Parallels lets you run many different types of operating systems on your Mac. Because the developers knew that most Mac users will want to install at least a Windows OS, Parallels includes a Windows Express installation option that eliminates the need to babysit a Windows XP or Vista installation.
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This guide will take you through the Windows Express installation, which creates a virtual machine on your Mac. We'll stop short of actually installing Windows, because the specific steps depend on whether you're installing Windows XP, Vista, Win 7, or Win 8.
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What You Will Need
- Parallels Desktop for Mac v3.0 or later.
- The installation CDs for Windows XP or Vista.
- 20 GB free disk space. You can get by with less (I've performed an installation with as little as 8 GB of available disk space), but you'll appreciate the extra room if you later want to install more Windows applications or store larger Windows files than you originally intended.
- About an hour of free time, for the Windows Express setup and to actually install Windows.
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The Parallels OS Installation Assistant
By default, Parallels uses the Windows Express installation option. This option creates a virtual machine with settings that will work just fine for most individuals. You can always customize the virtual machine parameters later if you need to.
The real advantage of Windows Express is that it's fast and easy; it does most of the work for you. It will collect most of the information that Windows needs by asking you some questions. Once you supply the answers, you can leave and then return to a fully installed version of Windows. This is a much more pleasant Windows installation than the standard. The downside is that the Windows Express method doesn't let you directly configure many settings, including type of network, memory, disk space, and other parameters, although you can always tweak these and other settings later.
Using the OS Installation Assistant
- Launch Parallels, usually located at /Applications/Parallels.
- Click the ‘New’ button in the Select a Virtual Machine window.
- Select the installation mode that you want Parallels to use.
- Windows Express (recommended)
- Typical
- Custom
- For this installation, select the Windows Express option and click the ‘Next’ button.
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Configuring a Virtual Machine for Windows
Parallels needs to know which operating system you plan to install, so it can set the virtual machine parameters and collect the information necessary to automate the installation process.
Configure the Virtual Machine for Windows
- Select the OS type by clicking the dropdown menu and choosing Windows from the list.
- Select the OS version by clicking the dropdown menu and choosing Windows XP or Vista from the list.
- Click the ‘Next’ button.
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Entering Your Windows Product Key and Other Configuration Information
The Parallels Windows Express installation option is ready to collect some of the information it needs to automate the installation process.
Product Key, Name, and Organization
- Enter your Windows product key, which is usually located on the back of the Windows CD case or inside the Windows envelope. The dashes in the product key are entered automatically, so just enter the alphanumeric characters. Be careful not to lose the product key, because you may need it in the future if you need to reinstall Windows.
- Enter your name by using the alphanumeric keys and the space key. Do not use any special characters, including apostrophes.
- Enter your organization's name, if appropriate. This field is optional.
- Click the ‘Next’ button.
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Name That Virtual Machine
It's time to specify a name for the virtual machine that Parallels is about to create. You can choose any name you like, but a descriptive name is usually best, particularly if you have multiple hard drives or partitions.
In addition to naming the virtual machine, you will also choose whether your Mac and the new Windows virtual machine should be able to share files.
Pick a Name and Make a Decision About Sharing Files
- Enter a name for Parallels to use for this virtual machine.
- Enable file sharing, if desired, by placing a check mark next to the 'Enable file sharing' option. This will let you share files in your Mac's home folder with your Windows virtual machine.
- Enable user profile sharing, if desired, by placing a check mark next to the ‘Enable user profile sharing’ option. Enabling this option allows the Windows virtual machine to access the files on your Mac desktop and in your Mac user folder. It's best to leave this file unchecked and manually create shared folders later on. This provides more protection for your files and lets you make file sharing decisions on a folder-by-folder basis.
- Click the ‘Next’ button.
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Performance: Should Windows or OS X Get Top Billing?
At this point in the configuration process, you can decide whether to optimize the virtual machine you're about to create for speed and performance or allow applications to have dibs on your Mac's processor.
Decide How to Optimize Performance
- Select an optimization method.
- Virtual Machine. Choose this option for the best performance of the Windows virtual machine you're about to create.
- Mac OS X applications. Choose this option if you prefer your Mac applications to take precedence over Windows.
- Make your selection. I prefer the first option, to give the virtual machine the best performance possible, but the choice is yours. You can change your mind later if you decide that you made the wrong choice.
- Click the ‘Next’ button.
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Start the Windows Installation
All of the options for the virtual machine have been configured, and you've supplied your Windows product key and your name, so you're ready to install Windows. I'll tell you how to start the Windows installation process below, and cover the rest of the process in another step-by-step guide.
Begin the Windows Installation
- Insert the Windows Install CD into your Mac's optical drive.
- Click the ‘Finish’ button.
Parallels will start the installation process by opening the new virtual machine you created, and booting it from the Windows Install CD. Follow the onscreen instructions to install Windows.
Parallels announced Wednesday that Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac is now available. The latest release of the virtualization solution allows users to run Windows, Linux, and other operating systems on their Intel-based Macs. Parallels Desktop 5 works in both Leopard and Snow Leopard.
Version 5 ($80; upgrades, $50) includes more than 70 new features targeted at making the program faster, smarter, and more powerful.
In the “faster” category, Parallels Desktop 5 now includes full Aero support in Windows Vista and Windows 7, and an improved Parallels Transporter promises to speed up and ease the task of converting a standalone PC into a Parallels virtual machine. USB transfer speeds in Windows are faster than before, and Parallels Compressor runs in the background to optimize the size of the virtual machine for better performance.
“Smarter” features include a more Mac-like experience through a new Crystal view mode, which basically makes the Windows operating system disappear—Parallels’ icon vanishes from the Dock and application switcher, and it’s replaced with a Parallels icon in the menu bar. Click that icon to gain access to the Windows start menu, and a folder in the Dock provides access to Windows applications. There’s even an optional MacLook mode that attempts to make Windows’ windows look more like those in OS X—squared corners are rounded off, and the close/zoom buttons are replaced with the standard OS X colored versions.
Parallels Desktop also supports pinch and swipe gestures in many applications. You can, for instance, change the zoom level on a Word for Windows document by pinching in or out on your trackpad. You can also copy and paste formatted text and images between not just the Mac OS and Windows, but with Linux as well. Multiple monitor support has been improved as well, making it easier to use Windows and Linux applications on multi-monitor Macs.
Parallels Desktop’s virtual machine configuration interface has been streamlined, making it simpler to find the settings you wish to change. Both Windows and Linux guest operating systems can be installed via an easy installer, and Parallels supports up to eight virtual CPUs, and 64-bit versions of Windows and Mac OS X Server.
Some of the more 'powerful” features are OpenGL 2.1 acceleration, not just in Windows but also in Linux. Parallels says that graphics performance in games and 3D applications is seven times better than the prior version of Parallels, and a revised interface gives users greater power over their virtual machines. Using a new floating virtual machine window, users can control the order of the machines in the list, apply custom colors, and see snapshots of activity on each virtual machine.
Users can now compress or expand the size of the virtual machine’s hard drive directly from within the program; no external application is required. The program also includes Smart Card reader support, for those businesses using this security technology. For those who wish to test drive Windows, Parallels will be making virtual appliances available that include trial versions of the various Windows operating systems.
Parallels Desktop 5 includes a bundle of Windows software, featuring a 12-month subscription to Parallels Internet Security by Kaspersky; Acronis Disk Director, a suite of disk management tools; and Acronis True Image, tools to help ease data backup and recovery. The program is currently available in five languages (English, German, French, Italian, Spanish) with versions in Chinese, Czech, Hungarian, Japanese, Polish, and Russian due out in the near future. You can find it at the Parallels Online Store, the Apple Store (both online and retail), Amazon.com, Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics, Target, and many other retail locations.
Users who purchased the current version of Parallels after October 1st qualify for a free upgrade—if you purchased from the Parallels Online Store, you’ll receive a key directly from Parallels. Users who purchased at other locations will need to visit the Parallels Desktop for Mac 5 free upgrade page to get their keys.
[Updated at 9:19am PST to replace an incorrect image of Crystal mode, as supplied by Parallels.]
Free trial parallels for mac. Instant Download. Best way to run Windows, Linux, or Boot Camp® on Mac without rebooting. Download and install Windows 10 in one click. Try Free for 14 Days. If you have already installed Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, or Windows 7 on your Mac using Boot Camp, you can set Parallels Desktop to run Windows from the Boot Camp Partition or import Windows and your data from Boot Camp into Parallels Desktop as a new virtual machine. Parallels Desktop for Mac is the first solution that gives Apple users the ability to run Windows, Linux or any other operating system and their critical applications at the same time as Mac OS X.
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