Warning: Installing Parallels 3.0 on your new Intel Mac can (and most likely will) be a very bad and frustrating experience. In my case, bad is an understatement, it was horrific. I had to install multiple times with tons of research on the web, but once installed, it’s sweet to use! So read on!

Training Video: I include a link to a training video I put together showing Parallels 3 Coherence at the end of this blog entry (or just go to my Trainingcast area now.)

One of the reasons I upgraded my old iMac G5 to the new 24″ Intel Duo Core 2.8 GHz Extreme, besides the fact that it is a very cool looking and much faster machine, was so that I can centralize all of my computing work on one machine and no longer use my Windows PC.

Below is my experience installing Parallels 3, installing all the Windows software in Parallels 3 and using it. I hope this helps you out in your decision on whether to stay with your PC or to move over to a Mac (I have both because at work, we are a Windows shop, but I home, I love my new iMac).

Installing Parallels 3:
The Installation was extremely simple. I purchased it from Parallels.com, downloaded the software and went through the easy wizard. Then I placed a shortcut on my dock. After installation, I went ahead and created a new Virtual Machine for my Windows XP install (very easy to do) and then I started the Custom install of Windows XP and that is where all of my troubles began.

Configuring Parallels 3:
I had a Windows XP Upgrade disk because I own Windows 2000, so I figured I could configure the new VM with that. Wrong! You need the full version. So I went ahead and got the full version of Windows XP, but it still didn’t work.

The install of Windows would hang up half way and sometimes, it would install all the way, but I would get tons of “Memory Read Errors”. After more research, I found out that what Parallels really needs for Windows XP is XP SP2. Well, I don’t have Windows XP SP2, but I could download SP2 (from Microsoft…a nice 272MB download) and install it later after the XP install (not through Windows update, but install Windows XP and then run the SP2 install downloaded file).

There is more information about this in MacOSHints.com.

After more research, I found out about a way to merge (a.k.a. slipstream) Windows XP with SP2 and create a new bootable disc. If you need to do this, you can get your information from Winsupersite.com.

Another piece of information that will help you (and make the install much faster) is to create an image of the Windows XP disc and store it on your desktop. Then just “connect” the CD/DVD in Parallels to that image. This is less trouble then if you install through the physical CD (and much faster install too).

You can easily create an image by firing up Disk Utility (make sure your WinXP CD is already in the CD drive), then select your CD and click on “New Image”. Type in a name and location of where to save it and under image format select “read only” then click save and it will create an image on your desktop. You can then eject the CD and you won’t need it again.

Anyhow, keep in mind that I figured out all of this with the great help of Google and after creating, installing, deleting a virtual machine at least 6 times. The 6th time, it finally (after I did all of the stuff above) worked like a charm.

So here is how to create a VM:

1. Run Parallels 3 by clicking on your icon in the dock.
2. You will immediately get the OS Installation Assistant Window. Select which type of installation mode you want. I chose Windows Express. Click next.
3. Select the Operating System you want to install. I chose Windows XP. Click next.
4. I entered the Windows Product Key, my name and my company name and clicked next.
5. I left the name it gave for my virtual machine (Microsoft Windows XP), and under “More Options” I deselected the “Create Icon on Desktop” and clicked next.
6. I selected “More productive virtual machine” since when I’m running Windows, I want it to use most of the resources so that my VM runs fast and smooth. I clicked next.
7. I clicked on “More Options” in the “Insert Windows XP Installation CD” and clicked on “ISO Image”, clicked on the Choose button and pointed to my CD image I made earlier (located on my Desktop). I also deselected “Start Windows XP installation because I wanted to change some things on my VM that the Express setup does”. Click on next.
8. The virtual machine is created and I now see a 512MB machine.
9. I clicked on the configuration link in the window.
10. Under “Coherence” I had “Show Windows Task Bar Deselected”.
11. Under Share Folders, I had All Window disks and All Mac Disks checked.
12. Under Memory, I increased it from 512MB to 1500MB (since I have 4GB available and you can go up to 1.5GB).
13. For hard drive, I increased it from 32GB to 125GB (I have a 750GB HD), and clicked on the “Recreate” button and didn’t select dynamic (since I had issues with the install with HD set to Dynamic…which means the HD space will increase up to the maximum as needed…aka…dynamically).
14. I then clicked ok, quit Parallels (because memory changes requires that you restart Parallels…or you’ll get an error) and then restarted parallels.
15. When parallels came up, I clicked on the “play” button on the right hand side and started the VM. The installation of Windows began.
16. After Windows was intalled (in express mode, it’s mainly automatic), it booted up and then I immediately applied Service Pack 2. Rebooted the machine. Installed all the other 1 million (slight exageration on my part) “hot fixes” and then started installing all of my applications. After that. It worked like a charm.

I have been using Parallels now for 3 days and it works like a charm. All my applications work great and I love the “Coherence Mode”, where the Windows desktop dissapears and your Windows applications appear in your Mac desktop next to your Mac apps.

You can see a video I put together of what Coherence looks like in my Training Cast.

A couple of side notes to keep in mind:

1. If you are doing a “custom install”, you will have to install Windows XP manually, which means you will have to “accept the terms” of Windows XP using the F8 key. On the new iMac (with the slim keyboard), the F8 key is the play/pause button. Windows XP did not recognize that, so I had to use the old keyboard from my old iMac to make it work
2. I selected to use “Direct X” under Video and my Mac would freeze every time, so that did not work for me for some reason. I need to investigate this. Just beware that you may have similar issues.
3. When running Parallels, I recommend that you don’t run too many apps in the Mac side, or everything will slow down.

So there you go. That’s my experience with Parallels 3.0. It was not good at all to start with, but once the configuration and installation of Windows was settled, it is a really sweet (and definitely worth it at only $79) product.

Now I’m running Quicken 2007 from Windows on my Mac and I love it. Finally, I don’t really need to use my work laptop anymore at home.

Until the next blog entry!

Cheers!

Marcelo Lewin

The Digital Media Dude

http://www.thedigitalmediadude.com/

http://www.marcelolewinphotograpy.com/