They appear in the Dock and even the Cmd + Tab switcher. Task bar items are even added to the Mac’s menu bar:
The clever features don’t end there. The Windows start menu can be opened via the VM’s Dock icon or the Parallels menu bar item when in Coherence mode.
In this mode, Parallels truly blends the VM into the macOS experience. If you need access to a single Windows app and don’t want the visual clutter of actually seeing Windows, this mode is for you.
Personally, I like to think about VMs as being contained islands. I don’t mind some limited sharing, but I want there to be a clear separation.
Performance & Utility
It’s hard to measure the speed of virtual machines. Your mileage will vary based on what computer you have, how much RAM it is equipped with, and more.
In measurable aspects, like VM boot time, Parallels was faster than VMware Fusion across the board on my iMac Pro.
Parallels comes with a bunch of virtual machine management tools. You can create snapshots of your VM to restore to at a later time if a software update goes poorly.
Mac Windows Boot Camp
The application comes with Parallels Toolbox, a collection of utilities. I’m not sold on the value of these tools, but they come with a subscription to Parallels.
VMware Fusion
Fusion is the big competitor to Parallels, and while it does not require an annual subscription, it lacks some of the polish of its rival. That said, comparing the two applications side by side, there is very little difference in terms of features.
For some users, it may come down to price. Some users simply don’t want an annual subscription. I understand that, but I have more faith in Parallels’ future. VMware is a huge company, owned by Dell. Fusion is just one product in their catalogue, and a few years ago, it was rumored that Fusion may not be long for this world. VMware denied the report, but I can’t shake the feeling that Parallels is a better long-term bet.
Fusion includes a feature named Unity, which is very much like Parallels’ Coherence mode. The Windows backdrop goes away, and Windows apps show up directly in the macOS interface, including the Dock and App Switcher. However, not all of the resources used are Retina quality, leading to blurry icons in places. Worse, the entire system feels slower than Parallels. Even on an iMac Pro, Unity mode will stutter and have to redraw windows instead of smoothly animating them.
Boot Camp
As virtualization — running Windows inside a macOS app — lets you use both macOS and Windows at the same time, it’s probably the best option for most people. The convenience of having your one or two must-have Windows apps right next to the data and apps on your Mac is hard to beat.
However, virtualization comes with a price: computational overhead. You’ll be sharing your Mac’s CPU, GPU, and RAM across what is effectively two computers. Most modern Macs have more than enough horsepower for this, but if you want to run Windows on your Mac for gaming, Boot Camp is your best bet.
Boot Camp is built into macOS, and supports Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7, depending on the age of the host Mac. If you’re running a Mac built in 2012 or later, you should be set for Windows 10.
Be sure to visit Apple’s support pages to verify which version of Windows your machine will support via Boot Camp before you run out and buy something. There’s a lot of fine print here.
Installing Windows via Boot Camp is pretty straight forward. There’s an app in your Mac’s Utilities folder named Boot Camp Assistant. You’ll need it, as well as a disk image file (.iso) of the Windows installer. If you purchase Windows online from Microsoft, you can download an ISO directly from the company’s store.
Boot Camp Assistant will walk you through selecting how much disk space you want to allocate to Windows. This will become a new partition on your Mac’s SSD; the space will be removed from the free space you can access in macOS.
Windows 10 Start Menu Not Working
Once the partition is created, you may be prompted to insert a USB drive for Boot Camp Assistant to download the necessary Windows drivers and the OS will install.
Once everything is complete, you can select which OS you’d like to boot into via the Startup Disk preference pane in macOS or the Boot Camp system tray item in Windows.
Boot Camp gives Windows direct access to your Mac’s hardware, meaning it’s a great option for things like gaming or heavy rendering, but for most users who may need access to one or two Windows-only apps, it’s simply too much trouble to reboot between operating systems.
In Closing
To wrap this up, Boot Camp is great if you need the full hardware capabilities of your Mac to be funneled into your virtual machine. If not, Parallels is an excellent choice. It’s fast, easy to use, and comes with a lot of features that make living in two operating systems easier than ever.