Windows on Mac OS X

Overview of running Windows on an Intel Mac
Boot Camp
VMWare, Parallels
Other Solutions and Remote Desktop
Conclusion and Special Considerations

Running Windows on Mac.
With the advent of Mac OS X computers built on Intel Core-based processor architectures Apple shifted to industry-standard hardware that opened up the potential for running Windows software at a performance level competitive with Windows PCs. What's more, Apple has provided Windows software drivers for those hardware components that are unique to the Mac, such as the built-in iSight video camera.

Solutions for running Windows software from an Intel Mac fall into three main categories:
1) Boot Camp: Separate partitions, each with its own operating system (aka Dual-Boot)
2) Virtual Machine: Software to run Windows within Mac OS X (e.g. VirtualBox, VMware)
3) Remote Desktop: An application on the Mac displays Windows running elsewhere.

Boot Camp
Apple's Boot Camp software repartitions the Mac's hard drive so you can choose at startup whether to boot into Mac OS X or Windows. Boot Camp is part of Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard", but you'll need a licensed Windows XP SP2 or SP3 install CD to install Windows (available through Lehigh's Microsoft Campus Agreement.) When booting into Windows, the Mac essentially becomes a PC. The performance of Windows applications should be comparable to other Windows PCs. This is the best solution if 100% compatibility is of primary importance to you. A dual-boot solution is also best for PC gaming.

Virtual Machine, e.g. Parallels, VMWare Fusion
The Intel processors inside recent Macs support "virtualization" technology, which provides hardware-level support for running multiple operating systems inside complete "virtual machines" or "hypervisors" on a single computer. Hardware-level support means better performance from products taking advantage of this technology, as compared to previous software emulation products you may remember such as Virtual PC.

Parallels Desktop for Mac and VMWare Fusion are two popular commercial solutions that virtualize a full set of standard PC hardware within Mac OS X. A licensed Windows install CD is required to create a virtual machine (although several other operating systems are supported as well, including Linux.) A virtual machine is a convenient solution because there's no need to leave Mac OS X or reboot. However, if you have already created a Boot Camp partition, both Parallels and VMWare can utilize it.

The full Windows XP desktop can run within a window in Mac OS X, or can be switched to full-screen on demand. Windows applications can even be run individually, without the Windows environment visible at all (this is called Coherence mode in Parallels, Unity mode in VMWare.) Another advantage of using a virtual machine is the ability to share files and folders and copy and paste between Windows and Mac OS X. Performance is typically very good, and almost any Windows application can run under a virtual machine. However, graphics-intensive applications, such as CAD, some games that require accellerated 3D graphics, or streaming video software may perform poorly or not function properly in a virtual machine.

Virtual machine solutions will perform better on host Macs that have better/faster CPU and more RAM. 4GB RAM is or more is recommended for the best performance.

• Parallels Desktop for Mac
Parallels has the longest track record, with their Mac OS X product at version 3.0. Unique features include OpenGL graphics support and the SmartSelect feature which can automatically open certain document file extensions in Windows. However, SmartSelect can be confusing, for example if both Mac and Windows versions of Office are installed.

• VMWare Fusion (Recommended)
VMWare is the recommended solution for Lehigh Macs. Unique features include multi-processor support and the widest array of guest operating sustem support (including 64-bit guest OS.) VMWare also operates with slightly less overhead, delivering better performance.

• VirtualBox
Sun Microsystems' x86 virtualization software package is now available for a Mac OS X host operating system. The free Open Source Edition (OSE) lacks key features such as USB support. However, the full version supports USB, and is available under a proprietary license for which educational use is permitted free of charge.

Remote Desktop

• Remote Desktop Connection for Mac OS X
Clients should also be aware of Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection for Mac OS X. This software allows someone on a Mac to remotely access and control a Windows PC. This can provide a solution for the Mac OS X user who needs to run Windows applications only occasionally, and has a networked Windows XP Pro or Vista PC available to her (that no other person will be using at the same time.) This is a good solution for a low-powered Mac since the Windows applications run on the remote PC and the Mac simply provides a window of control. Remote Desktop Connection software may be downloaded from the Microsoft Mactopia web site.

• VMWare View
Clients may also access VM "servers" running Windows desktop instances such as the Lehigh Virtual Site. This is typically done via a "Player" or "Viewer" app such as VMWare View. This approach is similar to Remote Desktop Connection but you do not need to have a second physical PC

Conclusions and Special Considerations
Boot Camp can be configured at no cost*. VMWare must be purchased, but offers the convenience of being able to run Windows applications without rebooting. Both solutions require a Windows license. For students, Lehigh's Microsoft Campus Agreement provides a Windows XP or Windows 7 install CD and license at no charge. University-owned Macs are permitted to use Lehigh's enterprise license of Windows (provided through LTS.) *Faculty and Staff may obtain a Windows install CD at the Bookstore for a small media charge.

The following table offers a comparitive summary of the most popular solutions:

	Convenience	Cost	Compatibility
Boot Camp	Least. Must reboot to switch OS; Must repartition drive to install	None* Windows install CD required; Boot Camp software is free with Mac OS X.	Most compatible, fastest; Apple-supplied drivers; Best for graphics apps and PC games; Windows isolated
Parallels Desktop	Very. Windows runs within Mac OS X; Can save "states"	~$60-80 Windows install CD required	Good general compatibility; SmartSelect file association awkward.
VMWare Fusion	Very. Windows runs within Mac OS X; Can save "states"	~$35-50 Windows install CD required (or LTS UIU image for Lehigh-owned Macs)	Excellent compatibility for common Windows applications
Remote Desktop	Fair. Windows runs on another PC	None Free download from Microsoft; Requires access to a PC	Excellent; Performance may depend on network speeds
VMWare View	Very. Windows runs on remote servers (e.g. Lehigh VirtualSite)	None Free download	Excellent; Performance may depend on network speeds and server loads.

For a more in-depth technical analysis of these products, please see the following sources:
Take Control of Running Windows on a Mac (ebook, Dec 2007)
Comparison of VMware Fusion and Parallels Desktop (Wikipedia)
Triple Threat: Parallels vs. VMware Fusion vs. Boot Camp (crn ChannelWeb, March 2008)
Four Ways to Windows (Macworld, April 2007)
Mac Virtualization: VMWare vs. Parallels (Computerworld, Feb 2007)
VirtualBox: Move over Parallels and Fusion (ars technica, Feb 2008)
VirtualBox (Wikipedia)

Contact your LTS Computing Consultant for additional consultation on these options.