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tvfollower · Sep 14, 2003, 03:42 PM

How slow is VPC, really? I mean, does it still function? Is it just like a 400 MHz PC, or like a 25 MHz PC?

jamez bond · Sep 14, 2003, 04:20 PM

VPC works.
Not to work on for hours and hours on end, but for the occasional job, its fine. This is on a 667DVI TiBook.
My brother has used it a bit, I got rid of all my peecee stuff a while ago...well some of it at least.
What I still have to do on a pc, I do on a pc. Easier than emulating on a mac...

So if you have access to a PC, use that, if not, try not to be too dissapointed in VPC..

AssassyN · Sep 14, 2003, 06:31 PM

On my 12" PB w/ 640MB RAM, I've got VPC6 w/ WinXP and it's painfully slow. I wouldn't dare try to accomplish anything more than the occasional Windows-only web surfing on it...I use my Windows machine for any real-world Windows apps. At the prices these days, it's worth it just to pick up a cheap-o PC.

Sakino · Sep 14, 2003, 06:44 PM

Originally posted by AssassyN:
On my 12" PB w/ 640MB RAM, I've got VPC6 w/ WinXP and it's painfully slow. I wouldn't dare try to accomplish anything more than the occasional Windows-only web surfing on it...I use my Windows machine for any real-world Windows apps. At the prices these days, it's worth it just to pick up a cheap-o PC.

I hope apple starts working on this problem. Where people wont have to rely on going back and forth from a pc to a mac.

If they can solve this problem, and keep doing what they are doing. I could see them taking a large chunk of the market, maybe if they lower their price. But I am willing to pay the price for a quality product.

I'm a pc user and I am waiting to buy the new powerbook (hopefully tuesday) This will be my first mac.

The only reason that I would need a pc is for my gaming, I need to play counter strike. If it wasn't for that I would probably not own a pc and go with a dual g5 powermac and a powerbook for my personal needs. I guess if apple had more games on their system that ran and looked like on a pc I would move 100% to mac.

Until then I will still need a windows pc.

rambo47 · Sep 14, 2003, 08:03 PM

Originally posted by Sakino:
I hope apple starts working on this problem.

Unfortunately, besides making a faster Mac, this is not something Apple can control. Microsoft bought Connectix who makes Virtual PC. The ball is in MS's court and I don't think they want to make a Mac more competitive with a pc.

Redmond bastardds.

todrain · Sep 14, 2003, 08:12 PM

It's not too bad for basic applications, but forget games or anything that takes a lot of graphics/processing power.

I'm not too fond of Quicken for the Mac, so I use it under virtual PC, and it's ok, just a tad slow, but certainly useable.

buddy1065 · Sep 14, 2003, 08:52 PM

For what it's worth, on my 17" Powerbook VPC5 registers as a 667 MHZ PC using Windows 2000.

http://homepage.mac.com/bhardy3/PhotoAlbum34.html

But I would think it would be along the lines of a Celeron CPU and not a Pentium series chip.

LfGrdMike · Sep 14, 2003, 09:17 PM

Well XP runs like poop because its the latest version of windows. Also you should run 2000 it will run good on a 12 because i have played around wiht it on a 12 in the store. Also turn off a lot of features to speed things up. Then it will work dandy. Another thing to remember is you have to take into account what you want to do with VPC to get an idea if you will get speeds (that will keep you productive)

Fillman · 10:28 PM

I'm a lone Mac 12" PowerBook user in a Windows set of offices. I use Virtual PC for the two or three Windows only programs that I have to use. Two of them are serial connections to control measuring devices and, using the Keyspan USB adapter, they work very well.

There's a Mac equivalent for everything else so I only fire up VPC maybe once a day. Performance is not exciting under Windows 2000 but it is functional. You have to up the RAM to at least 192Kb and I'd recommend defragging the disk frequently.

Having VPC on my Powerbook means I can run any Windows program any time, whether I'm travelling or at home. I couldn't do without it.

jamez bond · Sep 15, 2003, 02:06 AM

tvfollower....
What kind of apps do you want to run in VPC?

nobitacu · Sep 15, 2003, 03:01 AM

I have VPC under my 17" Powerbook with 512mb of ram for VPC to use. It still shows some slow downs, but not bad enough that I can't work with. Overall... it's ok, work able.

Ming

retep · Sep 15, 2003, 12:23 PM

Anyone use AutoCAD on VPC? I was planning to get a 12" PB but I need to run this app for a course at uni and really don't want to get a PC laptop. Is it useable? I'm not expecting stellar performance, just basic 2D and 3D drafting while away from the desktop PC at uni.

Adham · Sep 15, 2003, 12:33 PM

I'm using VPC6 (Windows 98) on my 12" PB, and it's slow but usable. This is a contrast to how it ran on my Pismo - slow as molasses on Europa, but I had to do it for one specific application. Still, I wouldn't use it for anything processor intensive or if you don't have a LOT of patience.

melman101 · Sep 15, 2003, 12:53 PM

Well I use VPC on my 12" with 640 megs of RAM. I bumped up the RAM to 320, and it works pretty decent. I run Windows 98 SE for use with Maple 8, and one other program but can't remember what the name of it is, lol.

tvfollower · Sep 15, 2003, 01:32 PM

Originally posted by jamez bond:
tvfollower....
What kind of apps do you want to run in VPC?

Haha, how could I forgot to mention that? Well, definitely not games. I guess I'd want to run the ~100 freeware, Windows-only apps that I have on my PC right now. Plus, I'd want to use it to test web pages occasionally.

I have a 450 MHz PC in another room that my sister uses, and although it's horribly slow, it's definitely usable for the kinds of things I'd need VPC for...would VPC be comparable to the 450 MHz PII? If it is, then I have no problem at all.

Oh, and...

Originally posted by Sakino:
I need to play counter strike.

Lol...I used to be addicted to this game called Infantry. I hated myself for playing it non stop, so one day I just uninstalled it. I haven't played a computer game since then...it's been 9 months. I suggest you try that

.

Sakino · Sep 15, 2003, 02:41 PM

Originally posted by tvfollower:
Lol...I used to be addicted to this game called Infantry. I hated myself for playing it non stop, so one day I just uninstalled it. I haven't played a computer game since then...it's been 9 months. I suggest you try that .

Actually my hours are cut down to about less than an hour a week. Which is kind of nice.

tvfollower · Sep 15, 2003, 04:56 PM

Originally posted by Sakino:
Actually my hours are cut down to about less than an hour a week. Which is kind of nice.