Chris Wilson Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 A few quickies about Mac OSX and dual boot (Windows and Mac) on notebook PC's. Do any Mac notebooks have a true serial port? Is there any difference in how the serial port would work under Windows on a Mac pc? I need a true serial port for mapping work, nothing else will do. Under Mac OSX if I load a new programme an it be deleted absolutely and utterly, leaving not one bit of info behind, or is it like Windows where detritus is left all over the show unless you use a third party system scanner before any new software is loaded? Will Windows 2000 run perfectly with no gotchas on one? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 Macbooks offer USB and firewire only. Mac apps are nothing like Windows and are usually just one file which comprises of all the little files within it. When you delete that file, it's gone. (Maybe a few settings left in your home directory but all nice and tidy) I'm using an app called Parallels which allows Windows 2000 (or any other, even 3.1) to run on the desktop at pretty much the same speed as a PC, just no games (which I don't think will bother you). I put WinXP on mine and it ran a few apps very happily indeed. VMWare (the kings of the Virtual Machine world on the PC) are working on something similar, but it's not as good. The Apple way to do this is by running Boot Camp which allows you to dual boot Max OSX and Windows on the one Intel Mac. It has to be an Intel Mac, not the older PowerPC ones. Boot Camp will only allow you to run Windows XP though, not 2000. Another alternative is to build your own Hackintosh See OSx86 Project. My Mac OS-X capable PC cost me about 400 quid and works like a dream..it's just becomes a problem should I ever need to update, but that's rare on a Mac. I run two hard drives, one for OSX, one for Vista. You can get a dual boot working, but I've not messed with that yet and am not too bothered about swapping drives seeing as I've yet to put my computer into a case. You're welcome to come and see how it all works anytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraStar 3000 Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 Hi Chris My post is only worth a free *bump* to this thread as I gave up trying to use PC software along time ago on MACs I have never had 100% reliability with PC emulators and such like. But maybe I have been unlucky. As far as I know, once a programme is deleted, its gone on macs, excluding and preferences or associated programs that were loaded at the same time. Nics a good mac guy. Maybe ask him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 I have never had 100% reliability with PC emulators and such like. But maybe I have been unlucky. Emulation is crap. They used to work by trying to convert x86 instruction code into 68000 machine code. Slow, hit and miss. Virtual Machines are quite different as they basically only work on the same architecture, hence why you need an Intel based mac to use Parallels. It really does work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraStar 3000 Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 well,... I'm not convinced, although willing to be proven wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 well,... I'm not convinced, although willing to be proven wrong If I could work out how to use a Mac and video the screen I would. Oh, no need - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMP_ssC6jzA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 Coherence is more impressive though - It really is so damn clever it makes me want to cry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 been using XP on an intel macbook for a couple of months now with no issues what so ever. I get to muck about with the mac side and the missus uses the XP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraStar 3000 Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 humm,.. ok no good just watching a predone routine on video, I would need to work with it for a good few hours before I could satisfy myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 I would need to work with it for a good few hours before I could satisfy myself. Oh common, that only takes you a few seconds and you know it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 I'm using an app called Parallels which allows Windows 2000 (or any other, even 3.1) to run on the desktop at pretty much the same speed as a PC, just no games (which I don't think will bother you). I put WinXP on mine and it ran a few apps very happily indeed. I've just installed Parallels Desktop on mine, I'm very impressed with it, it's a lot better than Virtual PC that I use to use. Don't suppose you have a spare serial number for Parallels do you Pete? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carl0s Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 That reminds me.. I told myself I was going to buy a MacMini once they came out with the Intel chips.. hmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraStar 3000 Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 That reminds me.. I told myself I was going to buy a MacMini once they came out with the Intel chips.. hmmm Nic has one for sale Carlos. Think its £290 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian W Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Nic has one for sale Carlos. Think its £290 Was that definitely an Intel powered one though Ed? ps do you mainly use a Mac also then Ed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucifer Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Hasnt anyone discovered Intel Quad core yet in a proper PC based notebook yet LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraStar 3000 Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Was that definitely an Intel powered one though Ed? ps do you mainly use a Mac also then Ed? Not sure mate. He'll have to ask Nic. Yes, I'm a mac user. G4 and G5's. I love them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian W Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Yes, I'm a mac user. G4 and G5's. I love them you have PM mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Do any Mac notebooks have a true serial port? The very old ones do but not the newer ones. Shame, I'd choose a MAC over a PC anyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wkdboi2005 Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Yea MAC over PC for Speed, Reliability, Stability, Security, Need any more reasons to go MAC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith C Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Do any Mac notebooks have a true serial port? Is there any difference in how the serial port would work under Windows on a Mac pc? I need a true serial port for mapping work, nothing else will do. Are you certain you need a true serial port, and a USB-serial adapter won't work? Early USB-Serial adapters were a bit shonky, but modern ones seem absolutely flawless. I use a Prolific based one which doesn't give me a hint of bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Don't suppose you have a spare serial number for Parallels do you Pete? Will look later when I'm at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Will look later when I'm at home. Cheers Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qaisar Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 this is so weird this has come up as i was at the Apple store in London today and well impressed with the macs, seriously considering one now that you can run windows aswell. Can someone tell me how easy it would be to take all the prgrams and files from my current PC and transfer them to the Mac running Parallels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 There is a way to do a physical to virtual machine change, it can be a little tricky, but it does work in most cases. Depending on how techy you are this may or may not make sense... 1. Make a ghost image of your existing system (for backup purposes) 2. Sysprep your machine (Get sysprep from Microsoft) 3. Ghost the image after the sysprep 4. Boot up the virtual machine, and restore the ghost image to it In most cases the hardware will be redetected and you will need to install a few drivers but it will work. I've had to do this for a huge virtual server farm I deployed at work. Can be fiddly but it does work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 What is the advantage of Parallels over boot camp on an intel macbook? qaisar, I use boot camp (free) and use all the programs that I do on my xp pc, wireless networked and all the rest of it, no problems what so ever. If you want to get into the MAC side you do have to reboot but never found that an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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