Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Review Windows Options
There are many reasons to run Windows on Mac Pro. For example, there might not be a Mac
version of a software program that you need to use for work or for a hobby. Or if there is a
Mac version, you might not like it as much as the Windows version. Whatever the reason,
you need to understand the various options available for running Windows on Mac Pro, as
well as how to prepare for the Windows installation technique discussed later in this chapter.
Dual-Boot
To
dual-boot
Mac Pro means to configure it with two different operating systems —
OS X and Windows — running on two separate hard drive partitions. When you start
Mac Pro, you can boot into OS X or into Windows. If you choose OS X, Mac Pro
runs exactly as it does now. If you boot into Windows instead, Mac Pro turns into a
Windows PC. You use Apple's Boot Camp software to set up a dual-boot configura-
tion with Windows.
Virtualization
Virtualization
refers to running Windows on your Mac Pro in a virtual machine: A
software environment that simulates a physical computer. In this scenario, you boot
into OS X as usual and then you run Windows essentially as an application in its
own window. This virtual machine is configured in such a way that fools Windows in-
to thinking that it controls an actual PC. Several virtualization applications are avail-
able, including Parallels Desktop (
www.parallels.com
), VMware Fusion
(
www.vmware.com/mac
)
, and VirtualBox (
www.virtualbox.org
)
. This chapter does
not cover virtualization.
Dual Boot vs. Virtualization
You should dual-boot OS X and Windows if your budget is tight because Boot Camp
comes free with Mac Pro, and most third-party virtualization programs are commer-
cial products that you have to pay for. Dual-booting also gives you maximum per-
formance because Windows gets to use all the Mac Pro's hardware resources. On
the other hand, you should use virtualization to run Windows if you want to access
Windows without the hassle of rebooting, or if you want to run older versions of Win-
dows (because Boot Camp supports only Windows 7 and Windows 8).
