Boot Camp

Master_Shake · #1 08-11-2007, 02:28 PM

So i am planning on putting windows xp on my new macbook pro via Boot Camp... do i need to buy a new version of windows or can i use the windows re installation CD that came with my parents dell?

Beavis68 · #2 08-11-2007, 03:30 PM

most likely you will need to by a new version.

kerowo · #3 08-11-2007, 04:42 PM

Depends on if it is an actual windows CD or a Dell branded restore disk. Restore disks tend to be locked to the hardware they are meant for. If it is a Windows disk you'll need to find the license key for it and to be legal it shouldn't be running on your parents machine.

Master_Shake · #4 08-11-2007, 08:55 PM

hmm the cd is dell... Thanks for the help... do you think its worth a try... to use the dell cd or should i buy a new version. i dont care how recent it is i just want to be able to use poker tracker and run poker stars...

Beavis68 · #5 08-11-2007, 09:39 PM

of course it is worth a try.

Master_Shake · #6 08-11-2007, 09:54 PM

ok thanks... on last question haha... with the two OS's will my comp be vulnerable to the viruses, spy ware and such that a windows machine is?

kerowo · #7 08-12-2007, 09:00 AM

Trying the dell disk won't hurt anything, but is illegal. When you have a windows install running you end up with a windows box on Mac hardware, the hardware doesn't protect it from all the crap that infects windows machines.

CORed · #8 08-12-2007, 12:21 PM

Most likely, you won't be able to activate the Windows XP installation. I believe that the licensing for an OEM disk is tied to the machine that it was sold with, so I'm not sure you could activate even if the XP installation was removed from your parents' Dell. There are (illegal) ways to work around this, but I won't go into them, because this site takes a dim view of aiding and abetting violation of intellectual property laws. From both the legal and practical standpoint, the best thing for you to do is to buy a legal copy of Windows XP. The best price will probably be for and OEM disk from somebody like Newegg or Tiger Direct. You usually have to make a hardware purchase to do this, but it can be something like a flash drive.

King Car · #9 08-13-2007, 03:40 AM

All,

What are the pros of using parallels as opposed to boot camp?

Is one clearly better?

CORed · #10 08-13-2007, 11:42 AM

[ QUOTE ]
All,

What are the pros of using parallels as opposed to boot camp?

Is one clearly better?

[/ QUOTE ]

Boot Camp is a dual boot system. If you want to switch from MacOS to Windows, or vice versa, you have to reboot. You can run either Windows, and Windows software, or MacOS and Mac software, but not both at the same time.

Parallels is a Virtual Machine. It emulates a PC within the MacOS. This is resource intensive, so the performance is generally not going to be as good as with Boot Camp, or in MacOS with Parallels running, but the advantage is that you can run both Windows softare and Mac software at the same time.

So you can't really say that one is better than the other. It depends on what you want to do with them.

Also, I believe that Boot Camp is free (assuming that you already have a Mac, whereas you have to buy parallels. You need a Windows license to use either (legally).