Mac user: Bootcamp vs Bootcamp+VM vs VM alone

Jun 15, 2011

Mark Swanson
By Mark Swanson

I have a new MacBook Pro and new copies of Windows 7 and Office 2010. I am seeking advice on how to install/use Articulate. As I understand it there are essentially three options:

1. Bootcamp partition to run Windows natively

2. Bootcamp partition running through a virtual machine (VMware Fusion will be my choice, but I know many use Parallels)

3. VMware Fusion (or Parallels) alone

My assumptions:

Option #1 is the most stable/robust/speedy but not as convenient. 

Option #2 is the most flexible in case you need native robustness at some point. I've read that this option requires two activations of Windows and a phone call to Microsoft, especially with Win 7. A VMware support rep told me I would actually have to pay Microsoft for the 2nd activation of Windows. Is this true? Do I have to pay twice for Windows? Or do I simply have to jump through a few hoops to get the virtual machine working with Bootcamp? 

Option #3 offers the most convenience but is not as stable/robust/speedy.

Thoughts? Advice? Pitfalls?

Thanks,

Mark

14 Replies
Steve Flowers
almost 13 years ago06/16/11 at 6:40 am (UTC)

You should not need to pay to activate Windows for bootcamp and the VM. They should be the same instance. I personally don't run Bootcamp. If you have enough memory you should be fine running the VM environment. But it's a resource hog, so you'll start to see your mac apps drag while the VM is active.

Before I bought my new mac, I was running a VM with Office. It seemed to run fine as long as I wasn't trying to run resource hungry apps on the mac at the same time. Running AfterEffects, a stuffed Flash file, Photoshop and a dense bitmap, or even a complex set of vectors in Illustrator would make my machine send me psychic messages of hatred.

Mark Swanson
almost 13 years ago06/16/11 at 7:00 am (UTC)

Thanks Steve. I just installed 8GB RAM (maxed out), so I hope memory won't be an issue. I think I read in another thread that non-Bootcamp folks were having issues publishing Articulate files that had 100+ slides or included lots of media. I sometimes have 100+ slide modules, so that's why I'm wondering if it's smart to at least set up my computer with Bootcamp in case I run into troubles.

Re: activation... I just spoke with a second VMware rep who confirms that running a Bootcamp version of Windows through VM is considered two instances. Hence, pay twice for Windows (unless you already have paid for multiple installs, e.g., the 5-computer license).

From VMware's Knowledge Base article:

"The activation process in Windows Vista and Windows 7 is different from the Windows XP activation process. In Windows Vista and Windows 7, retail activation keys are good for only one use. If you enter the same activation key in Fusion that that you used previously, you cannot successfully activate the virtual machine."

Mark Swanson
almost 13 years ago06/16/11 at 10:20 am (UTC)

Steve Flowers said:

Strange. I had W7 installed to two different VM instances (one before and after after a reinstallation) and didn't have problems with the activation. May be a case of YMMV. I didn't go down the Bootcamp / VM road though. It was activation of a single VM installation twice.


That sounds like a different situation (reactivation/reinstallation vs two concurrent activations/installations). Bootcamp + VM apparently are considered two devices, even if the VM is simply reading from the Bootcamp installation of Windows.

Robert Kennedy
almost 13 years ago06/16/11 at 1:38 pm (UTC)

Mark, yes ArtStudio considers it two installations if you have a VM and BootCamp because the emulated machine creates a different "address" than the native OS.  UNless you are used in the most rugged way possible, I simply use Parallels/Win7 with enough memory and I am fine.  Haven't had a hitch.  Running an iMac with 16GB of memory and 4GB dedicated to the Parallels when I have it running.  That's plenty and it runs like a champ.

Leah Hemeon
almost 13 years ago06/18/11 at 7:35 pm (UTC)

Hi Mark,

I avoided the Windows activation issues completely by having a multi-license version of Win 7. I'm running Win 7 on two Macs. One is via Bootcamp so I can use the full power of the iMac. The other is via Parallels/Bootcamp on my Macbook Pro. I have had a few problems with Articulate software licensing because the software seems to think it's three installs rather than two. The wonderful support folks have helped me resolve this issue - I'm only ever using one of the installs so am within the license agreement.

I don't know about VM but I do find that Parallels is a memory hog. I just have to be careful. I usually do my publishing on the iMac in Bootcamp so I can use the full power to get it done faster.

I think that either way you shouldn't have any problems with the installation. 

Leah

Mark Swanson
almost 13 years ago06/22/11 at 9:46 am (UTC)

Thanks for all of your replies. I'll probably start out by setting up my MacBook Pro with straight Fusion (without Bootcamp). If it doesn't work out, and I decide to go to a Bootcamp-only installation, I assume I should save copies of my .ppt / Articulate files to an external location before deactivating the Fusion/Win 7 installation, then copy them back into Bootcamp/Win7. (I would have only one installation/activation of Windows at a given time.) Does that sound right?

Joseph Flanagan
over 12 years ago08/05/11 at 2:04 pm (UTC)

Hi everyone,

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I wanted to ask a coupe of quick follow-up questions that might be of use to others. I too recently migrated from PC to Mac, and I too am wondering whether to go the Bootcamp or Parallels route. From what I understand from the Parallels site and some others, you don't need two licenses of Windows for Parallels/Bootcamp combination, since Parallels (or at least Parallels 6?) doesn't use a second virtual installation but boots the one in Bootcamp in a virtual environment. There is, however, a bug that developers are working on.

Here's my question. If there is no problem with licensing (I'm not really sure if Microsoft agrees with the above interpretation), is it worth it to use Parallels for development and Bootcamp for publishing? I'm using an early 2011 MBP with 4gb. Would the difference in publishing times really be all that noticeable?

Thanks  

Pedro Tamayo
over 12 years ago08/05/11 at 2:52 pm (UTC)

I am using Parallels in an iMac with 16Gb, and with the virtual machine can develop in a Windows environment, and publish from Mac environment. For publish I mean to upload content to a server, or to a LMS. I have never considered to combine Parallels and Bootcamp (I think is to duplicate virtualization). Hope these comments can be helpful. 

Pedro.

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