OSX and XP..?

N

nutster

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I recently talked to a friend of mine who purchased a G4 and he tells me that it would be possible for him to run both OSX and any version of Windows, such as XP or Win98. Is this 'dual-boot' method really possible? I'm deciding whether or not to make the switch myself :D .

Thanks in advance!
-Bill
 
It definately is possible, but it's not necessarily dual-booting. You need to purchase a program called Virtual PC. I'm not sure of the website off hand, but you can do a web search and find it fairly easily.

However, from what I have heard Windows XP is pretty bad. Windows 2000 is supposed to be MUCH better on Virtual PC.
 
I use VPC with Win2K. It works ok. It depends on what you want to do with it.

Games are pretty much out unless they are really old. I mostly browse certain internal web sites at work (which require windows-only software created by my employeer).

I also use it to access Access databases and the Remedy Action Request System (problem tracking database).

I have tried to use it for Novell access, but I have never been able to figure out how to get it to work... A lot of wierdness there...

Speed-wise, it is not particularly fast, but it is plenty fast for what I want.
 
From my understanding:

XP- is Windows trying hard to be OSX :D

OSX - is a Macintosh trying to become Unix :D

everyone seems to be copying someone else.

I'd say build your XP pc..(yes build or assemble) and use it for all the PC crap.
Keep the G4, M$ Free!!!...yes even IE or MS Office should go!


But if you cant afford 2 HW at this stage, then VPC on a separate partition (preferably another HD) is the way to go.
 
I rarely have to use Windows at all - probably once every couple of months - so I've found it useful to keep a copy of VPC with a 500 meg image of win98 on a CD, already loaded up with all the utils I'm likely to use.
That way, it isn't using up space on my computer when I don't want it, but if I need it, I can just slip the CD in and run Windows straight off that! Handy, yah?
Incidentally, the publisher is Connectix.

Another option is Bochs, which can run windows but will require a lot more fiddling around. The advantage is that it is open-source freeware. The disadvantage is you'll still need to get your hands on a legit copy of windows and find a way to get it running, and that you won't be able to interface as neatly into your Mac system as you can with VPC. Bochs is an option, though, if money is tight.

And as for Windows XP, forget it! I've never seen an OS that sneers at the users quite the way XP does. Win 2000 is pretty good, and 98 or Me are handy for games, though not as stable.
 
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