Question for Mac users

I have never use Mac. I have been using Windows computer since I my first PC.

I am planning to get a Macbook pro 15" MC371LL/A. I am also planning to keep my Windows software/games if possible. Therefore, I did some Googling and found some vague answers.

I found this thing called Crossover. It says that I don't have to run it as a virtual machine. Once I loaded a Windows software, it will simply recognize it.
They have a pro version, and games version. I sure do like to use all my Windows software, especially GNS3; and I also play games. Do I need to get both?

Has anyone have tried this Crossover on you Macs, especially on Macbook?

I know I can run a virtual machine, but I have to dedicate a space for it, and for bootcamp that ain't going to work either because I don't like rebooting my computer. I only reboots if I have to.

Thanks

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Comments

demonfurbie

wine, bootcamp, virtualbox are all options

thehourman

If I use bootcamp, that is similar to dual booting.
If I use virtualbox or any virtualization software, then I need to buy a Windows OS, which is going to cost me even more.

My question is if anyone here have used the Crossover software?

demonfurbie

check into wine

MacOSX - The Official Wine Wiki

its the open source version of crossover

thehourman

I have used wine before on Ubuntu. It worked, but I don't it will run all the software that I have.

Thanks man

demonfurbie

worth a shot if not ya can get crossover

i think ya maybe able to get a trial of cross over

Devilsbane

I'm also not a MAC guy, but doesn't parallels do something like that? Or is that just a virtualization program?

RobertKaucher

Devilsbane wrote: »

I'm also not a MAC guy, but doesn't parallels do something like that? Or is that just a virtualization program?

Yes, but this requires a Windows OS. It's like XP Mode for Win 7.

shodown

GNS 3 will be way better on your MAC than windoz

Devilsbane

RobertKaucher wrote: »

Yes, but this requires a Windows OS. It's like XP Mode for Win 7.

Well then to be technical, it isn't like XP mode since XP mode doesn't require a key. Well, not one that I have to enter at least. That reminded me, I want to run a key extractor inside of there and see what it finds. I wonder if it uses the same key as windows 7.

But thanks for the info.

thehourman

shodown wrote: »

GNS 3 will be way better on your MAC than windoz

Really. I have GNS3 on Windows 7 and it runs really well. Also, it is not a CPU processes eater anymore. So if GNS3 runs better on MAC that would be awesome.
What about SDM on Mac?
I don't have a Mac yet; I'm planning to get one soon.

I wonder if Macbook uses the same Intel CPU like PC does?
Does anyone have an info about this?

Forsaken_GA

thehourman wrote: »

Really. I have GNS3 on Windows 7 and it runs really well. Also, it is not a CPU processes eater anymore. So if GNS3 runs better on MAC that would be awesome.
What about SDM on Mac?
I don't have a Mac yet; I'm planning to get one soon.

I wonder if Macbook uses the same Intel CPU like PC does?
Does anyone have an info about this?

I don't use Crossover, I used an old XP license from a box I decommed to cover my Bootcamp install.

Crossover is just a heavily customized version of Wine. I use VMWare Fusion to access Windows programs while in my Mac (VMWare Fusion can use your bootcamp install as a VM), and alot of older games will play just fine through Fusion. For things which are a bit more resource intensive, I just boot to windows directly and play there.

I'd rather be able to dualboot/virtualize Windows so that the apps can run natively than to need something which may only work after a vendor updates their software.

The Mac version of GNS3 works fine. SDM is finnicky, it all depends on your Java version. It got to be such a pain in the ass that when I needed to use SDM, I just booted up Windows. That being said, I'm a CLI kind of guy, I'll do anything I possibly can to avoid using SDM

And yes, current Macbooks use modern Intel chips. i5's and i7's

If having to virtualize or reboot to get windows support bothers you, you probably won't be happy with MacOS and you're probably better off buying a new Windows laptop instead

thehourman

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

I don't use Crossover, I used an old XP license from a box I decommed to cover my Bootcamp install.

Crossover is just a heavily customized version of Wine. I use VMWare Fusion to access Windows programs while in my Mac (VMWare Fusion can use your bootcamp install as a VM), and alot of older games will play just fine through Fusion. For things which are a bit more resource intensive, I just boot to windows directly and play there.

I'd rather be able to dualboot/virtualize Windows so that the apps can run natively than to need something which may only work after a vendor updates their software.

The Mac version of GNS3 works fine. SDM is finnicky, it all depends on your Java version. It got to be such a pain in the ass that when I needed to use SDM, I just booted up Windows. That being said, I'm a CLI kind of guy, I'll do anything I possibly can to avoid using SDM

And yes, current Macbooks use modern Intel chips. i5's and i7's

If having to virtualize or reboot to get windows support bothers you, you probably won't be happy with MacOS and you're probably better off buying a new Windows laptop instead

This just came to me. Have you tried the Crossover and SDM together?
I like CLI as well, but I need to learn SDM since I am going to take CCNA:Security next year.
I still have a spare of OEM Vista x86 sitting CD somewhere in my room, I can use that to run VM.
On my Windows 7 x64, I have SDM running just fine on current Java version, but the SDM that I have is v2.3.2.

Off-topic question: The VMware Fusion is the Mac Version of Workstation, right?
So how many VM can Fusion run at the same time?
(I have real equipment at home but when I am not at home I got to use GNS3.)

Forsaken_GA

thehourman wrote: »

This just came to me. Have you tried the Crossover and SDM together?

Maybe you missed the part where I said I don't use Crossover

I like CLI as well, but I need to learn SDM since I am going to take CCNA:Security next year.
I still have a spare of OEM Vista x86 sitting CD somewhere in my room, I can use that to run VM.
On my Windows 7 x64, I have SDM running just fine on current Java version, but the SDM that I have is v2.3.2.

Yeah, Mac versions of Java aren't exactly the same as Windows versions (they should, but that's another arguement). Bottom line is that if you expect to hit SDM from a Mac, expect some things not to work right. This also requires SDM be installed on the router, as there's no native client like with Windows. It was much less of a pain in the rear to use a windows VM to access SDM, especially since most folks use it long enough to learn what they need for an exam and then never touch it again

Off-topic question: The VMware Fusion is the Mac Version of Workstation, right?
So how many VM can Fusion run at the same time?
(I have real equipment at home but when I am not at home I got to use GNS3.)

Well, it's like any other system, it depends on the proc and memory in the system, that's what limits how many VM's you can effectively run. If you want to run a bunch of 256meg VM's, you can do that. There's no artificial limit built into Fusion that I'm aware of. I personally only maintain an Ubuntu VM and my Bootcamp install on my Mac now, I picked up a couple beefy boxes for ESXi hosts and offloaded my lab VM's onto them.

thehourman

Yeah, Mac versions of Java aren't exactly the same as Windows versions (they should, but that's another arguement). Bottom line is that if you expect to hit SDM from a Mac, expect some things not to work right. This also requires SDM be installed on the router, as there's no native client like with Windows. It was much less of a pain in the rear to use a windows VM to access SDM, especially since most folks use it long enough to learn what they need for an exam and then never touch it again

You have SDM installed on Windows VMFusion, and you have GNS3 on Mac?
If I understand you right, that works for me.

Well, it's like any other system, it depends on the proc and memory in the system, that's what limits how many VM's you can effectively run. If you want to run a bunch of 256meg VM's, you can do that. There's no artificial limit built into Fusion that I'm aware of. I personally only maintain an Ubuntu VM and my Bootcamp install on my Mac now, I picked up a couple beefy boxes for ESXi hosts and offloaded my lab VM's onto them.

So I can run multiple Virtual Machine with Fusion if I am going to keep the RAM 512MB for each VM?
The VMplayer can only run one VM that is why I asked.

We can forget about games, but the most important software for me are GNS3, Virtualization, and Windows Office 2007. Those three are the most important. And this is the Macbook Pro I am looking at (MC371LL/A)

Wow, I just checked it, to get 8GB of RAM it would cost me $400 more.

Forsaken_GA

thehourman wrote: »

You have SDM installed on Windows VMFusion, and you have GNS3 on Mac?
If I understand you right, that works for me.

Right, GNS3 is native, I run the SDM client out of a windows VM

So I can run multiple Virtual Machine with Fusion if I am going to keep the RAM 512MB for each VM?
The VMplayer can only run one VM that is why I asked.

We can forget about games, but the most important software for me are GNS3, Virtualization, and Windows Office 2007. Those three are the most important. And this is the Macbook Pro I am looking at (MC371LL/A)

Oh yeah, it's not like player Fusion can handle more than 1 VM at a time. Unless I'm playing something like WoW, my windows VM is up and running as well, and I occasionally boot the Ubuntu one as well. I used to install and mess around with random ISO's as well when I wanted to learn or experiment, but I've moved the majority of that over to my ESXi boxes. But I've had 8 VM's up and running at the same time on my MBP, so running more than one isn't an issue.

thehourman

Cool.

What do you use for tab management?
Like when you have a bunch of putty consoles or Windows open. On Windows, I use Wintabber.

it_consultant

I like the geeky goodness of this thread...however...you will save yourself much time and heartache by just keeping a Windows computer around for your gaming needs.

peanutnoggin

thehourman wrote: »

Cool.

What do you use for tab management?
Like when you have a bunch of putty consoles or Windows open. On Windows, I use Wintabber.

I use iTerm on my MBP to allow for tabbed sessions in GNS3. HTH.

-Peanut

QHalo

ZOC here.

shon541

thehourman wrote: »

The VMplayer can only run one VM that is why I asked.

You can run more than one VM with VMplayer (at least with the Windows version). You just need to start the program again and select another VM.

Forsaken_GA

thehourman wrote: »

Cool.

What do you use for tab management?
Like when you have a bunch of putty consoles or Windows open. On Windows, I use Wintabber.

I don't like tabs. When I'm working in multiple windows, I like to be able to see what I'm doing in one window take effect in another. I have Terminal open up 4 windows by default when it starts and open more if I need more