Which virtualization would work best for my situation?

R

RonaldMacDonald

Registered
I have a 24" Intel Mac running 10.5.6 in English. I need to run a purely Japanese software (it's a database) that has to run on the Japanese version of XP (which I have). It won't run on the English version of XP. I prefer to do this in virtualization so I can jump back and forth.

Which virtualization program do you feel I should be using? Do you think I can use the English version of a virtualization program to install my Japanese version of XP on?

Also are these virtualization programs small enough to download over the net or do I have to buy the hard copy?
 
Last edited:
You basically have three options (I'm leaving out a fourth because it's not true "virtualization", but you can check it out if you want: Crossover):

1) Parallels
2) VMWare Fusion
3) VirtualBox

The first two are not free -- they're about $80. The third is free (and coincidentally, the one I prefer of all three).

Yes, you can use an English virtualization package to run a Japanese version of XP.

"Small enough" to download is relative -- I have an 18Mbit connection, so downloading 6 gigs of data is "small enough" for me. Some people have a 1Mbit connection, where 600MB may take too long. Yet others have a lowly 128 or 256kb connection, which is, in my opinion, too slow to download anything over 100MB. The programs listed above are no more than a few hundred megabytes in size, so whether or not that's "small enough" to download is up to you, the speed of your internet connection, any bandwidth caps you may have imposed upon you, and your patience threshold.
 
All those software ElDiablo listed, can be downloaded from the net. At least Fusion and Parallels should have a 30 day trial, so you can try and see which one you like more. Both should do - at least I know I've seen several people use their virtual machines in totally other languages than their VMware product is installed.
http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/ you can find the link for Fusion trial.
If in doubt, try both - or all - before making your mind. I'd go with Fusion myself but then again I'm (supposed to be) a bit biased for this...
 
I have downloaded all of them. With my 100mb connection, it took only a few seconds. I have yet to install any of them. I prefer not to and rather just wanted to see the manuals at this point. My first impression is that the Parallels and VMWare Fusion manuals are more user friendly than VirtualBox.

I have a Dell computer running XP and if possible I would like to migrate the OS and all the programs on it to my Mac. Which virtualization package do you think would work best with my plan to migrate?

Also, how much RAM do I need to run XP and Mac at the same time? I usually have the following programs open in Mac: MAIL, FF, Illustrator, Photoshop, Office Mac 2008. In XP I usually just have one program open.I think it runs off of Access.

I have the Mac and the Dell hooked up by LAN to a router. Is that how I would migrate?
 
RonaldMacDonald said:
Also, how much RAM do I need to run XP and Mac at the same time? I usually have the following programs open in Mac: MAIL, FF, Illustrator, Photoshop, Office Mac 2008. In XP I usually just have one program open.I think it runs off of Access.
Click to expand...

I ran parrallels on my old macbook pro (2.33 ghz/2gb ram) with 512 ram assigned to xp and the experience was sluggish, certainly is you were using things like photoshop which are memory-intensive. On my new laptop with 4gb or RAM thinsg are much smoother. If your iMac is recent then upgrading the ram is a very simple and relatively inexpensive process and I'd encourage you to go for it.

Oh, by the way, you are right Parallels and Fusion are easier but on the other hand vbox is free! :) I use both Parallels and vbox and like both (i only use Parallels as when i started using it fusion was not fully ready for use - these days fusion looks excellent).
 
I have 4 gigs of RAM. In reading over the Parallels manual I do not see where it allows one to migrate from a real (non-virtual) XP machine but Fusion does (according to the manual). I am thinking of going with that. What about vbox, will that allow you to do that?
 
Parallels transporter appears to do what you ask about - from its manual:
Parallels® Transporter® enables you to migrate selected volumes or the whole of a physical or
virtual computer into a Parallels virtual machine or Parallels virtual disk.
Parallels Transporter package includes two applications:
Parallels Transporter, and
Parallels Transporter Agent.
The package should be installed both on host computer, to perform migration, and on physical
source computer, to collect source system data and transfer it to the Transporter.
Parallels Transporter supports the following operating systems:
Microsoft® Windows® (starting from Windows 2000)
Linux®
Mac OS® X
For Windows and Linux operating systems, Parallels Transporter is provided as a separate
application and supports three migration methods: local, remote and virtual.
For Mac operating systems, Parallels Transporter is provided as a part of the Parallels Desktop
package and supports two migration methods: remote and virtual.
Click to expand...
This is from Parallels 3 by the way - i have not upgraded to 4 yet but I cannot imagien they have removed this functionality. Look for the Prallels Transporter tool inthe same folder as Parallels.

For vbox see this: http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=1966
 
Can you tell me what this means:

"For Windows and Linux operating systems, Parallels Transporter is provided as a separate application and supports three migration methods: local, remote and virtual."

How would I migrate from a physical XP machine to my Intel Mac? Obviopusly data has to get from one machine to the other. I have my Mac and my physical XP machine hooked up to a router by LAN. I suppose I could network these two machines although I have never done that. I also have a firewire LaCie drive I could use to get data from the XP to the Mac. I could also use FTP but would think the data is too large (I do have a 100mb connection).
 
I tried to install XP (from CD) on Parallels today. After two hours, it was still installing. It said that the installation would take about 39 minutes but noting is happening except the thermometer is twisting. After two hours I left the machine running and came home from the office.

Before trying Parallels, I tried installing XP on Vbox and Fussion but neither would install from my CD. I also tried installing on Fussion usiong their converter for converting a real physical Win XP machine but it complained about path.
 
Is your XP CD SP2 or above? As I think you need at least thsi version else you need to 'slipstream' the sp2 update onto the disk, see http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp

Else it really should install, it is not fast but I never had problems getting it working.

As to the transporter issue I am afraid i do not know, perhaps try the Paralells forums? They have answered a number of questiosn for me before.

Gia may also be able to explain the steps to move an existing XP installation to a VMware VM
 
Good point, I am having a bad day :) (started with a 3.5 hour skype conference from hell)
 
That must be the problem, it isn't XP SP2.I looked at the instructions for slipstreaming. Looks like quite a hassel. Would it be possible to put my non-SP2 version of XP on the Mac using Bootcamp and then upgrade to SP2 off the MS website? Then, could I create a virtual machine from Bootcamp?
 
Ah, but I just got off the phone with VMware and they said it won't install without XP SP2. But now that I see that I cannot use it on Bootcamp, I am back to square one.
 
I jsut called Paralells on the phone and they said I could install without SP2 and then upgarde later. But they said two hours of installing with no end in site is out of the ordinary.
 
RonaldMacDonald said:
Ah, but I just got off the phone with VMware and they said it won't install without XP SP2. But now that I see that I cannot use it on Bootcamp, I am back to square one.
Click to expand...

Wow, so I was wrong but accidentally correct, that is kinda typical :)
 
I called Paralells tech suport and they suspect the CD itself. They told me to get another CD and try it. The simplest things are always the hardest. Is there a way to do this without having to buy another one?
 
Problem solved. I put in a differnt XP CD an it installed OK on Parallels. It is up and running and is really amazing. I don't particularly like windows but I would rather do everything on one machine than have to fool with a physical XP machine.

Can anyone tell me the major difference between Parallels and Fusion?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top