Parallels Desktop is a Mac application that allows virtualizing the Windows OS on any Mac. Like the VirtualBox for Windows, the Parallels Desktop also is a virtualization software where you could install the Windows or its applications seamlessly. If you’ve recently moved from a Windows machine to a Mac, or if you just want to see what Windows 8 has to offer, Parallels could be right for you. The app enables you to run Windows either as a full virtualisation of Windows, with the new Metro interface and a standard desktop, or by opening.
While Mac hardware is perfectly matched to the macOS, but it is not the only operating system that can be run on your Mac's hardware.
Regardless of the reasons you'd want to, plenty of other operating systems, including many of the Window and Linux operating systems, are able to run on your Mac. That makes the Mac among the most versatile of computers you can buy. Here's what we'd use to install Windows on a Mac.
Boot Camp
Perhaps the best-known option for running Windows is Boot Camp. Boot Camp, included free with your Mac, allows you to install Windows and then lets dual boot between Mac or Windows when you start up.
Because Boot Camp runs Windows directly on your Mac's hardware (there is no virtualization or emulation to be performed) Windows can run at the best possible speed your Mac is able to deliver. Mitchell auto repair free software.
Installing Windows on your Mac is no more difficult than installing Windows on any PC. Apple even provides the Boot Camp Assistant to partition the startup drive to make room for Windows as well as to install all the drivers Windows will need for all of the special Apple hardware.
- Supports Windows 7, 8.1, and 10.
- Windows runs natively on the Mac hardware for best performance.
- Requires full Windows license for the initial install.
- Can't run Windows and Mac OS concurrently.
Virtualization
Virtualization allows multiple operating systems to run on computer hardware at the same time or at least for practical purposes it seems like the same time. Virtualization abstracts the hardware layer, making it look like each operating system has its own processor, RAM, graphics, and storage that it needs to run.
Virtualization on the Mac makes use of a software layer called hypervisor to emulate all the underlying hardware. As a result, the guest operating system running on the virtual machine does not run as fast as in Boot Camp. But unlike Boot Camp, both the Mac operating system and the guest operating system can be running at the same time.
There are three primary virtualization apps for the Mac:
- Parallels: The first to bring virtualization to the Mac. Parallels supports a wide range of guest OSs including Windows, Linux, and Mac.
- VMWare Fusion: Fusion is the Mac virtualization app offered by VMWare (a long time leader in virtualization technology.) Fusion supports the installation of many different operating systems including Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.
- VirtualBox: Oracle supports an open source virtualization app known as VirtualBox. This free virtualization app runs on multiple computer systems including the Mac. Like the other virtualization apps, VirtualBox can be used to run many different operating systems including Windows, Linux, and the Mac OS.
Installing the virtualization apps themselves is similar to any other Mac app you install through the installation of the guest OS can be a bit more involved with a bit of customization required to obtain the best performance. All three apps have lively forums and support services to help with tuning the performance. Dmg file will not install on mac.
- Concurrent operations let you run both the Mac OS and any guest OS you wish side-by-side.
- You're not limited to just Windows, a large number of guest OSes are supported.
- Performance tuning and customization is needed to achieve the best performance.
- May impact the performance of your Mac.
Wine
Wine takes a different approach to running Windows apps on your Mac. Forgive us, this gets a bit nerdy: Instead of virtualizing the Mac hardware and running Windows in the virtual environment, Wine forgoes using the Windows OS completely; instead, it converts on-the-fly Windows API calls made by the Windows app to POSIX (portable operating system interface) calls that are used on Linux and Mac operating systems.
The results is the Window app being able to run using the host operating systems API instead of those used by Windows. At least that’s the promise, the reality tends to be a bit less than promised.
The problem is that trying to convert all of the Windows API calls is a huge undertaking, and there is no guarantee that an app you want to use has had all of its API calls successfully translated.
Although the task seems daunting, Wine does have quite a few app success stories, and that's the key to using Wine, checking the Wine database to make sure the Windows app you need to use has been successfully tested using Wine.
Installing Wine on the Mac can be a challenge for those not use to installing open-source Linux/UNIX apps. Wine is distributed via tarballs or .pkg though I would recommend using the .pkg method which includes a semi-standard Mac installer.
After the installation is complete, Wine has to be run from the Terminal, though once a Windows app is up and running you will be using the standard Mac GUI.
- Free and requires no Windows license.
- Large database for checking app compatibility.
- Not all Window apps will run.
- Apps may break when the Mac OS is updated.
Crossover Mac
Crossover Mac is an app from Codeweaver designed to make the best use of Wine translator (see above) in a Mac environment. It includes an easy to use installer for both the Crossover Mac app and for installing Windows apps on your Mac.
There is no need to venture into Terminal as is required with Wine, Crossover Mac hides all the underlying UNIX bits and bobs behind a standard Mac user interface.
While Crossover Mac is a better user experience, it still relies on the Wine code for translating Windows APIs to their Mac equivalents. This means Crossover Mac has the same issues as Wine when it comes to apps actually working correctly. Your best bet is to use the database of working apps in the CrossOver website to ensure the app you want to run will actually work.
And don’t forget you can use the trial version of Crossover Mac to make sure everything works as expected.
- Easy installation of the Crossover Mac app and Windows apps.
- Not all Windows apps will run.
- Some Windows apps run but may have features that will not work.
Microsoft Remote Desktop
This option is listed last because you aren't actually running Windows on your Mac. Once Windows Remote Desktop is set up, Windows is actually running on a PC and you are connecting to it with your Mac.
The results are the Windows desktop appearing in a window on your Mac. Within the window you can manipulate the Windows desktop, launching apps, moving files around, even playing a few games, though graphic intensive games or app are not a good choice due to the limits of how fast the remote Windows desktop can be sent across a network connection to your Mac.
Installation and setup is easy enough, you can download the app from the Mac App Store. Mac os x el capitan 10.11 6 installer dmg download. Once installed you need only enable remote access on the Windows system, and then select the Windows system within the Remote Desktop app to access and use its apps.
- Free.
- Easy to set up and use.
- Performance limited by network bandwidth.
- Possible security concerns with allowing connections to a remote PC.
Parallels Desktop for Mac has been around as long as my first Intel powered Mac. I purchased Parallels Desktop (I believe it was version 3) on the same receipt as my first Mac. It was a black MacBook, and I was in love. But, my old relationship with Windows still had a hold on me. If not on my heart, then on my pocketbook. I had numerous applications I used with Windows, and even though many of them had versions for Mac, or there were equally good apps that would run under Mac, my billfold wouldn’t allow that for awhile, so I tried Parallels Desktop.
Overview
For those unfamiliar with Parallels Desktop 7, it’s an application you can run on your Mac that will allow you to run Windows and various other operating systems side by side with your Mac applications. (You will need an installation package and a valid license to install and run any Operating Systems inside Parallels Desktop.) It can be set up to run full screen or in a window, and can also run in what Parallels calls “Coherence” mode, where the Windows apps appear on your desktop just as native Mac apps would.
Operation
While Parallels Desktop has always done a satisfactory job running Windows and its applications, they have found ways in each update to improve the integration and performance of the application. Here are a few of the new features in version 7.
- Launchpad support in Lion.
- Full screen support in Lion.
- Windows hard drive now shows up on the OS X desktop.
- Parallels Wizard makes it easier to setup a new virtual machine.
- You can now purchase Windows 7 from within the Parallels Wizard.
- You can now download virtual machines from within the wizard. Available VMs include Fedora, Chrome, and Ubuntu. I even installed a preview version of Windows 8 thru the wizard.
- There is a new version of Parallels Mobile. It now allows access of the VMs from an iPad.
- Seamless printer access, cut, copy and paste is improved.
- Now has the ability to use your Mac’s iSight camera in Windows.
- Improved look and feel for the built-in help system.
For the purposes of this review, I downloaded and installed the Fedora 15 VM that’s available through the wizard. It took less than 15 minutes to download, extract, and install the VM.
All of this was done automatically by the wizard. When it was finished, the Fedora showed up in the list of available VM’s, and with a single click, I was using a Fedora 15 machine. Most users will probably be using Parallels Desktop 7 to run a virtual Windows machine, but it’s great to have the option of running other Intel based operating Systems on your Mac.
Once your virtual machine is installed and setup to your satisfaction, you’ll find its performance is near that of the OS running on an actual PC. Disk access, application speed, and graphic performance is more than satisfactory. I’m not sure I would run any graphically intensive games that have been recently released for the PC on the VM, but for day to day business and productivity apps the VMs provide more than adequate performance.
I had previously purchased the iOS Parallels app, and updated it for this review. The app works smoothly, and allows you to remotely access your Mac, and the virtual machines running on your Mac. It’s a bit of a pain to use a mouse based OS with a touch device, but if you need to remotely access your Mac and its virtual machines, it more than does the job.
Verdict
Parallels Desktop 7 is worth the update, especially for Mac OS X Lion users, and the improved performance and ease of use is well worth the price. The integration with Lion makes using your virtual machines alongside your Lion desktop easier than ever.
If you’re a new Mac user, and you still need to have access to the world of Windows, Parallels Desktop 7 is a great solution, allowing you to move into the world of Mac, while still being able to run any Windows apps you’re still in need of.
Price: $79.99 Full Version, $49.99 Upgrade Version (From Parallels Desktop version 5 or 6). Both versions available online from the Parallels website.
iOS version available on the App Store ($4.99 for a limited time, Standard price will be $19.99 – App Store Link)
Rating: 4/5[rating:4]
Pros
- Virtual machines are easy to install, and they install quickly when using the Wizard.
- Integration with OS X is better than ever, especially with Lion.
- Remote Control of your Mac and your Virtual Machines.
- Performance of the virtual machines has improved each version.
Cons
- A discount on Windows 7 would be nice when buying it through the Wizard.
- Installation of Parallels Tools on some of the Linux Based VMs would hang.