Host: MacBook Pro Duo 2 running OS-X. 200GB HD, 3GB RAM. Parallels installed normally and was immediately updated. Guest: Windows 2000 installed normally (although I haven't yet figured out how to go online in my virtual machine to update to the latest service pack). I want to be able to connect via USB to a Sony HDR-SR1 digital hard drive camcorder to download up to 30GB AVCHD video files - for editing in the installed Sony "Picture Motion Browser (Windows software)". I would also like to connect my (2 EA.) G-Technology 500GB external hard drives and a LaCie 120GB portable external hard drive to back up those video files (ideally, using firewire 800...but USB 2.0 is a second available choice). When I run my VM and connect the USB camcorder, it is not recognized (whether I plug it in before or after starting the VM). The same is true of the hard drives. They are not recognized by the VM, although the Mac recognizes them. I want to use EMC Retrospect Backup software to configure and organize my hard drives, and I'm not sure if I should install it on the Mac drive, or if I should install it on my virtual machine. Questions: 1. Can I do what I'm planning? 2. How can I go online in my virtual machine to update the service pack of the guest O/S Windows 2000? My Mac has good wireless internet access. 3. How can I get the VM to recognize the USB connection and accept the download of the huge AVCHD video files from my camcorder? 4. I'm assuming that I'm going to have to manually enlarge the Virtual hard drive on my VM to accept the giant video files. How big should I get, and how can I do that? 5. I want to immediately back up those video files to my 3 external hard drives. How can I get the VM to recognize the hard drives? 6. Should I install the EMC Retrospect software into the Windows 2000 on the VM or should I install it onto the OS-X on the Mac? I will only be backin up the data onto my hard drives (and maybe burning DVD backups as well). 7. I've got an older dive computer interface that uses a serial RS-232 connector that (of course) is not supported by my Mac. I've read the recommendation on this forum to use a Belkin (serial/usb) interface, and that offers some hope. I wonder if anyone knows about serial/ExpressCard 34 interfaces? This would be cool, but not a top priority. BTW, I'm just computer literate enough to be dangerous. I have been reading all of the FAQs and manuals, and have tried to make this work...with no luck. I'm about to head out of town on a trip, and I really need to make this work reliably. Help!! Keep Smilin'! Phil
