I have a IMac G5, I would love to run my business on it. The only problem is the Quick Books payroll system will not run on my G5. Will paralles allow me to run this program or do I need to buy something else? Thanks
Jodi, it's true. Parallels will not run on a G5. The G5 designation refers to the processor type which is a Power PC model G5. The PPC is a totally different processor from the Intel processor used in Windows machines and the new Macs. Software that runs on one won't run on the other. Apple has a way that software developers can create applications that contain two copies of each program (called universal binaries) that run on either machine because each machine can use the version of the program coded for that processor. Windows runs ONLY on the Intel processor. It won't run on the PPC at all. Parallels runs only on Intel processors, and provides a virtual machine (which is all done in software) on which you can install Windows and Windows software. It uses a method of providing this virtual environment that will only work on the Intel processon. If you want to run Windows on a PPC Mac (G3, G4, or G5) you need to use a different product called Virtual PC that uses a totally different method (emulation) of providing a simulated Intel virtual machine. Because of the requirement to emulate each individual instruction on the PPC processor, which means it takes each and every Intel machine instruction issued by Windows or a Windows program, and runs a short program on the PPC processor that does what that one Intel instruction does, it must execute several PPC instructions for each Intel instruction. This means that Windows and Windows applications will run much slower on a PPC using VPC than on an actual Intel machine such as a real PC or an Intel Mac using Parallels or bootcamp. In my limited experience with PPC, it seems to run about six or eight times slower than a comparable PC. So if you want to install Windows on a G5, use Virtual PC because Parallels won't run. If you want to get an Intel Mac, use Parallels because VPC won't run on Intel Macs. Unfortunately, no one is going to be able to help you run Parallels on a G5 because it can't be done. Sorry.
Windows on G5 Hey everyone, thanks for your imput. I have decided to go with virtual windows for now as it is the only won that will work on my G5. When I get another Mac, I will be sure to get Paralles! I think the vitual windows will be slow. Hopefully it will be fast enough to run my Quick Books. Thanks again!
Well, my wife has been running Quickbooks / Windows on a G4-800 flat panel iMac. She uses it, but it is painfully slow. Each annual "upgrade" of Quickbooks gets slower and slower. If you are just setting up your business now and are willing to look at different solutions, I'd recommend looking at using Quickbooks 2006 for the Mac and Checkmark Payroll (http://www.checkmark.com/products/payroll.php). You can move the payroll entries easily into Quickbooks. Another nice thing, you are NOT required to pay for annual updates to the tax tables...you can edit the multiplier values manually right from the information provided by the IRS and Checkmark Payroll will automatically generate the new tables. That's a big savings! This would give you a 100% native OS X based solution using the full speed and power of your G5 without any emulation. Just giving you another option....
