New User Questions

I just got started with Parallels on my MacBook Pro. I had recently upgraded memory (to 4GB) and hard drive (to 500GB).

I had no problems with the installation.

Windows 7 installed cleanly, and then downloaded a jillion updates. One update failed, no real reason given. It keeps trying. I can't tell what the update is or why it fails.

Questions:

1 Is it normal for the Mac to be strained by running Win7 and Parallels? Normally, my Mac is quiet and you can't hear the fan. The fan runs at high speed when running Win7.

2. Is Time Machine backing up Windows? Can I have it do so?

3. I assume I need anti-virus software on the Win7 VM. True?

4. When I shut down Windows and Parallels, are any resources (other than disk space) still being used?

 

ad 1. My Win7 VM idles near 2% CPU workload. Had a task yesterday that produced about 30% CPU workload for five hours. CPU temp was around 60 degreees Celsius all the time. Under normal circumstances and with normal tasks you should never see fan rpm rise up. Open the Task Manager in Win7 (CRTL+ALT+DEL) an take a look in the processes list. You can determine the process causing high workload there.

ad 2. Time Machine backs up the physical VM file if you want. Since even the incremental backup Time Machine performs tends to fill the Time Machine HDD with big steps, consider excluding the file in the Time Machine settings and backup the file manually or use a backup software inside the VM (as Acronis True Image).

ad 3. Yes. There is a free one-year subscription of the Kaspersky Internet Security suite coming with Parallels. But you can go for any tool of your choice.

ad 4. When you really shutdown the VM an close Parallels, any ressources used by Parallels are released after a few seconds.


--chris.

 

Thanks. I see the prl_vm_app taking the bulk of the CPU for a few minutes until Windows completes its startup tasks, and then settles down a little.