Daniel Hruska There are many reasons to use virtual machines. Some need Windows because of specific applications available only for Windows. In turn, developers can easily test their applications on OS X betas running in virtual machines. And someone may have another reason. One way or another, the Parallels Desktop application, which is currently available in its tenth version, is among the top in operating system virtualization.
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Windows virtualization, which is most associated with Parallels Desktop, is mentioned in the opening paragraph. Of course, you can also virtualize OS X on your Mac (quick install option directly from the recovery partition). However, the list does not end there. Chrome OS, Ubuntu Linux distributions or even Android OS can be downloaded and installed directly in Parallels Desktop.
Regarding Windows, there have been slight changes compared to previous versions of Parallels Desktop. While you used to be able to download the installation directly in the app, now you can't. Parallels lets you download a 90-day trial or migrate your entire computer, including Windows and all installed applications, to your Mac.
Then there is another variant that is well known to everyone. Insert the Windows installation DVD and start installing (if you still have a DVD drive). If not, you will need the ISO file with the installation. Here, you only need to drag the mouse into the application window and the installation will start automatically.
However, before it starts, you will be asked in one of the steps how you will use Windows. There are four options to choose from – productivity, gaming, design and software development. Depending on the selected option, Parallels will automatically adapt the parameters of the virtual machine to the needs of the given activities.
Parallels Desktop has the same functions as its predecessors Coherence (connection in Czech). Thanks to this, you can run the virtual machine completely unnoticed, as if it were part of your operating system. For example, in the Applications folder, you run the one installed in virtual Windows, it starts bouncing around in the dock at startup and pretends to be part of OS X after startup.
Dragging a file from the Mac desktop to a Word document running in Windows seems like a matter of course today. When you start a presentation in PowerPoint, it automatically expands to the full screen, just as you'd expect. Such little things allow two operating systems to run selflessly side by side, which dramatically increases the user-friendliness of virtualization.
However, you will appreciate Parallels Desktop 10 the most with OS X Yosemite, especially thanks to Handoff. This feature allows you to work on a document on one device (running OS X Yosemite or iOS 8) and finish it on another device. With Parallels, you'll be able to do the same - on Windows. Or in Windows, you right-click on the file, where in the context menu you will be offered to open in Mac, send via iMessage, send via the mail client in OS X or share via AirDrop.
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Parallels Desktop 10 is a powerful tool. If for some reason you need to virtualize Windows or another operating system, you can't go wrong with Parallels Desktop. The trial version is free, the upgrade from older versions costs 50 euros and a new purchase costs 2 crowns. An EDU version for students/teachers is available for half price. Just own ISIC/ITIC and you can get the latest Parallels for 1 crowns.
Hello, I installed the trial version and win 7 on it. I have share set up everywhere in the parallels settings, but I can't get to the data from win to Mac at all and not vice versa.
Does not work yes copy ctrl+C (v) between OS.
Check if you have Parallels Tools drivers installed, they are installed automatically by default: http://kb.parallels.com/en/115835
Great, thanks a lot :))
WHY VIRTUALIZE WHEN I CAN PUT WIN INTO A MAC THROUGH BOOTCAMP AND THAT'S IT.
THEN I JUST DECIDE WHAT TO RUN - WIN OR MAC. IT WORKS PERFECTLY - THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR I'VE HAD MY AIR GROUND WITH WIN AND I'M EXCITED. EVERYTHING JUST WORKS!
You just have to think about it, and you will find the reasons. Parallels are great.
Please write me at least one advantage of the Epl system over WIN. Yeah-they're free-yes, but that's what it's worth. Apple knows very well that if it were to put WIN in iPhones, ios would be owned by 5% of the population within 0,00000001 years. This is a fact and we have to accept it as such. Epl can do HW, but SW just CAN'T
slap yourself and get over it :)
Well, you're a comedian, misguided Bill…. :D
Go to the countryside with widlema!!
Why do morons like you keep coming here?
You are assuming that the computer is shutting down. Which I don't, and I'm pretty sure most Macbook users don't. So the clear advantage is the speed of launch. Instead of waiting half a minute for the system to boot, log in, launch applications, etc. I just launch a Windows application and in a fraction of the time it would take to reboot into Windows, I can do the same thing.
I would be interested in the battery life with win. Is it better in virtua or via bootcamp?
With WIN7 my AIR10″ 3 years old lasts 3-4 hours (intensive work) Total satisfaction. 3 years and NEVER a problem!! The system turns off in about 4 seconds and starts up in 10 seconds. Amazing. Just a perfect combination of SW WIN and HW Epl.
I recommend BOOTCAMP - it is switched so that before turning off, for example, you enter WIn that you want to boot the Epl system after turning it on. Tried about 2 times but can't find a single reason to use any Epl sytem when a WIN is a WIN, really cool. I think Parallels is just a money grab…
Unfortunately, it is not possible to set a custom resolution in Coherence mode (it always switches to max Retina). Unfortunately, some applications on WIN cannot cope with the MBP retina resolution, so for example CAD SolidWorks cannot work with 200% text magnification in WIN