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Applefreak01 · Jan 21, 2003, 11:51 PM

I want to go back to the mac, really bad. The only problem is money (got hit hard by bills and tutition this semester) and I need to be able to run PC applications like Microsoft Access and some Microsoft Certification Prep software. I'm thinking about selling my current PC and getting the 800MHz iBook. How well does Virtual PC 6 run on the iBook?

jfwjxn · Jan 21, 2003, 11:59 PM

It isn't a speed demon, but VPC is emulating a 350 MHz Pentium II, so it isn't like a 486. I would recommend not using XP if possible, it will kill you. Use 98se, and that should help lots, and don't forget to give VPC as much RAM as you can!

mindwaves · Jan 22, 2003, 03:01 AM

Although, I don't have an iBook (just a 450 mhz iMac with VPC 4.0), I can say that defiitely reboot in 9 to run VPC and use Windows 2000 as it is the fastest OS on VPC.

Gigacorpse · Jan 22, 2003, 11:58 AM

I would suggest NT 4 over Win2K. It will still run the current version of Access, although I believe that this might change with the next version of Office. (I do know for sure that the next version of Office will not run under Win98)

siluni · Jan 22, 2003, 01:41 PM

No, it's not zippy, but I run VPC 6.01 with both Win XP and Win98 on my iBook in 10.2.3 and it works OK for running a large VB based program. Not the awful lagging in VPC 5. I'm probably in the minority, but I feel encouraged by VPC 6, having been a user since VPC 3.

typoon · Jan 22, 2003, 03:33 PM

Originally posted by Applefreak01:
I want to go back to the mac, really bad. The only problem is money (got hit hard by bills and tutition this semester) and I need to be able to run PC applications like Microsoft Access and some Microsoft Certification Prep software. I'm thinking about selling my current PC and getting the 800MHz iBook. How well does Virtual PC 6 run on the iBook?

Why not just get a 12" Aluminum Powerbook? That way you still have the portability of the iBook but have the power of a G4. the price is only a little more than a 12" 800MHz iBook

SOLIDAge · Jan 22, 2003, 06:10 PM

Originally posted by jfwjxn:
It isn't a speed demon, but VPC is emulating a 350 MHz Pentium II, so it isn't like a 486. I would recommend not using XP if possible, it will kill you. Use 98se, and that should help lots, and don't forget to give VPC as much RAM as you can!

i would have to disagree with you
with an iMac 800 w/ 512 RAM running VPC6 in 10.2.3 using XP is MUCH faster then 98 thought to be (both in VPC 5 and 6)

olli2 · Jan 22, 2003, 07:08 PM

Does it worth using Win95?

Does Altivec (G4) help?

fibroptikl · Jan 22, 2003, 08:29 PM

I think you should stick with a PC, considering you use it a lot, and the fact that you would have no PC if you purchased an iBook.

Chimpmaster · Jan 23, 2003, 08:40 AM

I run it on my g4 imac with 384mb ram.

It works, but its slow.

You wouldnt want to spend too much time in an emulated environment. I guarantee it is much slower on an ibook than on a g4 imac too...

Moosecat · Jan 24, 2003, 10:29 AM

Originally posted by typoon:
Why not just get a 12" Aluminum Powerbook? That way you still have the portability of the iBook but have the power of a G4. the price is only a little more than a 12" 800MHz iBook

Where I come from (and as someone who is contemplating the same choice), $500 is not "only a little more."

klinux · Jan 24, 2003, 03:28 PM

Veteran windows user here:

I would avoid using anything less than Windows 2000 (i.e. no Win 95, 98 or ME). I have VPC running XP on an iBook 700 12" and it runs OK with 128 MB RAM. Although I do not use it often since there is almost always a Mac alternative and work around.

Also, as any veteran will tell, after the install, you should tweak your system to turn off unnecessary/annoying services. See blkviper.com or google for xp tweaks.

klinux · Jan 24, 2003, 03:35 PM

dup post

Applefreak01 · Jan 25, 2003, 01:07 AM

I'm going to get the PowerBook G4 12". I've decided to wait until they start shipping (not to mentition to save up the $$$ needed) and in stock at outpost.com and use the apple loan for education. This way I can keep my PC rig and have the best of both worlds.

olli2 · Jan 25, 2003, 02:28 AM

Originally posted by klinux:
Veteran windows user here:

I would avoid using anything less than Windows 2000 (i.e. no Win 95, 98 or ME). I have VPC running XP on an iBook 700 12" and it runs OK with 128 MB RAM. Although I do not use it often since there is almost always a Mac alternative and work around.

Also, as any veteran will tell, after the install, you should tweak your system to turn off unnecessary/annoying services. See blkviper.com or google for xp tweaks.

I just cannot understand how XP can be more comfortable on a "virtual slow" machine, when it is much more demanding in resources compared to Win 95 and 98. I see you turn off every performance eater features (indexing service, recovery, visual skinning stuff, unneded services, etc. - I even do it on my desktop PC), but it should be still slower compared to win 95 tweaked by my oppinion. However, I don't have a Mac to try it out.

Anyway, the blkviper.com address is very useful. Here's an other one:
W2K Performance Tips
http://www.hszk.bme.hu/~ki023/w2ktips/w2ktips.html

MacGallant · Jan 25, 2003, 02:58 AM

Instead of buying the 12"Powerbook from outpost.com, why not buy it from the Online AppleStore for Education or a retail AppleStore? (If you go to the Retail Applestore, make sure you ask the salesperson for the educational discount for college students and they'll give you a form to fill out.)

As a college student, you'll get $50 or a$100 discount off the retail price on Apple computers.

I got a $100 off on my PowerMac G4 dual 867 from the retail price of$1699 (and doubled my ram to 512mb for $40 during one of Apple's promo) at the On line Applestore for Education because I took advantage of the discount offered to college students

The last time I checked, Apple had free ground shipping. I chose 2 day shipping instead though.

wg2499 · Jan 25, 2003, 10:13 AM

I use vpc 6 on my ibook 600 with 640megs ram I use an external fw drive for my drive image and win2000 runs great.. much faster than win98 on the same system without the external drive.......goodluck... the external is a 2.5in 4200 rpm notebook drive in a fw enclosure...so it is small and bus powered so still portable

icruise · Jan 25, 2003, 11:15 AM

Originally posted by MacGallant:
Instead of buying the 12"Powerbook from outpost.com, why not buy it from the Online AppleStore for Education or a retail AppleStore? (If you go to the Retail Applestore, make sure you ask the salesperson for the educational discount for college students and they'll give you a form to fill out.)

Apple charges tax while Outpost probably wouldn't. Plus outpost probably has some sort of bundle where you get something free with the book. I would only order from Apple if you need a custom configuration.