Comments on: Which Windows version to put on my MacBook? http://macbookfreak.com/which-windows-version-macbook/ Cheap MacBooks For Sale Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:33:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Dave S http://macbookfreak.com/which-windows-version-macbook/comment-page-1/#comment-14296 Dave S Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:55:10 +0000 http://macbookfreak.com/?p=938#comment-14296 I recommend any version of Windows XP. Windows Vista is unnecessary if you only need a few things. Earlier versions of Windows such as 98 or ME can work but they are not that stable. You do need to buy a new copy as you will have to register it. Make sure your using Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2). I use Windows XP Professional SP2 with both Bootcamp and Parallels. Parallels is great if you want both operating systems running at once. Bootcamp alone would save you the $79 for Parallels but you'll just have to reboot the Mac into Windows and vice-versa for Mac OS X... one OS at a time only. With Bootcamp your running fully native in Windows so the performance (even games) will run as good as any current PC. If your Mac came with 1 Gigabyte of RAM that would be OK for Bootcamp. If you go with Parallels I really recommend installing 2 GB of RAM because each OS needs a good 1 GB to run smoothly. By the way, Parallels will now run Windows from the Bootcamp partition if you have already installed Bootcamp so you can choose to do it both ways - boot up into Windows alone or run OS X and Windows at the same time with Parallels. Personally if your Windows needs are light I'd go with Bootcamp. If you wish to run a Windows only program and you really need to have your iMovie session going at the same time, Parallels is WAY COOL! I recommend any version of Windows XP. Windows Vista is unnecessary if you only need a few things. Earlier versions of Windows such as 98 or ME can work but they are not that stable. You do need to buy a new copy as you will have to register it. Make sure your using Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2).
I use Windows XP Professional SP2 with both Bootcamp and Parallels. Parallels is great if you want both operating systems running at once. Bootcamp alone would save you the $79 for Parallels but you'll just have to reboot the Mac into Windows and vice-versa for Mac OS X… one OS at a time only. With Bootcamp your running fully native in Windows so the performance (even games) will run as good as any current PC. If your Mac came with 1 Gigabyte of RAM that would be OK for Bootcamp. If you go with Parallels I really recommend installing 2 GB of RAM because each OS needs a good 1 GB to run smoothly. By the way, Parallels will now run Windows from the Bootcamp partition if you have already installed Bootcamp so you can choose to do it both ways – boot up into Windows alone or run OS X and Windows at the same time with Parallels.

Personally if your Windows needs are light I'd go with Bootcamp. If you wish to run a Windows only program and you really need to have your iMovie session going at the same time, Parallels is WAY COOL!

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