Windows on a Mac...which flavor?

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

09/21/2009 11:31:55 AM · #1

OK, the time has finally come when I need to use some Windows-only programs.

Anyway, I noticed there are about a gazillion flavors; there's XP Home, XP Pro, Vista Pro, Vista this, Vista that and an imminent release of Windows 7 which is being hailed as the be all end all. I have no idea which one would be best for my use.

I'll be using it mostly for data collection with LabView and possibly some analysis using MatLab. I'm not providing the licenses for these software packages, so even if a Mac version is available, it's irrelevant and purchasing my own license is cost-prohibitive.

Also, I'll be switching out my 100GB HD on my laptop for a 500GB HD so I'll have more space. With my desktop, I'd simply add a drive to the cabinet and keep working with the OS on the original drive, but I can't do that on my laptop. Has anyone done a complete restore to a new drive on a MacBook? Can I simply use Time Machine and continue seamlessly?

Thanks

Yo_Spiff

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

09/21/2009 11:36:14 AM · #2

XP is probably the lightest weight version and should do what you need. Win7 will be a better performing OS than Vista, so if you want the newer one, I would wait for Win7 to be released next month and say "Hasta la Vista".

AJSullivan

09/21/2009 11:45:57 AM · #3

Yeah, Win7 is apparently the lightest/tightest windows package of the recent times. I think I might get a free upgrade with my laptop that I bought not to long ago,I hsould check.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

09/21/2009 11:46:06 AM · #4

Two alternatives:

MatLab and Labview are both available as native OS X applications, but you might not need to purchase them. A separate software license would likely be required to install on another computer anyway, and it might be as simple as calling them to switch from the Mac to PC version.

Crossover may allow you to install and use the PC version of both on your Mac without installing ANY version of Windows. It would simply run off the standard Intel hardware. You might have to dodge one installation issue, though.

LadyK

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

09/21/2009 11:48:39 AM · #5

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

i agree with spiffy, Vista is the biggest pain in the whole world. and there is some program that allows you to switch all your stuff from one Mac to another, but ihavent looked into it b/c i was switching from a windows to a mac.

sorry, i doubt that was much help

Apple iPhone 5

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

09/21/2009 12:58:07 PM · #6

XP on Virtualbox works for me.

scarbrd

Leica M10

Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux M Aspherical MF - Black

09/21/2009 01:09:03 PM · #7

On the hard drive upgrade, this is how I've done it.

First download a free utility called Carbon Copy Cloner

Second, get a fire wire external enclosure for a notebook hard drive.

Install the new hard drive in the external enclosure. (5 minutes in most cases)

Clone the internal hard drive to the external hard dive.

After the cloning is complete you can test the new drive by booting to the external hard drive.

Once verified, replace the old hard drive with the new hard drive.

Your laptop will then boot up to the new hard drive with all your data and programs intact.

You can then use the old hard drive in the external enclosure for some portable extra storage.

I've done this 5 or 6 times without any problems.

Probably much quicker than going the time machine route, but I can't say for sure having never done a full restore with Time Machine.

Message edited by author 2009-09-21 13:09:29.

signal2noise

Leica M9

Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux M MF - Chrome

09/21/2009 01:45:59 PM · #8

I have been running Win7 on my Macbook and can attest that it runs better than Vista Ultimate, though there were no major issues with Vista, 7 just runs better. David's (Scarbrd) direction on HD swap is sound (not that he needs my validation). :)

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

09/23/2009 06:09:06 PM · #9

OK, well, I upgraded the HD to a Seagate 500GB using Time Machine. Took a bit over an hour to get all the data transferred and all seems good and it was super easy.

I think I'll get Windows Vista because I can get the upgrade to Windows 7 for $9.99. I'm not excited about Vista, but I don't want to pay full price for XP, then full price for Win 7.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

09/23/2009 06:25:49 PM · #10

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

You can get Win 7 today, if you can find someone who has the ISO file (I have the ISO file for the 64-bit version if that helps). You can still download a product key, just not the file.
An alternate path is to download a 90-day free trial of Win 7, then buy it after it is released. BTW, after release, you should be able to get is as OEM if you buy some piece of hardware with it.

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS USM

09/24/2009 03:29:58 AM · #11

Originally posted by kirbic:

Originally posted by Spazmo99:
OK, well, I upgraded the HD to a Seagate 500GB using Time Machine. Took a bit over an hour to get all the data transferred and all seems good and it was super easy.

I think I'll get Windows Vista because I can get the upgrade to Windows 7 for $9.99. I'm not excited about Vista, but I don't want to pay full price for XP, then full price for Win 7.

You can get Win 7 today, if you can find someone who has the ISO file (I have the ISO file for the 64-bit version if that helps). You can still download a product key, just not the file.
An alternate path is to download a 90-day free trial of Win 7, then buy it after it is released. BTW, after release, you should be able to get is as OEM if you buy some piece of hardware with it.

Is the 90-Day trial something I can d/l now?

Link?

BTW, thanks everyone for your help and advice.

Tajhad

Canon EOS R

09/24/2009 03:59:40 AM · #12

Just a thought - it sounds like you don't have to buy your software as it is needed for business (and therefore supplied).
If that is the case - maybe they have a copy of windows to give you (after all you need windows to run the programs). If that is the case they may supply you with vista business. I can see why you would want vista> From what I read Windows 7 can be installed over the top of it and therefore you don't have to do a whole install (like snow leopard).
I run XP pro in bootcamp. I like to keep the two OS separate. But if I want to put win 7 on I will have to do a complete install rather than an upgrade.
One of the nice features of Snow Leopard, is that you can read your Mac partition from windows. So that makes life a little easier.
Check with your IT people about win 7. A lot of people were given copies (for trial) that don't have to be licensed until March next year. That would save you any upgrade path (you would have the OS you wanted from day one) and give a little breathing space until you needed to purchase a license.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

09/24/2009 06:21:36 AM · #13

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

Originally posted by kirbic:

Originally posted by Spazmo99:
OK, well, I upgraded the HD to a Seagate 500GB using Time Machine. Took a bit over an hour to get all the data transferred and all seems good and it was super easy.

I think I'll get Windows Vista because I can get the upgrade to Windows 7 for $9.99. I'm not excited about Vista, but I don't want to pay full price for XP, then full price for Win 7.

You can get Win 7 today, if you can find someone who has the ISO file (I have the ISO file for the 64-bit version if that helps). You can still download a product key, just not the file.
An alternate path is to download a 90-day free trial of Win 7, then buy it after it is released. BTW, after release, you should be able to get is as OEM if you buy some piece of hardware with it.

Is the 90-Day trial something I can d/l now?

Link?

BTW, thanks everyone for your help and advice.

Yes it is, a friend just did so this past week. I don't have a link at hand, but it's direct from a Microsoft site, so a little poking around should get you there.