[MacOS]

Hello!

I'm trying to understand the limitations of both Boot Camp and Parallels. There are times I want to run Boot Camp but majority of the time I'll want Parallels.

I know Parallels can use Boot Camp partitions, is there any issues or limitations?

I guess I could create a small Boot Camp partition in addition to running Parallels but thats not as efficient use of HD space.

TIA
MacOS

[ghporter]

Parallels still virtualizes every hardware access, like video and (especially an issue for me) USB. So I use Parallels to quickly (kinda quickly, anyway) access Windows apps on my Boot Camp-created partition, but if I want to do anything particularly hardware related, I reboot and choose the Windows partition.

Note that when running Windows by rebooting into that partition, you are running Windows natively, without any form of software interpretation. Lots of people think that Boot Camp is a different emulator. It's not. It's a utility that creates a bootable partition you can install Windows on, and it includes hardware drivers for Windows OSs so that your special Apple hardware works with Windows. Nothing more.

I hope this was helpful.

[MikeD]

So it's completely safe and feasable to run both parallels and bootcamp off of the same partition/copy of windows with all your settings etc? As in, I'm not installing windows twice and whatever program I'm using twice etc? I would just need another license code/activation key from MS?

[ibook_steve]

Originally Posted by MikeD 

So it's completely safe and feasable to run both parallels and bootcamp off of the same partition/copy of windows with all your settings etc? As in, I'm not installing windows twice and whatever program I'm using twice etc? I would just need another license code/activation key from MS?

Yes, that's the best advantage of using the Boot Camp partition. And you do not need another activation key when switching between booting into Windows and virtualizing Windows.

Steve

[MikeD]

Is there any special trick to it Steve, or do you just make your bootcamp partition, get that started up and then install parallels when that's set up?

[ibook_steve]

Originally Posted by MikeD 

Is there any special trick to it Steve, or do you just make your bootcamp partition, get that started up and then install parallels when that's set up?

Exactly. That's all there is to it.

Steve

[Harvey]

When I shut down to reboot Windows XP from the partition it tells me my hal.dll is either missing or corrupted. This has never been an issue with Parallels. Any idea on how I can fix this?

Thanks,
Harv

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Harvey 

When I shut down to reboot Windows XP from the partition it tells me my hal.dll is either missing or corrupted. This has never been an issue with Parallels. Any idea on how I can fix this?

Thanks,
Harv

I had that happen to me once too. It was a fluke, probably due to the state Parallels sometimes leaves the partition when it exits. I was ready to reinstall Windows when I decided to try to boot once more. It worked fine. Give that a shot.

Frankly, this IS an issue with Parallels, basically because it does its own thing with your Windows partition and Windows installation. Don't freak out when something goofy pops up, but it's still a VERY good idea to keep your Windows partition backed up, too.