Parallels Bootcamp or just Parallels?

I'm curious about the general impression of Parallels Bootcamp, i.e., using Bootcamp Win installation as source in Parallels.

In particular I'm interested in:

Reliability of this kind of install?
Speed of this kind of install vs. regular VM?
Any issues you've had or heard of with a Parallels Bootcamp install.

I'd also like an explanation of exactly what's happening when Parallels is installed with Bootcamp as it's source. I mean, is there some complication in this process using Parallels that renders the Bootcamp Win installation more vulnerable than it would ordinarily be?

Thanks--

 

Anyone got info/opinions about using Parallels with the Bootcamp partition as the source? Seems like a new level of integration, but at what cost?

 

Honestly, there are many, many, many posts on this topic going through the pros and cons in great detail. I suggest you utilize the search feature.

If you're lazy and want a quick answer -- it's simple. Parallels with a Bootcamp partition has more issues than without. Neither is perfect. If you don't have a need for native access of bootcamp, I'd steer clear until they've had a few more releases to iron things out.

If you need native access, use search, educate yourself, and you'll probably be able to get it working fairly well, so long as you avoid various known pitfalls.

 

Thanks. I have used the search and found not so much about this specific issue. Perhaps I need to refine my search. When I first started using Parallels it did not have this capability. Then I stopped using Parallels, and have only recently returned to try it again.

So maybe when I was gone there was much discussion of using Parallels with Bootcamp as source? Anyway, I'll search more.

I was just hoping to get a sense of the state-of-the-art.

 

Bootcamp has been downloaded by more than a million users

BUT it is still in Beta and unsupported at Apple Stores

When Mac OS 10.5 is out bootcamp will be integrated (we are told)

so best wait unless you want excitement

Hugh W

 

I have been unable to load Parallels after setting up a partition in Boot Camp and installing Win XP Pro in it. Windows works fine in that partition but whenever I try to load Parallels it hangs and kills the windows install. I have been told that parallels does not support Win XP PRO at this time. I intend to wait until it clearly is.

 

Who told you Parallels doesn't support XP Pro? I have a Parallels XP Pro VM pointing to Boot Camp partition running for over a month. Other than unable to use the native EPSON R800 printer driver, it has been trouble free so far. My host system is a 20" iMac, core duo with 2G RAM. Are you using a Mac Book or Mac Book Pro? How much RAM do you have and alloated to VM?