1. Starting point is to install Parallels.

I cannot remember if before or after you install a Windows OS you will need to install Parallels tools. This may apply to specific Windows OS installations. I guess this is similar to Bootcamp's utilities within windows.


(2.a) (List view: icon in Applications folder) (click to see larger view, click second time to view in own window)

2. (a) Then go to the Applications folder, find the Parallels Desktop program (image #1 above) & open. This is where you can install other OS's such as Windows. (b) Select Run Windows on your Mac from the first window that appears (see attachment image below.)

(b) Parallels Desktop intro window (click to see larger view, click second time to view in own window)



3. Choose the Disk Drive or image file to install the Windows OS from. (image #2, below)
(click to see larger view, click second time to view in own window)

4. Choose the operating system to install. Example in image is Windows XP. (image #3 in attachment above)


5. The installing of a Windows OS has a few options. (image #4 below) {a) Express Install means you can add the Windows serial first even before you begin the Windows installation. (b) Typical, is same as if you were installing on a PC, adding the Windows serial at that time. (c) Custom, is where you wish to customise settings, I think I used this to install Windows 2000 which is not officially supported but a few tricks managed to get it running (but without the Kapersky Security suite). For my Windows XP I think I either used Typical or Custom installations.


6. Image #5 below shows the Express installation option for adding product serial before installation.
(a) Select the name of the OS you wish it to be called. (image #6).
(b) Insert the Windows installation disk, click Start button (image #7)



Parallels Settings:



___ (these are personal settings based on my particular machine & my use of Parallels to use Windows mostly only for testing. I sometimes have more than one windows open at a time so I reduce the capabilities of each. Also, with a 30" screen I prefer to set Windows into a size-able window rather than take up the entire screen so I can keep both OSX & Windows visible at same time. I am 'always' running multiple apps at one time. For people with smaller screens, you will probably prefer to use Full Screen mode and applying more resources to your Windows so it operates at similar speed as if it were installed separately. Configure & Preferences are where you can set computer resources great or small toward your Windows installation.)

Most settings are included in Configure option from Virtual Machine menu on tool bar aimed at a particular Windows installation, & Parallels Preferences has the same plus. ie: intended as overall preferences.
7. First two shown here are Startup & Shutdown and Optimization settings

8. Settings to synch between OSX & Windows.


9. CPU settings to allow for your Windows operation. If you wish to work exclusively in Windows whilst Parallels is open, then you can afford to set this at maximum of your computer's abilities.


10. Similar to above, RAM & Video Card settings to afford to your Windows.


11. Network, HDD & Printer settings. Personally I use a virtual Hard Disk Drive. I set this to be saved to a particular Mac OSX drive, not the system drive. Potentially you can also set a partition set aside for Boot Camp to be used instead.


12. Parallel's main preferences, which are similar to the Configure options. I have only showed one example here. Getting used to using particular keys for Windows of course may take a little time. You can customise these keys to your preference.



After installing your Windows, you may wish to choose to have an Alias on the desktop. I use this alias at all times to open my Windows of choice. I have two Windows XP installations & one Windows 2000. Example of my Aliases on desktop in very first image in the first post.
ie: you do not use the Parallels Desktop program in Applications folder to open windows, that should only be used for installing Windows, etc. or customising your installations or importing, etc.

Whilst I use the Alias to open Windows & set to auto-boot the windows, the other tools I use are Shutdown & occasionally Start from the Virtual Machine menu. You can customize which tools you have on your Parallels toolbar. I have Start, ShutDown, Suspend & Configure on the Parallels toolbar. Once Windows has shutdown (you see the black screen with windows icon in middle), you can quit Parallels. Do not quit Parallels whilst Windows is still running.)

Note: if you are using a virtual hard disk drive as I do, these drives are saved to the location of your choice (I think default is your user account -> Documents -> Parallels folder.) I chose a custom applications support folder on a non-system drive. I guess the virtual HDD is included 'within' the Parallels VM file. These Parallels Virtual Machines are transportable to other computers apparently.



You can set your Windows up to be able to drag & drop files both to & from the Windows & OSX folders. However, if it does not work, check your share permissions.

If you are concerned about how much computer resources your Parallels windows is using, open up Activity Monitor from your Utilities folder. Remember you can always customise exactly how much resources your Windows is using per Windows installation.

Advantages over Bootcamp: No need to reboot specifically into Windows. Can run Windows XP 64-bit (bootcamp is limited to 32-bit Windows XP, or this was the case in Leopard.) Can easily drag & drop files between OSX & Windows whereas with Bootcamp depends on hard disk drive formatting (such as FAT or ..) Can use OSX & Windows apps to open files from other system.

Disadvantages: Being a virtual program to run Windows, it will be a little slower than running Windows via Bootcamp. Both because system resources are used to run Parallels & also OSX. I think Parallels reserves some computer resources such as RAM, CPU & Video Card memory for OSX. The more powerful your machine, the less you will notice this. Multiple CPU's helps greatly.

As far as a Virtual program to run Windows, Parallels seems to come up on top over VMware Fusion & others.