Bootcamp vs. VMware Fusion on Mac
It may well be a fan of Mac OS, we must admit that sometimes we need to use Windows, especially in the context of business use of their Mac. Personally I have encountered this dilemma. So I looked at the options open to me. The list is quite short VMware Fusion & Bootcamp. But I also tried Parallels. The easiest way to indulge in work with Windows applications is, in my opinion, BootCamp. Indeed, what could be easier: Create using wizard assistant to a new section, Windows rolls back and work as if nothing had happened, the benefit of all the drivers are now available on the disc with "Leo". The problem here is only one: the need for a reboot, including neither of which parallel the work of OS X and Windows can only dream. But data from the Windows partition without problems read the hard drive and works smoothly there for various work if coupled with virtualization. Another undoubted advantage of this approach is the fact that many current VM can easily pick up data from a BootCamp partition.
So far, I will choose between a bunch of BootCamp + Parallels / VMware. Who from the past will remain on disk and will be purchased - the question still open. Each product has its advantages and disadvantages. While I was going to see VMware beta 2, and at the same time to watch how things will maintain itself Parallels. If you run before it falls - make the choice easier. A few words about the shortcomings of virtualization. First - resources. About the fact that normally drives the Windows application in parallel with Leopard on a MacBook with a gigabyte of memory can forget: entertainment lowers than average. Remember the unkind word miser Apple, for some reason, supplying their junior typewriter with memory, whose butt is sufficient only for the functioning of the system and put two strips of gigabytes.
When working with a common task Parallels wins VMware Fusion, performing all nearly six times faster than with Windows XP and 5.2 times faster than with Vista. This is not because of poor performance virtualization engine, but because of how the program works. Parallels is designed so that the virtual machine can transparently interact with the main system, but VMware Fusion on the contrary trying to isolate every working environment. VMware is simple, comfortable, built into the system fast, especially fast. Quick to create a virtual machine, quick to install the operating system and above all quick to work with the system. Enviable performance is not very powerful machine. Working in Windows and Linux without leaving our favorite operating system easily, quickly and without compromising performance is no longer a problem.
Boot camp:
Boot Camp is a tool to install Windows 7 on a Macintosh. The application helps you to partition your hard drive so that it can accommodate Mac OS and Windows 7. During installation, Boot Camp will be responsible for burning a CD with the drivers necessary for the proper functioning of the machine in the Windows world. Once Boot Camp installed, it will be possible to select which system should be initiated, using a menu presented before starting the computer. Boot Camp is a boot loader that the computer starts Intel Macs can choose between the operating system from Apple or Windows home. In practice, the Mac user buys a license for the Windows operating system to be installed on a partition or another disk of the computer, and so have both OS. Some users may prefer, however, a virtualization solution.
Until now, Boot Camp officially supported Windows XP and Windows Vista, but Apple promised support of Windows 7 by the end of 2009. Little late for the firm that offers the apple support yesterday via an update to 3.1 of Boot Camp. As for version 3.0, Boot Camp 3.1 is for Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard). With Boot Camp 3.1, Apple stated that it had added support for Windows 7 (Home Premium, Business, Ultimate), but the wireless keyboard and mouse Mouse Magic , have corrected problems with the trackpad, the extinction of Red LED audio port on a laptop when not in use. For support of Windows 7 on a Mac computer using Boot Camp 3.1, Apple gives a list of machines where there is an exception. The Boot Camp 3.1 update is available in two versions: for Windows 32-bit and 64-bit Windows. To accompany Boot Camp 3.1, there are other updates. The " Boot Camp utility for Windows 7 Upgrade "to the smooth transition from Windows Vista to Windows 7 to ensure one. The Driver Update of iMac Late 2009 Windows 7 Drivers "is needed on the 27-inch iMac to install Windows 7.
Note: Boot Camp works only on Macs with Intel processors and can only install Windows 7.
Re: Bootcamp vs. VMware Fusion on Mac
VMware Fusion:
VMware Fusion on the Mac complete simulated operating systems from Windows to Solaris. The software offers so-called virtual machines. Properly equipped, the program works with it as a "system in the system". VMware Fusion is particularly suitable for software testers and security-conscious users. Under VMware Fusion can run as Windows or Linux. Completely isolated from the real system and thus in a completely secure environment VMware Fusion is a complete computer emulator. This allows such applications to try without having to change the system settings of the operating system must.
VMware has a long tradition and brought in 1998 the first commercial virtualization solution for x86 machines on the market. Since then the company has become the market leader there. Compared to Parallels for VMware, the decision was a product on the Mac to make it very late. There were beta version to admire only one and we were surprised at that time about the lack of enthusiasm with the VMware Fusion praised.
After the completed download of a 172MB big installer this is easy to install and then VMware Fusion is located in the Applications folder on your Mac. Unlike Parallels, VMware has all the tools under a single user interface combined and divided into several programs. This increases the overview. However, a merger takes 287MB on the hard disk is also much more space than parallels desktop (78MB). This was partly because the disk image with the VMware tools are also in the package.
Bootcamp vs. VMware Fusion:
Desktop:
In full screen mode, no access to hardware or settings, except to invoke the menu bar (with seating assets) on Parallels. Bar provided by VMware. The pitcher VMware is better designed and allows full control of devices and settings in Unity mode, then it must return to window mode under Parallels or display menu (not possible in Crystal).
The menu display is needed to start Parallels when we can completely get rid of it under Fusion. The mode menu icon Crystal does not allow the standby or off. The icons in the taskbar of Windows are displayed in Unity / Coherence, but for Windows 7, Fusion cannot do it (Parallels yes)
Mac:
Support for keyboard shortcuts and basic best on VMware (on Parallels, the minimum is configured) Support functions of the trackpad and multitouch remote: only Parallels (zoom in / front and rear). None of the 2 only supports the iSight without installing the BootCamp drivers. Under Full-screen mode Bootcamp can handle multiples screens, but is limited to a single screen in Fusion. Better responsiveness on a Mac under Parallels config to 4 GB to 8 GB Insensitive. Fusion supports 4 cores of CPU and bootcamp can work on 8 cores.
Installation:
Bootcamp :
I started with BootCamp, downloaded for free from Apple's website software allows you as the name suggests choosing which OS you want to boot: Mac or Windows. Once the software is downloaded and installed, please have a Windows CD (XP or Vista) with its license, and follow the steps. About 20 minutes later you're on Windows. The choice is made when you start your Mac machine, when you turn it on, hold down the ALT key and you will have a choice between booting Windows or Mac.
At that time, the problems start, in effect, you must create a disk containing Mac drivers to install devices in Windows: Wi-Fi card, internet, sound, etc. That's pretty long, especially as long as you have not installed and configured all devices under Windows, if you need to search for information on the internet, the only solution is to reboot. Not very practical. Personally that's what prompted me to try VMware Fusion.
VMware Fusion
There is no requirement here to run any driver for the virtualization software. You can simply install and run windows on that. The software usually take care about the switching work between Mac and Windows. So in other words everything in that is managed by windows itself which you need to manually configure when you run a fresh installation. This gives a practical environment of dragging and dropping the files.
File Transfer
What I think that BootCamp is the best option for file transfer. If you choose this one then you get a symbol of Mac Hard drive on your screen. All you need to put the file in that. The only hassle for this is to reboot the system and then get the file. It works almost with all types of software and applications. You can simply get your Windows desktop on your Mac system also. The icon of the hard drive which appears on the screen is the primary hard drive of Mac system. So you can move documents to and fro with that.
Re: Bootcamp vs. VMware Fusion on Mac
Performance:
Certainly deserves the attention of major improvements in Fusion 3 - Support for Windows 7. The new version adds a graphics driver for Windows 7, and if the "pull" of your Mac's graphics subsystem, the effect of Aero Glass, along with DirectX 9 and OpenGL 1.4 for 3D. VMware says that the new version reduced memory consumption and improved overall system performance, including the work of Mack the running virtual machine.
On 24-inch iMac with 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo, 3 GB RAM and Radeon HD 2600 XT all effects Aero Glass display and worked as fast as in Boot Camp, slowing down only occasionally. Fully work out the function Aero Peek (the appearance of application windows when you hover the mouse on the taskbar) and Flip 3D (three-dimensional pseudo-window switching). On simple tasks Windows 7 running very smoothly. Many standard applications work just fine. For example, it is difficult to find the difference between the speed of Google Chrome for a virtual machine in Boot Camp. Now only for the sake of this, we recommend to switch to Fusion 3.
However, soon it became clear that the performance of Windows in a virtual environment is not sufficient for advanced tasks. Even with 1.5GB of RAM allocated to virtual machine, graphically intense applications using DirectX 9 and OpenGL, brakes. Zune 4.0 on our iMac running smoothly, but was prone to occasional stuttering when playing music. Video playback mode Unity (key advertised feature) is also not work too well. Resizing windows fast enough and strongly resembles the way it happens at netbooks Windows.
Performance of modern 3D games in a virtual machine is far from desirable. Highly saturated graphics games like Left 4 Dead 2, of course, loaded with full detail, but will be very slow, much slower than Boot Camp: We counted less than one frame per second, compared to 30 in Boot Camp. Despite improvements, the virtual machine on a Mac is not a complete platform for modern games and 3D modeling. Working in a virtual machine by integrating the main components of the Mac with Windows. In addition to improving the transfer of files between partitions using Drag 'n Drop (support for images, text and Outlook attachments), now it made sense to run the Fusion 3 in full screen mode on multiple monitors with a resolution of 4096 × 4096 or higher.
Recovery
The recovery process Bootcamp / VM or physical PC is slow and buggy on Parallels. The same thing is fast and transparent Fusion. More access to the settings when creating machine under Parallels, at least in Fusion. Overall settings are thick on Parallels. +1 For the ability to ignore the MV for Time Machine. Improved stability for Fusion, Parallels sometimes random behaviors during waking. Major difficulties in using bamboo as a tablet mouse with parallels.
Support for 64-bit in Snow Leopard
Support for 64-bit in Snow Leopard is mentioned as an important component upgrade VMware. The function allows you to run Windows in 64-bit mode, and improves performance for computers with more than 4GB of memory, Fusion provides the same access to memory, and native 64-bit applications to Mac OS X.
Add that users of Mac OS X Server should be especially pleased, since Fusion 3 - the first version of Fusion, which works fine when loading 64-bit kernel Snow Leopard, and has a virtual EFI, ensures availability Mac OS X Server.
Other differences:
Copy and paste between Mac and PC keeps the formatting but not for the images (this is valid for 2 Virtualizer.) Parallels seems to have trouble with drag and drop between Mac and PC applications.
The PC application folders in the Dock Parallels are not practical and take a seat monster in the dock (one per VM). Must navigate to find.
I have a bug with Parallels which I duplicate aliases files PC applications (I have 15 so far for 3 MV) in the application folder on the Mac. I prefer the more sober VMware launcher in place and effective (including research) that remains active and can be configured.
Negative and Positive Points
Bootcamp:
Positive:
- Free
- File transfer between Mac and Windows from the Finder
Negative:
- Requires reboot to use Windows,
- You must manually configure the drivers for Windows,
- Complex installation,
- No possibility to transfer files between Windows and Mac.
VMware Fusion:
Positive:
- Ease of installation,
- Run Windows from Mac OS
- Transfer files between Windows and Mac between Mac and Windows.
Negative Points:
- Chargeable Software a
- High Resource intensive
Conclusion
Parallels is clearly more swift and seems to better manage the resources of the Mac, but lacks useful features such as direct access to the settings of the MV, and he clearly lacks a good pitcher. The keyboard support is incomplete. It seems cons more advanced management of 8 cores, or the graphics capabilities. Fusion is more efficient management of the VM and applications, the pitcher is really well thought out, and creative processes are more effective. It's my feeling, but I think Fusion is more suited for that will work with its Virtual PC, Parallels then it is going to be probably more effective for recreational use.
The price could tip the balance. As often, if you pay, it was applied more efficient. Do not forget that Fusion is very demanding in terms of memory. So beware. If you plan to use Fusion often plan to invest in the memory unless your Mac is already shielded. Personally I have 1GHz of memory on my Macbook, I chose to allocate 512MB of memory when using Windows. Fusion gives you the choice to choose according to your future use of Windows. You will understand my choice turns to Fusion is no comparison in my BootCamp. Integrating the two systems reached its peak in the mode of Unity. Now when you work with Windows do not need to switch to a separate window or full screen.
For those who wish to separate from BootCamp to pass under Fusion, do not panic, BootCamp allows you to delete the partition on your disk that you made to install Windows. Players still have to use Boot Camp, and we recommend that those who intend to work constantly with the virtual machine to choose for this purpose, the most productive poppy. The new quad-core iMac will be useful as an opportune moment.
