A couple of questions for those in the know...

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None - 24 Jun 2007 23:12 GMT

Got a new MacBook Pro and I'm wondering if any of you here who've
similarly impoverished yourselves could give me any guidance as to the
following:

1.) If I want to run Vista virtually via Parallels, can I do it with an
OEM disk of the requisite version (Business or above), or do I need to
buy the full retail shebang? I mean, it's going to cost around $220 as
it is. Hey, I *told* you I'm impoverished now.

2.)This may not be the right group in which to ask, but if any of you
have by chance ever used NetZero's free 10-hours-per-month dialup on
another machine running Windows, have you tried running their client
software on a Windows virtual machine? I went ahead and got the Apple
USB Modem because I still use dialup as a backup to my DSL. I've heard
both ways about whether or not it works in Windows. Is it a case of
working OK via dual-boot but not virtually? I'm sure I could dial into
NetZero Free running Windows natively provided the modem works, but a
large part of the reason I popped for a Mac was the ability to run OS X
and Vista at the same time, so the more I can do that way, the better.

Thanks in advance, everyone.

Reply to this Message

Mike Rosenberg - 25 Jun 2007 01:47 GMT

> 1.) If I want to run Vista virtually via Parallels, can I do it with an
> OEM disk of the requisite version (Business or above), or do I need to
> buy the full retail shebang? I mean, it's going to cost around $220 as
> it is. Hey, I *told* you I'm impoverished now.

I'm not positive, but I believe an OEM disk will work with Parallels.
BootCamp is very specific about the Windows install discs, Parallels not
so much.

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Reply to this Message

D.L. Harris - 05 Aug 2007 23:44 GMT

You're correct. I used Parallels Desktop to install an OEM of Windows XP
Professional to a Black MacBook with no problems. Tigerdirect.com has a
good selection of Windows operating systems.

On 6/24/07 5:47 PM, in article
1i08bqp.tmt312lyo07nN%mikePOST@TOGROUPmacconsult.com, "Mike Rosenberg"
<mikePOST@TOGROUPmacconsult.com> wrote:

>> 1.) If I want to run Vista virtually via Parallels, can I do it with an
>> OEM disk of the requisite version (Business or above), or do I need to
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> BootCamp is very specific about the Windows install discs, Parallels not
> so much.

Reply to this Message

CyberTaz - 07 Aug 2007 06:29 GMT

Just speculating as I haven't run Parallels at all, but have been using VPC
for several years and imagine the "principles" of Parallels are pretty much
the same.

If you're running Windows as a dual boot, that installation would have to be
configured as though it were actually a physical PC and the Windows software
would make the internet connection work. If running through Parallels the
NetZero config would have to be for Mac & your Win browser would make the
connection through Parallels.

IOW - Physical vs. Virtual would require separate configurations.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

On 6/24/07 6:12 PM, in article OyQ5KzqtHHA.5028@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl, "None"
<none@any.where> wrote:

> Got a new MacBook Pro and I'm wondering if any of you here who've
> similarly impoverished yourselves could give me any guidance as to the
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> Thanks in advance, everyone.

Reply to this Message

None - 07 Aug 2007 23:08 GMT

> Just speculating as I haven't run Parallels at all, but have been using VPC
> for several years and imagine the "principles" of Parallels are pretty much
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> IOW - Physical vs. Virtual would require separate configurations.

Thanks to all who replied-even six weeks late!

What I ended up doing was downloading and installing the beta of VMWare
Fusion and using it to install and run Vista Business OEM in a virtual
machine. There are some issues still, mainly having to do with the
virtualization software as opposed to the OS, but since Fusion just went
gold I'm hoping they'll all be worked out soon. I really had wanted to
go with Parallels but I was never able to get a good activation code
from them. Not a good omen when they stick out their hand asking for
$80 and can't even provide a working free trial.

With regard to the NetZero issue, as I explained the client software for
the free version *has* to run in Windows. Therefore, the question I
really should have asked is whether the Apple USB Modem can be used by a
Windows virtual machine. (The client software handles making the
connection and authentication and does so in a non-standard way, so
dialing in manually in OS X isn't an option.) If my experience is any
indication, it can't. The driver provided for it in Boot Camp
installed, but the modem wouldn't dial afterwards, complaining about not
getting a dial tone. I *could* hear one, but it was horribly distorted
by static of some sort. Anyway, we just had our annual back-to-school
sales tax holiday this past weekend, and since computer peripherals were
among the eligible items, I picked up a Zoom Model 3095 USB modem, which
looks like a black version of Apple's but apparently has an actual
hardware controller on board and thus can be used in both OS X and
Windows (they even claim it'll work with Linux). So, my free ten hours
per month from NetZero are once again available if I need them. Just
wish this thing had been out a couple of months ago. Might have saved
me $50.

So, to sum up, you *can* run Vista OEM virtually, but if you need dialup
or fax and you've got to do it in Windows, you'll need to either pick up
another modem or hope the bugs with the Apple modem's Windows driver get
resolved soon.

Reply to this Message

CanSpam - 29 Aug 2007 15:34 GMT

Have you filed a bug with Apple support?

None felt like saying:

> So, to sum up, you *can* run Vista OEM virtually, but if you need dialup
> or fax and you've got to do it in Windows, you'll need to either pick up
> another modem or hope the bugs with the Apple modem's Windows driver get
> resolved soon.

Reply to this Message

None - 30 Aug 2007 01:08 GMT

> Have you filed a bug with Apple support?

No, because: a.) I think someone already did, and: b.) Apple really
doesn't guarantee the modem will work in a Windows virtual machine (the
Boot Camp driver, of course, is intended to be used with Windows being
run natively), and finally: c.) I'm running Vista instead of XP, which
means that I'm kind of on the bleeding edge as far as compatibility is
concerned.

And in addition to all of the above, I have another solution that works,
for the few times I'll ever really need it.

Which, I think, is good, since I don't think Apple will bother with
fixing this even if someone else *has* reported it. How many grizzled
old campaigners like me who still have Windows-only dialup needs can
there be left?

Reply to this Message

CanSpam - 22 Sep 2007 09:14 GMT

Fair enough.

>> Have you filed a bug with Apple support?
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> old campaigners like me who still have Windows-only dialup needs can
> there be left?

Reply to this Message

Mac Forum / Applications / Other MS Products / September 2007

A couple of questions for those in the know...