| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Virtual PC v. 6.0.1 (w/ a variety of
Windows) Review by: Gary Coyne (replace the "-at-" with "@") Provides: Windows on your OS 9 and OS X
systems It was just six months ago when I reviewed VPC 5.0.4 which had significant improvements over Virtual PC 5 (reviewed by Kirk Hiner). Now, VPC 6 is out (product reviewed was VPC 6.0.1) and if you need to run Windows on your Mac, it's a "must buy." As a reviewer, it is common to receive claims from software companies how improved their product is over past versions and how much faster, efficient, slicker, whatever. Connectix claims speed improvements of up to 25% from VPC 5. Depending on your computer, which version of Windows you are operating, and what operations you are performing, you should see that 25%, and quite possibly more. Not only is this version significantly faster, but it has some slick new features that almost make running Windows on your Mac as easy and as fun as running Mac programs on a Mac. Well, not really, but a darn bit easier. But let's start with the speed. Below are tables that provide times for a variety of operations. One of the strengths of running VPC is that you can have a variety of Windows OSs on the same computer and can even run them concurrently. [This is such a nifty feature that Connectix sells VPC to Windows users so they can run multiple versions of Windows on Windows. Go figure.] This test was run with Windows 2000, Windows ME, and Windows XP (home edition). The tests were run using VPC 5.0.4 and VPC 6.0.1. To simplify things, I limited my testing to starting the OS from scratch, starting from a saved state, and saving an open OS. [For those not familiar with VPC, you can save an open Window's OS as one would a document prior to quitting VPC. Then, when you are ready to restart the OS, it's simply a matter of opening this "document." Any applications, documents, or conditions left open the last time you used Windows remain ready to go once everything is open.] I also installed FileMaker Pro, Developer's Edition [timing for the instillations was initiated at the "Install" button and ceased at the "Finish" button]; started FM Pro (Developer's Edition) [because the first time you start an application there are various final instillation processes, I ignored the first startup and only timed subsequent starts]; and opened a 5-file database. [Brief note: Just prior to my reviewing VPC, my home DSL service quit the business. I am currently in the "window" of no service while waiting for my next service to begin. As such I am unable to speed test any comparisons of internet access. Likewise, as I have no internet access, both Windows XP and Windows Me requested my obtaining updates for the installed additions that I can not do. Thus, it is possible that some of the times listed below could be effected.] For the record, I am running OS X 2.3 on a stock G4 733 MHz with 640 MB of RAM. For consistency, no other programs were running. [I was told by Connectix that whatever amount of RAM one has, if a Windows system claims 128 MB of RAM, that means that the user would now have 512 MB left for their Mac until the Windows System was shut down (and/or quiting VPC.]
Now some Caveats and Comments: I was unable to test Windows 2000 in VPC 5.0.4 as it was installed as part of my VPC 6 package and I was unable to open it in version 5. Part of what is shown are the variations that exist from one Windows OS to another. Just as we Mac users have observed the difference in performance as we migrated from OS 9 to OS X, similar differences exist in Windows. More specifically, Windows ME is a 16 bit operating system and XP is 32 bit, but has much more overhead than 2000--also a 32 bit system. Also, some of the aspects tested are more conditional upon my hardware than on how well VPC is emulating Windows--to a point. For example, installing a program is conditional upon both. Either way, if you want to run as fast an emulated Windows as possible, you should consider Windows 2000. The times shown above are generally the "better" times. One of the quirks I noticed was that you could do the same test over and over and have the time vary, sometimes faster, sometimes slower. For example, opening up 5 FileMaker Pro files in Windows 2000 varied from 4 seconds to 6 seconds. Similarly, opening a program from a saved state, or saving a state could vary plus or minus a second or two. But these are trifles when you look at all the times in comparison. At a minimum, don't hold these times as gospel. As mentioned, you can have multiple systems on your computer and can even have multiple systems open at the same time. Below is a screen shot of the three versions of Windows I have showing that ME is not running, XP is running and in the foreground, and 2000 is running behind XP. One of the preferences is to turn the Windows program in the background to pause mode to improve the performance of the foreground Windows system. That is, if I was to click on 2000 in the Finder, XP would be paused and 2000 would be running. What this means is one can start an application in VPC and run a Mac program in the foreground and the PC application will continue to chug away (albeit more slowly than if it was the front application). If you choose to set VPC to have more than one PC OS' actively running at any given time, you are likely to observe a significant performance hit.
Likewise, if a program is in a saved state, it says so and displays the condition as to how the system looked when saved.
Now, on to cool new features in VPC 6. Probably the niftiest is that PC programs show up in the Mac Dock. Really! Below you see the icon for VPC running next to iMovie, then to its right is the icon for the Mac version of FileMaker Pro (Developer's Edition) and to the right of that is the Windows version of FileMaker Pro (Developer's Edition). You can see sort of a ghost image of a small PC Tower on the right side of the FM Pro folder--this shows up in all running PC program icons. Like any icon in the Dock, you can have the icon remain, even after the program and VPC have been closed. By clicking on a PC application icon, VPC opens, the Widows' OS opens, and the program opens.
Another treat in the Dock is you will find the Window's Start Menu (see below). Like the icon above, you can start VPC and programs by selecting items in the Start Menu in your Mac Dock.
I did notice one quirk in that on the Mac Dock, the items are listed in alphabetical order while in the real PC Start Menu, the items are broken down by type and then alphabetical. This may be a system preference that I cannot find.
[As I write this, I am unable to create Start Windows or icons of running programs for Windows ME or XP as the "installed additions" are obsolete and I cannot update them because of my temporary lack of internet connection. If you have the same situation where running program's icons are not showing up, update your additions--if you can.]
In addition if you do not want to deal with Windows' find feature and want the power of the Mac Search capabilities, search in the Finder (see below)! Any mounted drives must be unmounted (by ejecting it) before you can restart the PC's OS.
There is new extensive printing support by auto-detection of USB printers, and if you are using OS X.2, there is improved Network support. Also new is all the components of any PC OS and drive and settings are contained in a single Mac OS Package file. So, if you set up one PC, it's easy to save, store and transfer to other machines. Like the past version, you can change your PC's screen resolution simply by dragging the lower-right corner and the PC screen will snap to each of the possible resolutions. New in version 6 is video support up to Apple's Cinema Display (23"). The best thing I can comment about the manual, or better identified as a 30 page pamphlet, is that it is adequate. Most information you need is there, but I do not feel it is as complete as it could be. Another thing you are definitely on your own with is running the Windows environment. Working Windows in general, or the particular version of Windows you select to purchase with your VPC, is up to you. There is a 36 page pamphlet supplied with (for example) Windows 2000 that is more comprehensive than the 19 page pamphlet I received when I upgraded to OS X.2, but not by much. If you expect to need help on how to use Widows, plan on going to the book store looking up 3rd party books. One last caveat as far as VPC 6's speed is concerned. If your system doesn't meet the minimum specifications of VPC 6 (G3 or G4 500 MHz or faster), your preformance may be faster or slower from version 5 depending on the task. This was observed on a G3 350 MHz machine. Performance was significantly improved when running OS 9 on this machine. Thus, keep in mind the system and hardware requirements shown at the top of this article. You might want to go to Connectix's web site for more details. In short, I was knocked over by the improvements in VPC 6. It is actually a pleasure to use. At least as far as running a PC in emulation mode on your Mac. As far as running Windows, well, that's another story... 
|
. |
Cool Mac Gear• iPod 1G-2G • iPod 3G • iPod 4G • iPod Mini • PowerBook-iBook • Keyboard Skins • Garageband
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The last major nifty new feature is the
ability to mount a PC drive. The one catch when doing this
is the drive must have been shut down. You can't do this
when the drive is running or "Saved." Mounting the drive is
done by going into the "Settings" for that particular
Windows system, selecting the drive (probably Drive 1), and
them clicking on the "Mount Drive" button. So, the question
is "why would you want to do this?" For a quick answer, it
allows you to back up data from the PC from the Finder (see
below). A mounted drive also provides more control if you
are backing up via Retrospect or the like. The screen shot
below also shows my holding the Command Key while pressing
the Title Bar displaying the path to where this folder is
located.
