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cbk1994 · Jan 2, 2006, 05:55 PM

[Mods: I have no idea where this post belongs. Please move it if it is in the wrong place. Thanks.]

Hi. I have an iBook G4. I recently transfered from being a complete windows nerd. I know how to run a Mac from my school, though. I need to know that best (free would be nice, but cheap is okay) Windows XP (or 2000) emulator. I have a Windows XP Home Edition OS disc that came with my old Dell.

What would run the best for an iBook G4 with 1.5 MB of RAM?

Thanks a ton,

Chris K.

demibob · Jan 2, 2006, 06:31 PM

are you sure it has 1.5 mb of ram

demibob · Jan 2, 2006, 06:31 PM

virtual pc seems to be the only option but its too expensive

cbk1994 · Jan 2, 2006, 06:48 PM

xD Sorry. 1.5 GB RAM. lol

cbk1994 · Jan 2, 2006, 09:41 PM

So. Virtual PC . . . is there any way to connect to my old del then? Desktop Connection, or somethng like that? There should be some emulator for windows.

genesisdan · Jan 2, 2006, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by cbk1994

So. Virtual PC . . . is there any way to connect to my old del then? Desktop Connection, or somethng like that? There should be some emulator for windows.

yep, there sure is as i recently found out during my conversion process

go to www.microsoft.com/mac and look for/download:

Remote Desktop Connection Client 1.0.3 for Mac OS X

its Mac software to take remote control of your windows pc over the network; works quite nicely

cbk1994 · Jan 2, 2006, 10:49 PM

Just tried to set it up. I just have one question:
HOW DO I SET IT UP?

Can someone point me to a guide?

Maflynn · Jan 2, 2006, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by cbk1994

Just tried to set it up. I just have one question:
HOW DO I SET IT UP?

Can someone point me to a guide?

What version of VPC did you buy. There should have been an install guide included? There's a few different flavors, one that run XP, or NT, etc.

Mike

cbk1994 · Jan 2, 2006, 11:08 PM

VPC? I was talking about the remote desktop connection.

JHromadka · Jan 2, 2006, 11:23 PM

RDC only works with XP Pro.

cbk1994 · Jan 2, 2006, 11:26 PM

is there any way to download RDC, or something like it for windows XP HE?

genesisdan · Jan 3, 2006, 01:25 AM

Originally Posted by cbk1994

Just tried to set it up. I just have one question:
HOW DO I SET IT UP?

Can someone point me to a guide?

If you're already familiar with remote desktop control on the windows side, its pretty easy.

1. Make sure your Mac and your Windows XP computer are on the network
2. They should both have IP addresses
3. On your winxp computer, make sure you have remote desktop turned "on"
4. On your mac, fire up the RDC program
5. Type in the IP address of your winxp computer and hit the OPTIONS arrow-down key
6. Type in the userid, password, and domain of the pc you are connecting to
7. Hit connect, and voila, you should be at the login screen of your winxp pc

It took me all of 90 seconds once i installed it. I tried my windows computer name first, didnt find it, and then tried my ip address and it didnt connect. When i went into options and set the ip address and username and password to use and hit connect, i got right in.

Hint: both my PB and my winxp pc are in the same "WORKGROUP" if that helps you. I believe thats a requirement.

genesisdan · Jan 3, 2006, 01:29 AM

Originally Posted by cbk1994

is there any way to download RDC, or something like it for windows XP HE?

Remote Desktop is built into the OS of every Windows XP PROFESSIONAL installation. It is not part of HOME edition.

If you have it, it is installed under START>PROGRAMS>ACCESSORIES>COMMUNICATIONS>Remote Desktop Communications

....gosh, who figured my WINDOWS experience would come of use on a MAC board? go figure

cbk1994 · Jan 3, 2006, 12:35 PM

So there is no other way? no free emulator? no RDC download or anything?

Maflynn · Jan 3, 2006, 12:39 PM

Have you checked out Microsoft.com? Since its there OS they may have somethign that you can download.

While I understand the differences between XP pro and XP home, they may still offer some sort of RDC solution for XP home.

[APi]TheMan · Jan 3, 2006, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by cbk1994

So there is no other way? no free emulator? no RDC download or anything?

"RDC" (Remote Desktop Connection) is not an emulator. It is an application that allows you to connect to a machine running Terminal Services (Windows 2000, XP, etc) and allows you to control the mouse, etc. The "RDC" application is available on Mac OS X for free from here [microsoft.com].

VirtualPC is an application package that emulates x86 hardware, and allows you to install and use operating systems that run on the x86 architecture (Windows, versions of Linux, BeOS, etc). It's a commercial product.

cbk1994 · Jan 3, 2006, 12:57 PM

I know the difference between RDC and VPC.
What about something like Bochs? Is that any good?

or Guest PC? That's cheaper than VPC.

typoon · Jan 3, 2006, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by demibob

virtual pc seems to be the only option but its too expensive

No VPC is NOT the only option. You can also Use Guest PC from http://www.lismoresystems.com/en/ There is also one more but I can't remember the name. I think it is by OpenOSX

cbk1994 · Jan 3, 2006, 01:19 PM

I think that you mean Bochs.

[APi]TheMan · Jan 3, 2006, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by typoon

No VPC is NOT the only option. You can also Use Guest PC from http://www.lismoresystems.com/en/ There is also one more but I can't remember the name. I think it is by OpenOSX

OpenOSX repackages open source programs and sells them as their own (they've come under scrutiny for this in the past). And yes, they use Bochs. See here:
http://openosx.com/wintel/

Originally Posted by cbk1994

I know the difference between RDC and VPC.
What about something like Bochs? Is that any good?

Gotcha. It wasn't anything against you, I just try to be as informative and complete as I can when I post, because as people start to throw acronymns around threads become very hard to follow. Imagine doing a google search in a year from now, and stumbling upon a thread full of incoherent replies, acronymns, dead links, and incomplete information. Frustrating!

cbk1994 · Jan 3, 2006, 02:06 PM

So where can I download Bochs? I've tried their official site, but I can't find a download for Mac.

only120xs · Jan 3, 2006, 05:27 PM

I second Guest PC. Works pretty well, though I can't compare to VPC because I've never used VPC.

cbk1994 · Jan 3, 2006, 06:17 PM

I downloaded Bochs. Where can I find a manual to help me install WinXP?

King Bob On The Cob · Jan 3, 2006, 06:33 PM

First off, bochs is the slowest emulator.
The best free emulator IMHO is

QemuX: http://cordney.com/QemuX/

See if that will work for you. It has an included tutorial, but don't expect it to fly or anything. Emulation is slow work even for the fastest computer.

cbk1994 · Jan 3, 2006, 06:36 PM

Started to download it. I'll report back in a bit.

madmacgames · Jan 3, 2006, 06:49 PM

Never tried Guest PC, but have heard VPC is the fastest win emulator.

Oh, do not expect much from Win XP on any emulator. you're most likely in for heart ache if you think it will run at any acceptable level (unless maybe you've been graced with a G5). You'd be much better running win2k on an emulator.

Mediaman_12 · Jan 3, 2006, 08:19 PM

Just got GuestPC this week. And I must say it's looking good. I was able to install Xp using a regular XP CD with no problems ( I have had trouble getting the XP installer to recognise the mouse on VPC in the past), Dragging and dropping to and from the PC desktop has been flawless
The only drawback between this and VPC is VPC's 'save state' option where you don't have to shut down Windows where you exit the Emulator.

cbk1994 · 09:17 PM

I have it up and running. It's in the setup window right now. I won't expect much.

It's been saying 39 minutes remaining for about 2 minutes, but it runs.

[Edit: Make that 7 minutes.
If I put my iBook n Sleep mode tonight (instead of shutting down, will it still be doing the setup? the iBook is in my room, so I don't want the screen on when I'm trying to sleep.

Maflynn · Jan 3, 2006, 09:17 PM

I'm confused,

I thought you didn't want an emulator to run windows, but rather some sort of Remote Desktop software that can connect to windows.

Did I miss something?

King Bob On The Cob · Jan 3, 2006, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by cbk1994

[Edit: Make that 7 minutes.
If I put my iBook n Sleep mode tonight (instead of shutting down, will it still be doing the setup? the iBook is in my room, so I don't want the screen on when I'm trying to sleep.

Sleep mode stops all activity, but you know you can turn the screen brightness to off, right?
Just hit the less bright button till it goes off (It's F1 on my PowerBook)

cbk1994 · Jan 3, 2006, 10:15 PM

Right now I'm using the emulator. it's now at 37 minutes.

I'll try the screen brightness thing then.

I'm starting to get a tad annyed here . . .

King Bob On The Cob · Jan 3, 2006, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by cbk1994

Right now I'm using the emulator. it's now at 37 minutes.

I'll try the screen brightness thing then.

I'm starting to get a tad annyed here . . .

The windows installer always says "39 minutes expected" when installing. It's just what it does.
Now since the emulator is slower than your average computer, it's going to take quite a bit longer (I guess somewhere around 2-4 hours depending on your computer)

osxrules · Jan 4, 2006, 02:48 AM

I have Virtual PC and I even find it slow for really simple tasks and it is the fastest PC emulator available.

I'd suggest doing the remote desktop thing again. There are free solutions. I actually use VNC to control my PC from my Mac. You install a VNC server (there are different ones) and start it up. Then you connect to the PC using a VNC client on the Mac. I use Chicken of the VNC (stupid name I know).

server:
http://www.realvnc.com/download.html
http://www.tightvnc.com/
http://ultravnc.sourceforge.net/

(I think I use ultravnc but I can't remember - you can try various ones to see what gives the best results)

os x client:
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macos...nofthevnc.html

If you need to transfer files, you probably have to mount the PC drive on your desktop using Samba or setup Appletalk on the PC.

Mediaman_12 · Jan 4, 2006, 05:11 AM

Originally Posted by cbk1994

Right now I'm using the emulator. it's now at 37 minutes.

I'll try the screen brightness thing then.

I'm starting to get a tad annyed here . . .

It does take ages for Windows to install, Its parts that require loads of disk access that seam to take the longest (like that 'installing drivers' bit). but once windows is installed its not to bad (the installer takes ages in VPC too).

Apfhex · Jan 4, 2006, 06:37 AM

Windows takes a long time to install on an x86 machine too (certainly not as long as VPC, but still).

iLaurence · Jan 4, 2006, 05:12 PM

If you save the installation CD as an ISO or Disk Image, you will be installing at the speed of your hard drive, which is several times faster than your CD/DVD ROM. Also, I would suggest going with VPC for the time being. It is currently the fastest and most reliable emulator with more enhancement designed specifically for Windows emulation. It will still be slow since it is an emulator, regardless of it being on either a G5 or a G4. I would suggest RDC until a year after the switch to Intel. VMWare, which is far superior in performance to VPC, may expand to cover IntelMac, but that's just pure speculation and wishful thinking. Either way it goes, once they have optimized VPC for IntelMacs there won't be a double emulation going of PPC to X86, which accounts for a majority of the speed issues.

harrisjamieh · Jan 4, 2006, 05:45 PM

I use virtual PC on my 1.9ghz 512MB iMac G5, and it works fine for what I use it for - mainly windows version of msn messenger and most of all MS publisher 2000. I also have virtual PC installed on my 1.2ghz 512MB iBook G4, and it runs 'ok' - I use it for school so I can access my Novell account through the network, then I just drag the files onto the mac os, and use office:mac to do my work.

Overall im quite pleased with the performance of virtual PC

viruscool · Jan 4, 2006, 06:06 PM

I managed to get QemuX to install windows, doesn't run too bad, but I have a problem. When I try to log on (i've not been able to log on yet) it requires a password, just wondering if any of you had this problem and if there is a default password set at the start?

King Bob On The Cob · Jan 4, 2006, 08:53 PM

If you didn't set it, just leave it blank...

wmiro · Jan 4, 2006, 11:10 PM

Try iEmulator- it's at iEmulator.com. It's only $20. Not as versatile as VPC but it's networkable and a whole LOT cheaper!

King Bob On The Cob · Jan 5, 2006, 04:48 AM

Originally Posted by wmiro

Try iEmulator- it's at iEmulator.com. It's only $20. Not as versatile as VPC but it's networkable and a whole LOT cheaper!

Spam first off.
Secondly, it's based on Qemu, so you're way better just sticking to the free QemuX.
I wonder if the Darwine people would appreciate people profiting from their work. (The Darwine team ported Qemu to OS X awhile back to try and run Wine on OS X)

wmiro · Jan 5, 2006, 09:22 AM

I bought iEmulator after reading about it on MacNN. It's cheap. I don't work for them or anything. This is my second post in like two years here.
Maybe all the people recommending VPC work for Microsoft? Spam!
Thanks for being encouraging.

JKT · Jan 5, 2006, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by King Bob On The Cob

I wonder if the Darwine people would appreciate people profiting from their work. (The Darwine team ported Qemu to OS X awhile back to try and run Wine on OS X)

I believe I am right in saying that, If its GPL, then this is acceptable practice so long as any trademarked content is removed and they build it from source and supply the source with their distribution.

cbk1994 · Jan 5, 2006, 11:50 PM

I got the emulator working fine. I still need to try the desktop connection thing though. Looks like I have my work cut out for me. I'll have to do that either tommorow, or this weekend.

Peace.

cbk1994 · Jan 7, 2006, 12:24 AM

I need some help getting the desktop connection things to work. Can anybody here help me out with setting up both ends of it?