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Windows 8 on a Mac
RyanC1992
Posts: 651 Forum Member
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I'm looking to get windows 8.1 for my mac, would this be all I'm needing or is there more to the process?
http://www.littlewoods.com/microsoft-windows-81-full-version/1357887217.prd
http://www.littlewoods.com/microsoft-windows-81-full-version/1357887217.prd
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not all models support it (some are limited to Windows 7).
if it does support windows 8.1 via bootcamp then yes that is all you need.
to dual boot obviously.
To dual boot so they can play Windows games or use Windows-only software. I have Windows 7 on my Mac for games and because it's useful to have a Windows partition. I also like winding up the Apple fanboys
why would it wind them up, it's a feature of OSX.
reality check - you're not winding anyone up, you're just in your little deluded bubble - and i'm saying that as a mac user!
But as far as license goes yes that will be fine although you can pick it up far cheaper from amazon and even cheaper direct from microsoft if you are a student or know anyone that is
I guess it helps to have plenty of ram but it seems to run windows at native speed. I use it to run the superior windows 7, but I guess it would run windows 8.1 if you really had to.
either way you still need a properly licensed copy of Windows, so it doesn't matter how it's being booted you still need a valid windows license.
If the ops reason is to play games then Parallels isnt the best option, bootcamp is.
But as someone else said what are the ops reasons to run Windows 8? if its for games then fair enough but if its for running a specific Windows program then there may be a Mac alternative that coud be used instead, a full retail version of Windows 8 as linked by the op is a big investment.
Agreed but you can install Windows for so many days with out a license which is usually enough to test it and your software/hardware works ok. before embarking on a (perhaps) more complicated long term solution.
One downside with virtualboxes is that they can be limited on drivers for more complex hardware.
It might be but some Apple fanboys are against the idea of running Windows on a Mac for some reason. They call it blasphemous and consider the Windows on Mac crowd traitors to Apple. They're the ones who need a reality check, not me!
You used to be able to do it though. I think if you have a Windows partition in Boot Camp it was possible to use it in Parallels, but I don't know if it was possible to use it in VMWare Fusion.
Retail licenses can be transferred between machines though, so there's no issue with it requiring reactivation other than the hassle of potentially having to phone Microsoft every time and explain you've made hardware changes and enter the activation ID provided.
I would expect migrating from a boot camp installation (or any other physical installation) to a virtual installation (or vice versa) to always require reactivation due to the hardware changes that Windows would detect. This is how the Windows activation checks work.
Not really practical if you have to do this multiple times a day though.
Indeed not, but if you're using the same configuration in the VM every time then there are ways of backing up and restoring the activation status, which could probably be script implemented if necessary.
http://www.mydigitallife.info/how-to-backup-and-restore-windows-7-and-server-2008-r2-activation-status-activate-offline-on-reinstall/
I know Parallels supply a tool for mounting VM hard drives natively in OS X. Not sure about VMWare though.
Yep, Parallels is the way to go, it's the best of the bunch for a VM and as you remark providing you have a decent amount of RAM to spare Windows flies and it is much more convenient than Bootcamp. I am running 8.1 without any issues whatsoever.
Yeah but doesn't it depend on what you use Windows for? I use Windows for gaming so I need to use Bootcamp to get the best performance, but for everyday non-intensive use Parallels is fine.
Gaming is the best use of Windows