Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac [OLD VERSION] Reviews

• Very Fast Windows Emulation, Some Games Don't Work

  
  By A2WM1KL9DQSQ18 on 2006-07-06
  This is a very good PC emulator. It runs very fast. It uses Intel virtualization so it is able to run at near native speeds. I have run many of the Microsoft Office products as well as Developer Studio on it, it works great. A few things you should keep in mind:
  
  ** You Need a Copy of Windows
  
  You will have to have your own copy of Windows to make use of this program. I thought I was going to use an upgrade CD that came with one of my computers that I no longer use. But Windows Genuine Advantage flagged it as an illegal copy of Windows, I guess it was licensed only for my old computer. Anyway, I bought a new copy of XP(an upgrade) and it worked just fine.
  
  ** Special Drivers
  
  Parallels comes with some special drivers that they recommend that you install on whatever operating system you are using. This is not required. You can run the operating systems just as you would install them on any other computer. However installing the Parallels drivers increases performance. One really nice feature is the mouse driver. When the mouse driver is installed it allows you to simply drag the mouse over Parallels and click on things. Otherwise, you must click on the window first and switch your focus to the virtual machine.
  
  ** Games
  
  I have run into some problems where the game will install just fine, but it will refuse to run saying that you must put the game's CD-ROM in. I assume this is because the virtual CD-ROM driver used by Parallels is not supporting the CD-ROM down to a low enough level to support the game's copy protection. One game that has this issue is the Sim's 2.
  
  Also the 3d graphics are NOT virtualized. So any sort of 3d game will run as if you have no 3d acceleration hardware. Which is slow. Overall, the best way to run a game is "boot camp".
  
  ** Versions of Windows
  
  I have used several versions of Windows on Parallels and it works great. I have tested both Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
  
  ** Other Operating Systems
  
  I have also used several flavors of Linux. It works very well. It really simulates a virtual computer, and you can install anything on it you like.
  
  ** You need RAM
  
  Running this with less than 1gig of RAM can be painful. If you want to run several virtual machines I would suggest up to 2 gigs. However, one gig ran very well.
  
  All in all this is a very good PC emulation and is quite fast. I have uses other emulators, that are just deadly slow. This one is quite usable. If you don't plan to use this for games, you will be very happy with this product. If you do want games its a little more hit and miss. Better to use Boot Camp.
  
  

• Bye bye Virtual PC, and good riddance!

  
  By AM1AIMJ3WHFXR on 2006-08-14
  I have used Parallels on my 20" iMac since well before it was released. I used most of the beta versions as well as each released version. When they offered it for sale, I bought it without hesitation. In short, the software is much better than one would expect for the price. On that basis alone, it should get 5 stars.
  
  One thing I must note about Parallels. Do not expect much if your system is RAM starved (ie, you have less than 768MB). Your poor mac will be paging to disk almost constantly and you'll wonder why your blazing fast computer is so slow. That is because you are beating the tar out of your hard drive. Do yourself a favor, spend $160 for 2GB of RAM and avoid the problem altogether. I did this on my 20" iMac and my MacBook and both scream.
  
  I use Parallels for running three different operating systems, FreeBSD, Linux, and Windows XP. Since I develop software that runs on the first two, I regularly need access to them both so I am often running one of them in the background. I can code, rsync to the virtual server, test, and continue coding. I open SSH sessions to the virtual server just as if it were a real one. For nearly all intents and purposes, running these operating systems under Parallels is every bit as good as running them on a real server.
  
  In fact, since Parallels has come out, the dual 3.0GHz Xeon system that I have tucked away in a rack in our guest bedroom (because the fans are so loud) has not been powered up. In many ways, Parallels is much better than that having a real server.
  
  1. It uses far less power and generates almost no noise pollution (important in home offices) when running on my iMac.
  
  2. More convenient. My dual Xeon is a server, so switching operating systems meant going into the other room, unplugging the hotswap hard drive with FreeBSD and plugging in the one with Windows (or vice versa). With Parallels, simply shut down the one running, select the one you want, and click "Start".
  
  3. Portable. The dual Xeon is anchored to the rack in the closet. My virtual machines can be dropped onto my MacBook drive for portable access. I spent two months away from home this year and that feature was more wonderful than you can imagine.
  
  4. Easy snapshots. I like to test my software on "virgin" boxes. This means reinstalling the OS quite frequently on a "real" server, or as I do on the Xeon, building a FreeBSD jail to test in. While the SATA disks in the iMac cannot keep pace with the Ultra320 SCSI disks in the server, I can generate a new system with a clean install simply by copying a Parallels disk image.
  
  5. Leverages existing computing resources. I already have a really fast desktop, more than fast enough for development work and software testing.
  
  6. Because my virtual machines are so much faster (than Virtual PC on a dual G5) now, I use them much more frequently. Things I would have never have taken the time for such as, "I wonder what this looks like in IE for Windows", I check now. There is value in that for developers. I can save the state of the OS I am running, switch to another, and then switch back.
  
  7. Stability. My systems never crash. Anything that changes that makes me particularly grumpy. I have had only one crash while running a very early beta of Parallels. I stopped using it until the next beta came out and it's been steady as a rock every since.
  
  There are a couple downsides to using Parallels. For example, I could not run Virtual PC 2004 for Windows under XP when XP was running under Parallels (google "simerson vpc 2004 xp" for details).
  
  You need enough RAM for Mac OS X (1GB min on Intel systems) and the operating system you will run. For most people, that will be XP which should have 512MB set aside for it.
  
  I set it up on my grandmothers computer (I switched her from a Sony to an iMac) so she could run her old programs in XP. For those who aren't technically savvy, comprehending the concept of two environments on one computer can be a challenge. Getting data back and forth between the environments can be a challenge.
  
  Parallels is highly recommended.
  
  

• An invaluable work-in-progress

  
  By A3J45Z4J4B4M8D on 2006-12-06
  Parallels has great potential -- and it almost lives up to the hype. When I first bought it, the install from the CD didn't work on my new core 2 duo iMac. But after I downloaded the updated version, it installed fine. Since then, the only problem I've had is I can't print to my HP USB printer. A new update was just released which supposedly fixes the problem, but I haven't installed it yet.
  
  If you're not worried about running video-intensive games, Parallels can handle just about anything you throw at it. I've installed Word, ZoneAlarm, and Time Matters (legal billing software) without a single hiccup.
  
  I noticed some complaints in other reviews about tech support for Parallels. Their staff has always answered my e-mails, though it usually takes a few days. The user forums at the Parallels website, though, are tremendously helpful. A patient and moderately-experienced user can find a solution to just about any problem by searching the forum archives or posting a question.
  
  I have no doubt that in a few months Parallels really will live up to its hype. In the meantime, it's still a tremendously useful tool for Mac users.
  
  

• Works reasonably well; non-existent company tech support

  
  By AAJOV2S9O7OO on 2007-01-20
  The software sets up a virtual operating system (OS) environment (Windows XP, in my case) where it almost always (I'll get to that) seems that you are on a PC. The problems I've been having is that the virtual environment does not do well with hardware recognition.
  
  For example, Win XP does not recognize that there is a bluetooth card installed on the MacBook. A bluetooth device will work but when I try to load the software for that device so that I can tweak the way the device operates, the software will say that no bluetooth card is on the computer and will abort its setup. The bluetooth device software is checking the device file of XP and the bluetooth card is not found.
  
  When attaching a flash drive into a USB port, XP does not recognize that the device has been attached. OS X recognizes the device first which may prevent XP in the virtual system from seeing the drive. However, even after I "eject" the flash drive in OS X, XP still cannot recognize the drive.
  
  Last, the console window has increased in size by a factor of three and I see no way to make it the smaller size it used to be. The console window is a window that is about 1/4 the size of the screen; you can see the XP environment well enough to work in that window and in OS X at the same time (usually one will expand the console so that the XP window is the entire screen, but other times you may want to make the window smaller). It's a nice feature, potentially.
  
  I'm sure all these issues are resolvable (maybe). However, if you want to call the makers of this software and speak to tech support, it will cost you $29.99! If you send an e-mail asking the question you will not get a timely response. I sent an e-mail 1.5 weeks ago and have yet to hear back. If you go to their website to try to get your question answered, the site has a list of FAQs but no online technical support, such as a knowledge base where one can look for known issues and how to resolve them.
  
  My sense of this company is that it's a group of folks either working in a small rented space or in someone's basement. One of their requisites for being hired into their company (you can find this on their website) is enjoying drinking beer and shooting pool at the end of the day. Nice work culture, but it would be even nicer if they had some sort of customer service above the level of none.
  
  Three stars for the software, zero stars for the lack of user support.
  
  *** Follow-up: 1/27/07 - Another week has gone by with no response after sending yet another e-mail with my questions.
  
  

• I was astonished that my Mac actually looked like a PC

  
  By A1RQYQO7CLYV54 on 2006-12-26
  (Updated 4-11-2007 and 4-29-2007 to reflect new information on my Parallels crash, as well as the new version that fixes some of the cons I originally posted.)
  
  I just got Parallels today and this review offers you a first impression of what it is like to install and use. First you launch Parallels. The Parallels screen opens, and displays some key preferences that you'll probably want to edit (see tips below). Clicking the play button (like a movie) you launch Windows (XP in my case) which boots on my iMac in about 10 seconds. In the Parallels window, Windows looks just like you are "booting" it yet the Mac is running the whole time! I switch between the Mac and Windows using "command+tab" (that's the "open apple" for you hardcore Mac'ers). Here are some pros and cons as well as some tips.
  
  Pro:
  -Install of Parallels went smoothly... the set up was automated, and went quickly with little or no decision-making
  -Scary how much my Mac acts like a Windows PC
  -Windows install included immediate access to the internet through my Mac account, a huge surprise
  -So far SUPERIOR to VirtualPC, which after hours and hours, I never got working... Parallels was so easy.
  -All my peripherals seem to work, even my Sony mouse which has a memory stick slot in it (in other words, it's multi-functional/fancy and was supported nicely)
  -I use my Mac to safely browse the internet and download programs... I even downloaded office for Windows on my Mac and then used Parallels to retrieve it (I could have used Parallels to get it directly, but then I'd have to browse using Windows and risk viruses)
  -Share files very easily between the OSX (Mac) and Windows using a shared folder (I've shared photos and a free yet massive Microsoft Office trial program this way, to test it).
  -Automatically maps PC Control key functions over to Mac Command key... handy!
  
  Con:
  -Technical support is worse than any other tech group I have had to use... my Parallels was down 3 weeks and they didn't even call or email me once to let me know what the status of my problem is (or that the problem was even received). I finally called them and waited 90 minutes although the system said it would be only 10. Each time I moved ahead in the queue, the quoted wait time got longer! When I got through, they were able to resolve the "black screen" problem quickly (launching XP produced a completely empty black window), apparently it was common. My other problem was the "install tools" wasn't working, which means you can't share a folder between the Mac and XP. In the short term I emailed files to myself as a poor man's method to share files, fortunately I was working with small ones. Turns out that while the cause is still undetermined, I found a Parallels disk image on my drive which when manually clicked, manually launched the installer I needed. Weird.
  -To me, the instructions are weak, the manual is not very good and instructions that come with upgrades are terrible... you've been warned
  -Seems a little slow at times. I've bumped up the "RAM" allocation to 604 MB (max recommended), but think it may need even more.
  -People report slow or incompatible gaming.
  
  Tips (Neutral Commentary):
  -I recycled an old copy of XP that was registered once, but no longer in use. When registering, call Microsoft as your option. I left them know that I was "reinstalling the software." I didn't bother to tell them that I was installing to a Mac... I figured that this would generate a pointless and a lengthy discussion to a confused person in India.
  -After installing XP, immediately seek out the updates. This might require many "reboots" which in this case aren't reboots at all. The program cycles yet your Mac OS is running the whole time!
  -If it's not already obvious, you need a copy of Windows.
  -Give it RAM! The default of 256 KB is laughable and will produce frustratingly slow performance.
  -This will work alongside Apple's free "Boot Camp" beta so you can have the convenience of Parallels with the computing speed/compatibility offered by Boot Camp (with Boot Camp you must reboot your computer to switch between . Windows and your Mac OS). Just remember that when you call Microsoft to register Windows, your copy of Windows is being "reinstalled on the same computer."
  -Have your Windows Virus protection handy to install immediately
  -Set aside time to install of Microsoft's updates to maximize security and compatibility. In the first 3 days I installed 124 XP updates (yes, I counted them, all 124 of them) from the Microsoft web site... you'll need to reboot XP many times to do this.
  -My extended keys (i.e. the number pad area to the right) is activated using the "clear" key which is in the same position as the "num lock" would be... many functions behave like this automatically as described in the "pro" section above
  
  Bottom line: Excellent, wonderfully handy! Amazing to see Windows XP coexisting with my Mac OS. Pray that you do not need their tech support as I think that it is terribly slow and not very effective except for the more basic issues.
  
  
• Amazing: converts a top end Intel Mac into the best PC out there...
  By A3TSPLFYU2UMW0 on 2007-03-16
  If you've got a top end Intel Core 2 Duo processor Mac (desktop or laptop) then this is possibly the most impressive thing you'll ever see or use because "Parallels" will convert your machine into one of the fastest, highest resolution Windows machines out there. Set the screen resolution in the Windows "window" to its highest level (1538 x 921 pixels), make sure that the Parallels Tools are installed correctly, select "Full Screen" mode and there it is... quite amazing... looks better than the any PC you've ever seen, works just like a PC, lets you seamlessly transfer files between the Mac window and the PC window, and transforms your Windows versions of Word, Excel, Publisher and even Photoshop into the most beautiful experiences. And, when you get bored with them you're only a keystroke away from watching the screen flip round to reveal your Mac.
  
  Good enough? Well there's more to come because it also, even more amazingly, lets you run any Windows application program as a window right within the Mac screen (at equally high resolutions) just as though it was one of your Mac applications... seamlessly, stable and fast.
  
  The downsides? You need a fully spec'd Mac with a reasonable amount of memory to get the best out of it (this review is based on 2.33ghz MacBook Pro with 3 gigabytes of memory) but then you're getting, in effect, two top end machines in one. You need to spend some time configuring Parallels correctly, particularly in integrating the Windows side into any wireless network, but the installation instructions are clear and they work. It's not great for processor intensive 3D games (you need Apple's Boot Camp for that, athough this requires a lengthy reboot between the Mac & Windows environments). Oh yes, and you need a copy of Windows XP... a small additional price to pay for such a brilliant piece of software innovation.
  
  Apple "geeks" may continue to argue that OSX is better than Windows but the truth is that a top end Intel Mac with Parallels running on it is the perfect solution... a PC that runs OSX at its highest levels and Windows at a level that's as good as any dedicated PC out there, with instant switching between the two in a single, fully integrated environment. Incredible.
  
  
• Slow ... unstable ... hard to configure ... waste of money
  By A1SEHRRSCQTQ42 on 2007-11-16
  Installation of Parallels Desktop 3.0 on my MacBook Pro with Leopard was as promised simple and fast. This is a fast machine with 2GB RAM. In difference to Parallels 2.0 the installation was a huge improvement. Once I got into configuring and trying to use the product my impression changed. It is correct that no reboots and restarts are necessary for installation, I had however at least three hangs or crashes trying to change screen resolution settings and sometimes it took minutes to wait for the focus to change between the Mac and the XP desktop. I tried to be patient through that process hoping that my parameter settings would eventually lead to the promised native performance. After two days of repeatedly trying to make those changes I decided that anyway the very frustrating window focus switches and many other quirks were not acceptable. I am a software expert, but I Switched to Mac because these were exactly the things I did NOT WANT. I had also tried the product 'CrossOver' before that is even less usable.
  
  Solution? Uninstall PD 3.0 is as easy as install. A sigh of relief! I recommend to switch to Leopard and use the new BootCamp to partition the disk (16GB is a good size) install WindowsXP native (don't waste your time with Vista). Make sure to format in FAT32 as that gives you access from Leopard to the Windows disk for sharing. You can go up to 32GB if you have a lot to share. If you are worried about Viruses don't enable the network while you are on XP.
  
  Installation is a mormal Windows full install. Then you pop in the Leopard disk to install the Mac Drivers and XP becomes bearable running on a Mac.
  
  
• Outstanding Software
  By A1L2RH6Q3Y9E1E on 2006-08-17
  This is an outstanding piece of software. It is Simple to install, works as advertised, and a bargain at the price. If you are a mac user, you know how annoying it is when you need to run a windows program or a web site that will only work with explorer.
  
  This program blows away those limits. Literally, any program you want on windows... you can run (and run FAST), the only exception is 3D games that use Direct X, but for that you have boot camp. Also, given how rapidly the Parallels is updating the software i think it is just a matter of time before we see this as well.
  
  This has allowed me to replace avery singe PC in my office with a MAC (we had legacy software that only ran on PC's). This was never possible before because of Virtual PC's sluggishness.
  
  I highly recommend this software.
  
  
• Causes crashes; the "fix" erased my hard drive
  By A1FYGYODXRS6I3 on 2007-02-21
  I'm now performing a clean install of the *Macintosh* operating system in order to recover from the use of this product. I can't recommend it for anyone other than a programming expert.
  
  After a few weeks of satisfactory use, the software started causing crashes, not of the Windows virtual machine, but of the host Macintosh system. The crashes came at an accelerating rate: the first crash after 30 minutes of use, the second after 15, the third after 5, and so on. Two days of searching message boards yielded a fix, of sorts, and I was able to keep the virtual Windows system stable for about an hour.
  
  Their support staff made things worse, however. I phoned their support line a full week after not receiving a response to my e-mail. After an hour and fifteen minutes on hold, I was instructed to perform a re-install of Parallels Tools and a system repair of Windows. However, the instructions led to a clean install of Windows, thus erasing all application installs, user settings, Windows updates, antivirus updates, and data.
  
  Also, increasing the size of the Windows partition is a complicated process involving third-party shareware.
  
  To be fair to the Parallels team, what they are trying to do is programmatically difficult. It's possible that the changes I made by following the partition instructions or in the use of the Macintosh led to the Parallels crashes. But an average user will not have the expertise to avoid these pitfalls. The product is just not ready for general use.
  
  
• Simple to Use, Value for the Money, Stable
  By A3M2GYPBZB1XZI on 2006-09-28
  I am not going to repeat all the great things about this product, but I am going to clear up some confusion for the rest of us. Unlike what the other recommender wrote, I had no problems with my Dell Photo 720 USB Printer (maybe s/he forgot to "connect" the printer). In the world of Parallels Desktop for Mac, all devices, e.g. iSight, USB ports, disc drives..., could be connected to either Mac OS X or Windows, but not simulateously. Therefore, his/her USB printer was probably "connected" to Mac OS X but not to Windows.
  
  MacBook Pro 15" rev. A, Dell Photo 720 USB Printer, Canon Digital Rebel XT camera.
  
  
• Simply extraordinary
  By A3159BH8LN9ZI4 on 2006-08-16
  Never thought I'd see the day where I'd open up my laptop with a big white apple on the cover and see Windows running inside - better, faster and more reliably than on any other computer on the planet! Parallels is simply amazing. Can't imagine you could ever be disappointed with this software. It's an engineering marvel and a beautiful application.
  
  
• Unpolished But Still Amazing
  By A175GQ20LIYO6X on 2006-10-20
  This software has a lot of quirks and crashed on some environments (see notes below), but still the potential of what this software does is just amazing and the potential is incredible.
  
  I mostly run Windows XP, and I do not notice any performance degradation, and I utilize this for a variety of chores in development, scripting, and Windiows system administration. I also do presentations, documentation, and accounting (Office, QuickBooks). It works flawlessly in this regard. I switch back between Windows and Mac OS X often without problems. I only have to limit the number of programs I run on both environments given that I only have 1 gig of memory.
  
  Note, contrary to one reviewer stating that this is an emulator, that is not true. This is a virtual machine that uses some hypervisor technology. Essentially, it is almost like running a full Windows on your box, and is very similar to how VMWare works, except slightly better in some aspects.
  
  Overall, this product is great and essential. There's no need to run one OS at a time through BootCamp, as this solution will work. It may have some rough edges as it has an unpolished feel, but it just works, and for that, I purchased this after trying the evaluation.
  
  
  Crash Notes:
  - booting up on Windows Vista RC1 DVD (distributed at SANS convention) crashes Parallels. (reported this)
  - changing screen resolutions for testing with Mandriva Linux installation (xorg) crashes Parallels.
  
  Anoyances:
  - ALT-ENTER goes to DOS mode (when command shell windows is in foreground) as well as enter into full-screen. ALT-ENTER again switches out of DOS mode, but switches out of full-screen.
  - Windowed Mode: window dimesions grow outside of screen-resolution, cannot resize and get scroll bars. This forces you to go to full-screen.
  - Mac OS X envioronment: virual network device on Mac OS X is created (en2), but doesn't appear through any user interface or even Profiler, but appears in commands. Wierd behavior with this and default routes.
  - Windowed Mode: cannot easily mount floppies, CD-ROMs, etc, by dragging them on icons in Window. Would be nice behavior, but then Parallels window extends beyond the Mac's screen depth.
  - Full-Screen Mode: some mac dialogs super-impose over full-screen mode, cannot click on things behind Mac window.
  - Windowed Mode: moving cursor across Doc inside Parallel's window causes cursor to interact with dock, but then it's still glued to dimensions within Parallels environment.
  - other bizarre issues where cursors between Mac and Windows seem to fight for control. Don't hit key combination for using Dashboard widgets!
  - Multi-Screen: if Windows on another monitor (full-screen), no way to return control to Macintosh cursor. Have to switch out of full screen mode in order to regain control of cursor, which sort of defeats the point of having multiple monitors and Parallels.
  
  
• Good Product, One Major Limitation, EXTREMELY Poor Support
  By A1H15KVWCDFWA4 on 2007-01-19
  I've had Parallels Desktop for Mac for a few weeks now. For the most part, it works very well. When booting or shutting down, it pretty much ties up the Mac, but that isn't the end of the world. What was very disappointing is that the program does not recognize the Express Card slot. I have a Verizon air card in there and I take my Mac around to do demonstrations that REQUIRE the Windows version of Internet Explorer.
  
  Okay, that's also not the end of the world, but I really wanted some help on this and like other reviewers here, reading through their manual and FAQs, I was somewhat snowed by technical jargon. The effort to make their educational material understandable to the "rest of us" simply wasn't present. Initially I was not able to find in their materials that the Express Card was not supported, so I tried to contact them for help.
  
  So I emailed them. And waited their obligatory 72 hours. Then emailed again. 72 hours later, I emailed them again. After one more block of 72 hours, I was finally convinced they wanted me to pay the $30 for a phone "incident." I paid it. Then I called and got their answering machine. Left a detailed message. Two days later and no return call, I called back. Same thing. Machine, left message, no return call. After a week of this, I called American Express and asked for the $30 to be returned to my card due to non-delivery of the service.
  
  They've got a product that has many strong points. But someone in an executive capacity at Parallels has to realize you just can't ignore your customers on tech support lines. Well, I guess you can, but then realize the fact that more and more of us will post reviews like this and eventually that erodes sales.
  
  
• Best Software of 2006!
  By A2316S9GVSC09L on 2006-08-16
  I was using Bootcamp on my MacBook Pro and got tired of rebooting to get back into XP all the time. With Parallels I now never have to reboot and can run Windows and Mac in their own Windows. This is my favorite product of 2006 by a landslide!
  
  
• I'm very impressed
  By A2VJ8W66HK6R1D on 2007-05-14
  I saw Parallels demonstrated this week in the Apple booth at Software 2007. It looked pretty slick so I prepared to order it on Amazon until I saw the reviews complaining about documentation, bugs, performance, and support.
  
  I returned to the Apple booth the next day and there were two reps from Nova Development. They were knowledgeable and very helpful. As for support, they admitted that it was a bad situation. Their business plan was to sell 10,000 copies in the first year and they have sold hundreds of thousands. The demand cratered their support lines... not an excuse, just a fact of life. They hope to get it resolved, but that takes time.
  
  As for documentation, they said it was developed in Russia and the manuals were written in "Ringlish." Again, they are "working on it."
  
  So I threw the dice and bought a copy of Parallels and WinXP from Amazon. The installation was a snap if you use the manual as a "guideline" versus taking it literally. I am new to the MAC yet I had no problems at all. Yes, the manual could/should be better but I had Parallels and WinXP running in less than 30 minutes.
  
  I didn't need support so I cannot comment but it is safe to say you are probably on your own for now. The manual has a lot of info in it and actually is quite helpful, but the install routine did most of the work for me.
  
  A few thoughts, 1. You have to have a full version of WinXP so don't whine that it doesn't come with Parallels. Do you really think an $80 product is going to include a $160 product free?? 2. Don't even think about Parallels if you don't have the horsepower. I have a 4 core MAC PRO with 8 gig of memory and WinXP is blindingly fast. An XP reboot from beginning to end is about 10 seconds. I've never seen XP so fast. I'm not saying you need this much processing power, but a small machine will probably choke on virtual machines. 3. This is a relatively new product so some things are not perfected yet. With the large and growing user base, I expect to see all sorts of enhancements over time. The only big hole I see at this time is gaming. Maybe later.
  
  Overall, this is a fabulous product. If you have doubts after reading the negative posts, I encourage you to give it a try anyway. I did and am very happy and impressed.
  
  
• A good idea plagued by a mercenary and unresponsibe tech support
  By A122CGJ19Y5RP9 on 2006-10-24
  I must admit I found the concept of using windows on my new macbook quite exciting and was duly excited for the 24 hours that it seemed to work, that is before my virtual hardrive froze and then while I was awaiting tech assistance unexpectedly disappeared with all my data. For this I blame Sage's tech support which is designed to be little more than an additional source of revenue, perhaps greater than that derived from selling the product. Unless you are very well versed in computers, expect to pay more for your tech assistance than for the product. Let me explain.
  
  Although I am far from a techie, after years of using Windows, I am far from ignorant. I set up my virtual system after overcoming a few hurdles -- the product manual has the usual problems -- using terms which it assumes the customer understands but which only the writer of the manual truly comprehends. A few items didn't work, e.g., my hp printer didn't work, apparently as I would later figure out because of bug, and I never did get connected to the internet. But what gauled me is that I had no one to assist me. Sage provides for email tech assistance. I sent three emails. One was totally unresponsive, telling me to install anti viral software when my question was about connecting to the internet. An initial question about my inability to install Windows was indirectly helpful. The response although not on point did lead to my figuring out what was amiss. And the third, having to do once again with connecting to the internet, again used terms which were totally unfamiliar to me and would require follow up emails to explicate. It seems as if there is competition among the Parallel tech representatives to be as brief as possible when responding to inquiries. To consider alternative explanations or to make further inquiry or even to write more than three sentences is beyond them.
  
  Of course while all this was going on, time was wasting and days passing. My purchase of a new computer which I intended to use further my business had if anything seriously hampered my business and would have totally undermined it had I not had a spare PC to use in a pinch.
  
  Giving in, I finally decided to telephone for assistance when my virtual operating system froze for no apparent reason. I hadn't even been using it at the time. Before I was actually allowed to speak to a representative, however, Parallel made sure that they first got their pound of flesh. You have to pay up front before they will give you a phone number. Desparate as I was, I paid and called. You guessed it -- the phone message indicated that all representatives were busy and would call me back. Five hours later, no one called. And guess what happened in the meantime? My virtual hard drive disappeared.
  
  Thank you Sage for nothing. I have little doubt that had i had appropriate assistance, none of this would have happened. I also blame Apple. I have no problem with Apple tech help, but they will not assist on Parallel software even though they are making a pretty penny pushing the product so as to entice droves of Windows user to convert to Macs. Shame on them.
  
  
• Very Complicated but it works -- Kiss Virtual PC goodbye
  By A3FPSY1M6G7XIB on 2007-01-20
  The program works as stated -- but for anyone but a computer expert, installation and configuration is very complicated. I am a computer expert, and even I had trouble installing the drivers and getting the printers to work. Other things work surprisingly well right out of the box - installed the software and Windows (a separate purchase) and it instantly recongized all of the Macbook Pro hardware, and even recognized the wireless internet!
  
  This company's tech support is virtually non-existant. Three hours of trial and error finally led to the correct installation of the printers. The manual reads like a translation out of a foreign language, so it is not always clearly documented and things are overly simplified...when the manual says "merely go to settings and change your USB port and your printers will install from their original disks" it actually is not explaining ANYTHING and you have no idea what you are supposed to do, what settings you are supposed to go in, and what USB drivers you are supposed to change. E-mails to the support team go unanswered (three days later I still have no response to any of my e-mails that I sent them) and there is no phone number provided - until I finally dug it up through a search online. Phone calls merely go to an answering system.
  
  SO -- user be warned
  
  Once you have it set up it works like a charm, and it is FAST -- nothing at all like Virtual PC which never worked correctly. Because it is so easy to switch back and forth from Mac to PC, you can literally pick and choose wether you want to use the Mac versions of software (such as Quicken and Microsoft Office) or the PC versions.
  
  ALL WINDOWS ANNOYANCES ARE PRESENT -- once installed, the program LITERALLY emulates your WIndows XP desktop -- that means constant and daily balloon pop ups warning you to download and install upgrades, download and install Macafee upgrades, etc etc etc. All those reasons that most of us switched away from MS to begin with --
  
  But for those of us who need to run the occasional proprietary software package, this program works beautifully.
  
  ADDENDUM JUNE 24, 2007: Parallels has released 3.0 upgrade at this point. It incorporates many changes in the software, including the ability to drag files from Mac to Windows and vice versa. It also supposedly improves 3D graphics for games. It does NOT truly emulate 3D graphics, and many games do NOT run on Parallels 3.0, including simple games like Roller Coaster Tycoon II. I would highly recommend that you go directly to their own website to see the compatibility list for games before you upgrade if you want to play them. Otherwise, it is a stable upgrade.
  
  
• WARNING: Terrible customer support
  By A2CJSMPFASDT73 on 2007-06-09
  First, this is a decent product - but there really isn't anything to directly compare it to - VMWare is still in Beta for the Mac version.
  
  But be WARNED! Parallel's customer support is simply the worst! And do NOT buy a retail version unless you are certain it is Version 3. I know the Amazon tag says latest version, but it doesn't say Version 3. If you buy and get version 2, you will get a free upgrade from Parallels, BUT IN EIGHT TO TEN WEEKS! And you have to dig around their web site to find the right link to get the upgrade info. I find this inexcusable.
  
  This is totally shabby treatment of customers who buy retail, like from Amazon. You end up with the old product, and no way to get your free upgrade in a timely fashion.
  
  So, if you really need this product (and I did), don't buy from a retail outlet unless you are positive you will be getting Version 3. And then don't be surprised with totally crappy support. The ONLY way to get any support is to read their forums ([...]), which they don't really tell you about in any easy to find place, and which have lots of information, but are difficult to sort through.
  
  UPDATE: I guess most of the problems I had aren't much of an issue now. Now it is just the product. I know Parallels has gotten pretty good reviews as a product, but I gave up on it. After using it a while, I just kept having problems. Finally, VMWare Fusion was released, and that was a breath of fresh air. While VMWare might lack a few of the gee-wiz features of Parallels, it works, and it works well. None of the problems and crashes I was getting with Parallels. My recommendation: VMWare Fusion.
  
  
• Works better than advertised
  By A3ENBL2WWZSBCC on 2006-08-15
  I was in an Apple store last week and someone was telling me about this product. I went to the Apple web site and read about 25 great reviews on Parallels. I found all the good reviews really informative. Check them out if you are interested in knowing more. Well I didn't end up buying it and decided to think about it. My husband ended up buying it for me as a present at Amazon and it's just great! I forget sometimes that I am using a Mac. Now I do not have to give up my Mac software but I still can use Windows. I am getting rid of my Gateway and using only the iMac. Parallels is my new favorite Mac product which is pretty funny.
  
  
• so much faster than Virtual PC
  By A1CYTBE7LLUQ8F on 2006-10-14
  As a long-time Apple/Mac user whose office is PC based, I used Virtual PC for years. It saved me the cost of having to buy a Windows PC, but was sometimes agonizingly slow. Parallels on my MacBook runs refreshingly fast. It was fairly easy to install. The only problem with Parallels is that you need to buy a copy of the operating system and install it on Parallels. In my case I bought and installed XP Pro. I had some minor issues when trying to run a wireless app (SlingPlayer), but solved these fairly quickly. All other applications (all business) have installed and run with no problems.
  
  
• Too complicated!
  By A3JVPPZ2ZNT32 on 2007-01-14
  I have a PowerMac G5 and Dell notebook. The notebook went bad so purchase MacBook with Windows XP and Parallels. After working all day getting Parallels and Windows installed and up and running, I thought my life was great. Then after a week things quite working. Parallels would not boot Windows no matter what I tried. The manual is not written for the average business user and has several mistakes in it. They provide an additional manual to try to correct the mistakes in the first manual with such things as, " on Page 3 replace step 4 with the following . . . next place the content of . . . in the second bullet, the name should be corrented . . ." Then you have to go to their website to find corrections to these corrections. The manual is written in true computer geek language and not for the person that doesn't make his living working on and with computers. Parallels offers support at $30/call or by email that doesn't work. They only work during business hours on West coast time. Suggestion - if you need Windows, buy a PC of Boot Camp.
  
  
• Where's the tech support?
  By A30KYVNGVS1WIO on 2006-08-01
  I followed all of the instructions in the Quick Start guide to the letter. Generally I got the same response from my MacBook Pro that they showed in the guide. Then, I got to a point where it just stopped doing anything. I took the same steps as the first time making sure that I hadn't screwed something up. Low and behold, the same problem arose. I went to the publisher's website, registered, and sent an email to tech support about my issue. The response I got back was something to the effect of "we value your feedback" not "we'll get back within 24 hours." Of course, I've never heard "boo" from tech support dudes at Nova in several days. I'm stuck with software that won't install (but can be returned) and the one thing I never wanted to own (and cannot be returned)--my own personal copy of Windows XP. Steer clear of this program.
  
  
• Warning! Does not work on Mac Pro w/o some workarounds
  By A3U7P14GXGWJLM on 2006-09-05
  I was all excited about this program until I tried to load the shareware program. Apparently, this software is not usable on MacPro yet. No where did I find that written until trying to download the shareware program and running into problems which led me to do a search for fixes. Found some information after a search on a meta search engine that sent me to http://forum.parallels.com/ , which BTW is not under Support on the Parallels website. AAHHHH! The aggravation! It may work great on other machines but not on the Mac Pro. So far I've been able to configure a virtual machine but everytime I go to "power" it I get an error message - no communication with hypervisor. Currently trying the workaround mentioned in the forum. Jury is still out on that.
  
  
  
• Coherence!
  By A1BQGY0P53NFDP on 2007-02-13
  After 16 years of using PC's and always wondering why anyone would buy a Mac I finally made the conversion after I "had had enough" of windows.
  
  I am a business owner and I rely heavily on Microsoft Office, with most of my reliance on Outlook, Word, and Excel. I looked at the Mac version of these programs and they are just not the same and cannot do what the Windows versions do. I researched for many days and many long hours and had many more hours of debate with PC advocates before I made my decision to part ways with my PC.
  
  While I was researching my options I figured my best bet at having the best of both worlds would be Bootcamp, especially since Apple will be including it in their next OS release; Leopard. My plan was to get Parallels and make the most of it until Bootcamp was out of Beta and in full operation with Leopard.
  
  I purchased a Mac Pro and with it a copy of Parallels. After initial installation I found it to be a good program with some limitations and but it had a very good rendition of "the best of both worlds" by running both OS's; I could do all of my business operations without too many problems.
  
  Then I updated to the latest release of Parallels that has Coherence! This was a changing point in my view of this product and at this point I could care less about Bootcamp and what it has to offer! My desktop now displays both OS's seamlessly, I can run every MS Office program and every OS.X program side by side on my OS.X desktop!
  
  I was giddy like a little school kid when I first ran Parallels in coherence mode. After 16 years of computer use I had finally found the "best of both worlds", I was now running the best of both OS's on one system!
  
  Are there still issues with this program? Yes. I only gave it 4 stars because there is room for improvement and I have a strong feeling that the next full version of Parallels will address these and truly have a seamless crossover program. But, I can cut and paste between OS's, I haven't found a program or project I can't complete.
  
  If you are still using a PC.....get with the times my friend! If PC makers and Windows are not scared of Apple right now, they should be....they should be very, very, scared!
  
  
• Great product -- Windows on Mac
  By A1CA475LVCVWB6 on 2007-02-16
  I recently purchased this product. I've been in the windows realm for over a decade, and have used PCs in my career as a windows server administrator. However, my motto in business has always been to "use the right tool for the right job" and am therefore not stuck on MS products. Just getting into Macs, I needed something to run all the Windows software I own, as I didn't want to fork out hundreds of dollars more to purchase the Mac version when I already owned a copy. So I spent the money on this great product, only to find out it didn't appear to allow you to use the Upgrade version of XP.
  
  After some choice words, I decided to do some research of my own and try different things like I do for my job. Hey, it isn't always in the manual nor is it always straight-forward. So I decided to try a typical installation, which asks for the installation key up front. It goes along starting the installation when it finds no previous version, and asks me to insert it into CD. After some more fumbling around, I realized that I could release the CD-Rom control back to OS X, eject my XP CD, put in my NT Workstation CD for upgrade verification, return control back to OS X and eject again, and finally put the XP CD back in to let the install continue. The only caveat is that I had to call MS to state that I was re-installing this CD. This allowed me to not waste the XP Upgrade CD I already owned (and aren't using on any PCs) on my Parallels disk. It works great. Please note that you do need to have lots of RAM. I have 1.5GB of RAM, and I supply XP 768MB per the recommendation to not allocate more than half your ram. It runs windowed or full screen better than my PC (it darn well should when it has 2-3x the horsepower under the engine on my "ancient" 3 year old PC).
  
  Definitely worth the money and definitely worth trying to get it to install XP with a copy you already own than to spend the money on a full version.
  
  
• When it works it's okay, but...
  By AR563YB2QH5VT on 2007-03-16
  I seldom write negative reviews, but maybe this will make some people think twice. I've been using Parallels for several months on a new Mac, and during that time I have had a lot of downtime when Parallels would develop problems. Customer service (if they reply) says to reinstall it, etc., and I keep doing that, but, even when it does start working, it seems that things go "south" before long. (Too many problems to enumerate.) The "you need to" error messages tend to send you around in circles.
  
  I don't agree that this approach is as fast as standard Windows XP; it's not. But, depending on the Windows program, that's no big deal. If you like Macs (and they have a lot going for them!) you may find this is a way to use some Windows programs that aren't available on the Mac (like Expression for the Web).
  
  Maybe my experience isn't typical, but I wasn't prepared for the problems that keep popping up with Parallels.
  
  
• FREE UPGRADE to V3 and early DirectX Game Notes
  By A35MP182F8V0YT on 2007-06-18
  I bought a copy from Amazon on June 7th, the day version 3.0 (which adds DirectX and Open GL support as well as many new enhancements) was released. Amazon shipped v 2.5, which I didn't notice until the set was installed and registered. Oops.
  
  Fortunately, anyone who purchased after May 1st, and who still has their receipt, can get upgraded to v3 free of charge by the publisher. You can get it by going to Nova Development's website, and then from the main page, appending the following to their main URL, after the /.
  
  parallels/free_upgrade.aspx
  
  You complete the form to request the upgrade; this allows you to print a form you must fax or mail in. Once your submission is "approved", you get emailed a link and upgrade key. It sounds like a pain, but I faxed in my request Friday night and had the link Monday morning. (Note: do not try emailing Parallels support. I had the usual experience as everyone else, no answer. This, of course, will make me more likely to use a competitor when a viable one is available, the jerks).
  
  Early notes on 3D support: you have to enable DirectX in the configuration editor for each virtual machine you've installed (machine must be stopped to edit, so hold down the CMD key when starting a machine to start it up in "stopped" mode; then use the EDIT menu in Parallels to get to the Configuration Editor). The virtual video card can be set from 4 to 64MB of memory (in Vista anyway, which is where I have done most of my fiddling). This means playing the most modern, demanding games - such as modern shooters, or other graphics-heavy games like Oblivion - is out of the question.
  
  My virtual machine: Vista Ultimate with 1.5GB virtual memory and 64MB of video memory, on a Mac Pro Core 2 Duo w/2 2.66GHz processors and 3GB total memory.
  
  - OBLIVION in Vista: BOOM! CRASHED OS! Big surprise.
  - DUNE: EMPEROR in Vista: BOOM! Well, at least the OS didn't crash.
  - STAR TREK: ARMADA in Vista: BOOM! This one actually froze up my whole Mac to the point that I had to do a hard reboot with the power switch. I'm surprised, because 3D support is listed as "recommended" for this game, which means it has a software version.
  
  VERDICT: I wanted to post this ASAP so everyone could be sure to get the free upgrade they were due (the information is VERY hard to find). I'll add more notes on games as I get time to fiddle, but so far, I'm not real impressed. I'll try a Win98 machine next and post some results; Vista has its own compatibility issues, after all.
  
  
• It just works!
  By A19XO0KY7T0TEU on 2006-08-02
  I had used Virtual PC when I had my old Powerbook G4 and it was always pretty slow. I stopped using it and started lugging around a Sony VAIO laptop to connect to my company computer system. I got Parallels last week and I now only use my shiny new MacBook Pro 2 GHz. It's fast and Windows never looked better. No trouble installing or using this thing. Definitely worth the money.
  
  
• Everything should run this smoothly!
  By A11LNPG39A2ZV4 on 2006-09-16
  Parallels installs quickly and easily. For the XP installation, I followed the booklet step-by-step, since it's not as intuitive as the usual Mac install. It is, however, easier than installing XP on a PC.
  
  XP runs inside a separate window, which you can use full-screen if you prefer. The 5 or 6 applications I need that are PC only have installed and worked without a hitch. I was even able to set up a network print server (Buffalo Technologies) via WIndows, then got it to work on the Mac. Tivo fans, it will run the Tivo Desktop, too.
  
  Overall, I'm thrilled with this fast, smooth virtual machine.
  
  
• Parallels Desktop for Intel MacOS X
  By A2AA61SMPQV4XZ on 2006-11-05
  After using Virtual PC for years, my first thought is FAST, freaky fast! In a 2.0GHz Core Duo iMac, it is easily the fastest Windows system I've ever used. Windows XP reboots in less than 10 seconds. I also installed NetBSD, FreeBSD, and Fedora Core linux. All work very well.
  
  The only downside is that the Parallels features and interface is not quite as mature as VPC was. But recent updates are improving it and there's nothing like FAST.
  
  

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional FULL VERSION with SP2
• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition FULL VERSION with SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista Business FULL VERSION [DVD] [OLD VERSION]
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic FULL VERSION [DVD] [OLD VERSION]
• Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate FULL VERSION [DVD] [OLD VERSION]

• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition FULL VERSION with SP2
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional FULL VERSION with SP2
• Mac OS X Version 10.5.4 Leopard
• Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Home & Student Edition
• Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Student and Teacher [OLD VERSION]