Don't rule VMWare Fusion (http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/) out of the equation. I regularly run 2 or 3 Windows VMs on my MBP using Fusion. I find it faster than Parallels.

I'm a Windows developer - all my development work is now done on a 2K8 VM running under Fusion. Fusion has worked well with esoteric USB devices I've needed to develop for.

You can get a 30-day free trial of Fusion. It may well be worth putting it on and having a whirl when your Daughter's next visiting.

@guruchill: Sorry, but I disagree.

I didn't mention Fusion in my earlier posts, as it is a similar option to Parallels, and it doesn't bring enough additional benefit to the party as far as Goldie's requirements are concerned. If it was *certain* to support her daughter's security dongle, *and* if a virtual machine solution offered *significant* advantages over Bootcamp in Goldie's situation, then I would agree with you. But as far as I can tell, this is not so.

As a Windows developer I am sure you are well capable of throwing together a VMWare Fusion configuration to give it a "whirl". However, I don't see any virtue in recommending Goldie to try to build a Fusion or Parallels system given the nature of her requirement and the extent of her (lack of) technical interest, both in Computing Science generally, and in Windows in particular.

Goldie has to find and install a Windows OS and associated applications software. That's going to stretch her expertise and patience all by itself. Building a Bootcamp partition is the minimum-effort, minimum risk method for her to get that stuff onto her Mac. It is most likely to support the dongle, and it will be usable as-is. If Parallels or Fusion can be seen to add any value later, then one of them can be installed to use the same Windows installation, without jeopardising the existing working solution.

If Goldie does what you suggest it will involve finding, downloading and installing Fusion, then installing Windows and the Windows software into it and trying the security dongle. All of this without your undoubted skill and experience. If she gets it working, than she will have to pay for a Fusion license in order to use it for more than 30 days. If she doesn't get it working, or doesn't want to pay for Fusion for any reason, she will then have to discard all that work, uninstall Fusion. and build the Bootcamp solution.

For background information, I have licenses for both Parallels and Fusion. I chose to use Parallels a while back when they took the lead in the speed and DirectX emulation race. I stopped swapping at that point as Parallels met my needs, and I am more concerned with using this stuff than comparing and contrasting its finer points. I use Parallels/XP Pro for Windows software development and support, as well as to run Windows-only programs. I also run a Linux (Centos) VM for web server development work.

OK - looks as if we are now getting the stuff I'm needing

Alan - you said

Do you have a Windows installer disk for a Windows version that will work with your daughter's employer's system? If not then you will need to obtain one.

Ummm - what do you mean by an Installer disk ? Last year we bought an XP disk since there didn't appear to be such a thing in the house . As far as I know she normally uses Vista and or XP depending which Office she is in .

One other issue: What applications does your daughter expect to use when running a PC? MS Office? Any special purpose applications? You will need Windows versions of those applications installed on your Mac, in the Windows environment, so you need to ensure that you have installers for them.

Hmmm - Office I would think and I know she needs access to e-mails at times - though she does also get them through her Mobile. She has another sort of gadget that does get left behind when she comes up . These questions can be answered when I next talk to her

I think the assumption that Bootcamp is a 'minimum risk' option is quite frankly a bit dangerous - remember that part of the Bootcamp process is to shrink the OSX partition in order to make space for the Windows partition. However you look at it; that is a process with a certain degree of risk attached to it. You need to make sure that your backup regime is faultless, and more importantly so is your restore... Fine doing that on a brand new machine, but on one which has been lovingly rounded in to shape and works 'just as' is a different kettle of fish.

IMHO one huge advantage to running a VM over bootcamp is not having to physically mess with the partitions on the disk with all the associated risk that comes with that.

@Goldie: It sounds as if that Windows disk will work. If it's XP Home, ask your daughter to verify that this is sufficient for her work connection. Some networking needs XP Pro.

@Guruchill: Making a new partition on the existing disk is not a high risk activity. And we already know that Goldie *does* keep good backups. But she needn't even mess with the partitions if she has three external hard drives doing nothing. One of those may well be capable of doing the job.

Edited by deleted (Sun 28-Jun-09 12:01:06)

I personally run Parallels for a single bit of software that cannot be replaced by a Mac version. It's my R/C flight sim which uses special hardware. Parallels 4 supports DirectX and OpenGL so you can run 3D applications, including Half-Life 2 (works well under Parallels on my MacBook Pro)

OK

Let's do some answers now

@guruchill - the first part of your handle certaininly does not describe me This Bootcamp set up or whichever I finally go for will not be used a tremendous amount - only when daughter # 1 comes up - daughter # 2 last time brought their own lappy with them and used that

Having a spare Ethernet cable permanently attached to the router is quite useful at times

What I finally do has to be the easiest thing for me - and I suspect that another MacHead on here will be asked to physically help me through all this - I really do doubt my ability to do anything like this from scratch though I'll admit I haven't actually asked him yet .

@ AlanH
OOOOOOH never thought of using one of the Desktop Externals in that way - now that does appeal . The newest of the three is a Seagate FreeAgent 500GB that says it's PC and Mac - so that would be the one to use

I must go and have a look at some CDs that are stored under Raymond's desk - there may actually be an M$S Office there - Raymond didn't like it so took it off.

The XP Disk is I think Home and as the Desktop PC is / was Home we know that the security 'thingy' works on that

OK - I'm pretty sure we are now at the final part of this - I suspect that BootCamp will be going on.

HOWEVER [ it wouldn't be me if there wasn't one of them :) ]

I'm Virgin Cabled - now if I understand things correctly the first connection to our Modem has to be a wired one - it's the Desktop PC at present . I'm next going to approach some friendly VM folk who usually come up with the goodies for me to see how we can manage to get all the PC Stuff out . If we can deal with this by putting the old iMac [ doesn't have wireless ] on in this position - then we are home and dry .

I'll start working on that situation now , whilst checking up about the M$S Office situation.

Thanks guys - keep watching this space I'll be back

I did a little research (well, asked Google!).

Bad news on Bootcamping an external drive, I'm afraid. See this thread. While there are people on that thread who claim success in getting it to work, I don't think it's the sort of game you would want to get into.

So you will need to modify the partitioning on your internal hard drive to make room for a Windows partition. The Bootcamp instructions are clear on how to do this, so I really don't think you need to worry unduly.

well - it's all off

There are about 400 of these security key thingies and they most definitely do NOT work through Boot Camp

That has been tried , and the folk who are genuinely Mac Users have been lent PC Lappies so they can get access to their computers when away from their Offices.

Seemingly the system is due for an upgrade / rethink / what-have-you later this year . but daughter # 1 is not hopeful that they will organise things so that Macs can get access. IT can cope with PCs but not with Macs

Looks as if I will have to keep the lappy [ takes up less space ] and dispose of the Desktop - AFTER I have worked out how to get it off the network without making it impossible to get back on.

Thanks for the help guys - it's much appreciated

Just passing by this thread, haven't really read it properly, but in case it hasn't been mentioned:

If you try the Boot Camp method and at a later date decide you want to use Parallels, it can run off the Boot Camp partition so you wouldn't need to re-install.