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| Parallels Desktop for Mac Virtualization within OS X |
Parallels Desktop for Mac OS X Brings Virtualization to Intel Based Macs -
Read more about it on the Parallels site: [1]. The full release cost is $79.99. It had been promoted for $30 off the retail price ($49.99) until 15 July 2006. Even Apple promotes it as the preferred solution now on its website. Except for 3D hardware acceleration (games etc) it does run most applications well enough so that you can stay booted in Mac OS X all the time, running Windows XP (or any other Windows, OS/2, Linux etc for that matter) within Parallels Desktop. You can expect roughly 2/3 of the native speed, often more.
Parallels Workstation tips
Release history
Parallels Desktop for Mac released (16 June 2006)
Parallels Workstation has been renamed Parallels Desktop for the Mac and now includes Parallels Compressor (reduces the size of the virtual hard disk images by 50% and more).
Major Fixes Include:
- to be completed ...
Known Issues:
- USB only works as USB 1.1
- to be completed ...
2.1 Beta 6 released (30 April 2006)
Major Beta6 Fixes Include:
- USB fixes (more devices supported: PDA, scanner, etc.)
- Shared Folders fixes (added support for guest Windows 2000)
- Network improvements: host-only networking
- Custom video resolutions support added
- Image Tool introduced
- Autoupdate introduced
- Kernel panic in virtual memory manager fixed
- Shutdown in fullscreen mode hang fixed
- Virtual disk sync() problem with Linux guests fixed
Known Issues:
- Some USB devices may not work
- Network doesnât work in Linux guests if bridged to WiFi
- Resume doesn't work correctly if suspend was made while playing audio inside guest
- Fullscreen may not work for some custom resolutions
- NB: Please update Parallels Tools for guest Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 installed in previous betas! To do so boot guest OS and click on menu VM->Install Parallels Tools.
- Nokias and Dells still dont sync
2.1 Beta5 (released 26th April 2006)
- Introduced USB support. Connect your favorite USB devices directly to a virtual machine! Learn more about USB Support...
- Introduced shared folders. Share files between Mac OS X and any Windows XP or Windows 2003 guest virtual machine! Learn more about Shared Folders Support...
- Support for dynamic screen resolutions. When a guest OS is selected, a list of available screen resolutions is dynamically populated with primary OS resolutions.
- Fixed keyboard mapping problems
- Fixed mouse pointer lag problem
- Better sound support
- Fixed problems with sleeping/waking up the primary OS when a VM is running
- Introduced the ability to resize a guest when switching to fullscreen mode
- Added optional "transition cube" animation for transitioning to and from fullscreen mode
- Fixed several kernel panics
- Added default network adapter for bridged mode
- Sound lag fixed
Known Issues:
- USB support problems:
o Right now, only USB flash drives work with virtual machines. USB device support will be expanded soon.
o You must eject the USB device from MacOSX before to connecting it to the guest OS
- The Shared Folders feature is not available for Windows 2000 guests, but will be soon.
- It is not possible to create subfolders in the Shared Folder inside a guest OS.
- It is not possible to remove a âread-onlyâ file flag in the Shared Folder inside a Guest OS.
- Nokia and Dell Axims dont sync yet.
2.1 Beta4 (released 19th April 2006)
- Introduced full screen mode
- Introduced dual-monitor support
- Improved real CD/DVD support
- Improved, easier to use interface
- Better sound support, including a fix for Windows 2000 guest OS
- Networking kernel panics resolved
- Bridged networking issues fixed
- WiFi networking issues fixed
- Fixed some of the issues encountered when entering "Sleep" mode when a VM is running
- Many other minor bug fixes
- Edit/Delete Message
2.1 Beta3 (released 12th April 2006)
- Fixes
- No need to reinstall Parallels Workstation if its moved from the default file location
- Mac OS X no longer restarts when Parallels Workstation is left running and host wakes up from "Sleep" mode
- Kernel no longer panics when working with several VMs
- Improved speed and performance
- Idling guest OS now consumes only 1-2% of CPU power
- Bridged networking issues fixed
- Sound support introduced
- Improved wi-fi support (especially for MacBook pros)
- Improved mouse synchronization tool
- Keyboard mapping and repeating bugs fixed
- CD/DVD problems fixed
- Many other minor bug fixes
- Known Issues
- Do NOT suspend your VM when sound is playing inside guest â Mac OS X reset is possible
- VM is created with the Sound device pointing to Null Device. It is necessary to point it to "Default Audio" manually to have sound enabled in the VM.
- Sound may tremble at the beginning of playing
- Video output is a bit slow
- Parallels Tools installation may not start automatically in some cases
2.1 Beta2 (released 8 April 2006)
- What works?
- Networking (even with AirPort)
- File sharing between Mac OS X and Windows XP (via network)
- CD-ROM
- Eject and insert CD-ROM
- Mouse cursor can enter and exit virtual machine windows seamlessly
- Office 2003
- Track pad scrolling (2 fingers)
- Right click with CTRL
- Simple Copy/Paste between Mac OS X and Windows XP
- Sound (feature added in Beta3, not on by default)
- What doesnât?
- Full screen (feature will be added before release)
- 3D Accelerated graphics .
