If you own an Intel-based Mac, you can run both OS X and Windows on the same computer. In 2006, Apple replaced the PowerPC chips traditionally used in Macintosh computers with Intel processors. Most PC computers use Intel-based chips, which means you can now run the Windows and OS X operating systems on a Mac computer. If you want to run Windows 10 on your Mac you can download it as a 'disk image' file - sometimes also called an 'ISO file'. Apple makes its own macOS software available only on Mac software. Mar 25, 2019 Windows PCs have come a long way in the past few years, but Macs still have a certain allure that can be hard to replicate. Between the top-notch hardware (MacBook keyboard issues notwithstanding.
You can run Windows on a Mac, but how and what depends on the Mac model.
Windows on Intel Macs
There are presently several alternatives for running Windows on Intel Macs.
How To Run Mac On Windows
- Install the Apple Boot Camp software. Purchase Windows 7 or Windows 8. Follow instructions in the Boot Camp documentation on installation of Boot Camp, creating Driver CD, and installing Windows. Boot Camp enables you to boot the computer into OS X or Windows.
- Parallels Desktop for Mac and Windows XP, Vista Business, Vista Ultimate, or Windows 7. Parallels is software virtualization that enables running Windows concurrently with OS X.
- VM Fusionand Windows XP, Vista Business, Vista Ultimate, or Windows 7. VM Fusion is software virtualization that enables running Windows concurrently with OS X.
- CrossOver which enables running many Windows applications without having to install Windows. The Windows applications can run concurrently with OS X.
- VirtualBox is a new Open Source freeware virtual machine such as VM Fusion and Parallels that was developed by Solaris. It is not as fully developed for the Mac as Parallels and VM Fusion.
Note that Parallels and VM Fusion can also run other operating systems such as Linux, Unix, OS/2, Solaris, etc. There are performance differences between dual-boot systems and virtualization. The latter tend to be a little slower (not much) and do not provide the video performance of the dual-boot system. See MacTech.com's Virtualization Benchmarking for comparisons of Boot Camp, Parallels, and VM Fusion. A more recent comparison of Parallels, VM Fusion, and Virtual Box is found at Virtualization Benchmarks- Parallels 10 vs. Fusion 7 vs. VirtualBox.Boot Camp is only available with Leopard and later. Except for Crossover and a couple of similar alternatives like DarWine you must have a valid installer disc for Windows.
You must also have an internal optical drive for installing Windows. Windows cannot be installed from an external optical drive.
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