Upload
shoshannah-forbes
View
142
Download
8
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
How‐To Run ProShow on a Mac By Photodex Corporation Copyright © 2010 Photodex Corporation. All rights reserved.
Photodex is regularly asked the question, “When will I be able to run ProShow on a Mac?” The answer that you already can might surprise some. If you’ve purchased a new Mac sometime within the last three years, then all that’s standing between you and enjoying ProShow is a copy of Windows. You can take things one step further with a copy of virtualization software such as VMware Fusion and Parallels Desktop. Virtualization allows you to seamlessly integrate Windows into the Mac OS X operating system, giving you the best of both worlds.
This guide explains how to run Windows on a Mac using VMware Fusion. There are other methods as well, and which one you use will ultimately depend on your personal preference and workflow. While you’ll need a copy of Windows regardless, Fusion and Parallels both have fully functioning trial versions so that you can take the time to determine what’s best for you. And if your Mac was purchased anytime after late October 2007, then the installer for Boot Camp is already available.
A Word About Virtualization
Virtualization allows you to install a ‘virtual machine’ that runs within the OS X operating system. This allows you to run Windows based programs directly on your Mac, without having to boot into Windows. Based on internal testing, Photodex recommends using VMware Fusion. Fusion had the smoothest playback and a greater degree of compatibility between OS X and Windows. All tests were performed on both an entry‐level 1.66 GHz Intel Core Duo Mac Mini with 2 GB of RAM, and a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo iMac with 4 GB of RAM.
Results may vary depending on the performance level of your machine. An upper end Mac Pro or MacBook Pro, which often contains a separate graphics card, may provide different results than Photodex’s internal tests. It is recommended that you try both programs to see which is the best fit for you.
A widely‐circulated report by MacTech overwhelming ruled in favor of Parallels Desktop when placed in head‐to‐head tests with VMWare Fusion. While at the very high end the performance difference between the two became negligible, mid‐to‐lower end systems performed considerably better when using Parallels. Despite this finding, Photodex still found that VMware Fusion performed better when running ProShow than did Parallels. Also, Fusion’s integration between OS X and Windows was far superior to Parallels, with full drag‐and‐drop support. This is likely to be the same regardless of the specifications of your system. Again, testing both programs to see which is better for you can’t be recommended enough.
If you are not interested in purchasing additional software, virtualization is still theoretically possible using Sun Microsystem’s open‐source, free‐to‐use VirtualBox. While VirtualBox does appear to be a great program (especially for the cost) Photodex was not able to successfully use it to install a copy of Vista from CD. Your experience may differ, and we invite you to try it out for yourself. If you’re able to successfully use VirtualBox to run ProShow on your Mac, we would appreciate hearing about it!
VMware Fusion Company: VMware Price: $79.99 Trial: 30 days, full‐functional Current Version: 3.0.1 System Requirements:
Intel –based Mac
1GB of RAM (2GB RAM recommended by VMware, Photodex recommends 2GB minimum for running ProShow)
700MB free hard drive space for Fusion. Photodex recommends at least 15 GB of additional
space for the virtual machine.
Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later Note: Anyone owning any version of 10.5 can update to 10.5.8 for free. See this Apple support knowledge base article for more information on how.
Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista, or Windows 7 install disks. 64 bit XP, Vista, or Windows 7
requires an Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Quad‐Core Xeon processor or other 64‐bit processor. See this Apple support knowledge base article for steps to check this.
Advantages:
Windows is integrated into the OS X operating system, allowing you to run both Windows and OS X programs/applications simultaneously.
Photodex testing has found VMware to be fully compatible with ProShow in Unity mode. This allows you to drag and drop images directly from OS X’s Finder into ProShow – as if you were running ProShow directly in Windows.
VMware can be run without Boot Camp, meaning a separate Windows based partition is not necessary. It is not necessary to reserve part of the hard drive for exclusive Windows usage.
Even running ProShow on a Mac with minimal system requirements (Mac Mini core duo with one processor and 2GB of RAM with shared video memory) resulted in acceptable playback.
Fusion allows ‘snapshots’ to be taken of your current system configuration for Windows. Multiple snapshots can be taken, and you can ‘roll‐back’ to any of these snapshots at any given time. This allows you to easily return to a known‐good Windows configuration without having to reinstall, or maintain different setups for different tasks. For example, you could use a setup exclusively for ProShow usage.
Virtualization allows you to deactivate your internet connection for Windows based software, without affecting your OS X applications. This reduces the need for running security software on your Windows partition which has the potential to decrease performance. But keep in mind there is no way to completely eliminate security concerns with either OS X, Windows, or any operating system. It is good practice to maintain a healthy skepticism on content from any source you do not fully trust Note: You must enable an internet connection to activate certain Photodex products, such as StylePack volume 2. This is only necessary for activation, after which you can again disable the Windows‐side internet connection.
Disadvantages:
The big disadvantage to using virtualization software is performance. Your computer is running two operating systems and thus requires more of your system’s resources than if you were running Windows directly in Boot Camp mode. Virtualization will allow you to prioritize between OS X or the virtualized OS, and if you have a robust system then the performance difference may be negligible.
Using files located on the OS X side is similar to using files located on a network or external drive. There is the potential for slower performance. Photodex testing found this to be negligible with basic shows, although with complex shows this may be more of an issue. For best performance, it is recommended that you copy all files to the Windows virtual machine or partition.
Installation Instructions: The following assumes you are installing the latest version of Fusion, 3.0.1. The steps may look different if you are using an earlier version.
1. Download the installer for VMware Fusion from VMware’s website. There is a 30 day free trial version available.
2. Once downloading is complete, open the VMware Fusion .dmg file and locate the ‘Install VMware Fusion’ package. Double‐click on it to initiate installation.
3. Continue past the introduction screen.
4. Read and agree to the Software License Agreement.
5. If you are installing a version of Fusion earlier than 3.0, you may now see an option to ‘Install MacFUSE’. This allows you to view virtual machines when they are powered off. It is recommended to leave this checked then continue.
6. At this point you’ll need to enter a serial number. If you’d like to try before you buy it, you can request a trial registration from VMware by clicking on the ‘Get Serial Number’ button. After entering your registration, continue.
7. At the select destination screen, select the hard drive you’d like to install Fusion on then continue. Volumes available for install will be marked with a green arrow pointing down.
8. You will get an indication of how much space is required to install. For our tests this was 718.4 MB but this may vary. You can change your install location if you need to, otherwise continue.
9. You’ll be prompted for your OS X password. Enter it now. If you’ve forgotten, see this article from Apple’s Knowledge Base.
10. Install should now finish and indicate it was successful. You are now ready to run Fusion.
Running Fusion without a Boot Camp partition You have two options for running Fusion. You can run it using your current OS X hard volume, or you can use an existing Boot Camp partition. These steps will apply to those who are not using Boot Camp. This process will differ somewhat depending on whether you are using Fusion 3.0 or an earlier version.
1. Locate and launch VMware Fusion. It should be located in your Applications folder.
2. Your Virtual Machine Library window will appear. It will be empty. Under ‘Getting Started with VMware Fusion’ click on the option ‘Install Windows or another operating system in a new virtual machine.’
3. The ‘New Virtual Machine Assistant’ will open. If a Windows install disc is already inserted into your Mac, Fusion will ask if you’d like to use this disk.
Otherwise Fusion will ask you to insert your installation disc, or ‘Continue without disk.’
Our instructions will assume you have a Windows install disk. If you haven’t inserted your Windows install disc before beginning the setup of your Virtual Machine, you will need to cancel the process, insert your Windows install disc, then start the process again.
4. The ‘Windows Easy Install’ window appears and asks you to fill in your account information for
Windows. Fill in an account name. A password is options. Then enter your Windows Product Key.
5. You’ll now be prompted to select your level of Integration:
Integration determines how easily you’ll be able to share files between OS X and your Windows Virtual Machine. Your options will be ‘More Isolated’:
Or ‘More Seamless’:
‘More Isolated’ is recommended for those that have concerns with the security of the Windows file system. It prevents Windows from being able to modify any of you’re the files in OS X. You’ll only be able to share files between the two operating systems through dragging and dropping. ‘More Seamless’ allows you to mirror files and set up shared folders. This allows the file systems of both OS X and Windows to interact with one another. This method can be more convenient,
but internal testing Photodex found some difficulty using audio and video content in ProShow if it was in a shared or mirrored folder. These settings can always be modified later in your virtual machine’s Sharing Settings so don’t be too concerned with your selection here. Test both options out for yourself and then choose the one that fits best with your system’s performance and your personal workflow.
In earlier versions of Fusion, you may instead see the following:
‘Mirror folders’ is the same as choosing ‘More Seamless’ in Fusion version 3.
6. The ‘Finish’ window appears, with options to ‘Customize Settings’ and set the virtual machine you are now installing to open by default. You can choose to hit finish now, but it is recommended to customize your settings first to make sure they are optimal.
7. Whatever choice you make, you will now be asked to save your virtual machine. Keep the default suggestion or enter your own. For the location, you can also leave it in the default ‘Virtual Machines’ folder or choose a custom place. Hit save to continue.
8. If you chose to customize your settings, the settings window will now appear. Otherwise, skip to step 13.
9. In the settings window, select ‘Processors & Ram.’ Make sure your RAM is set to a minimum of 1024 MB, although you can designate more if you have it. If you do not have enough RAM for 1024 MB, get as close to this number as possible. Anything less than 1024 MB will likely result in extremely poor performance.
10. If you’d like your Windows virtual machine to get online, skip to the next step. If you’d like to prevent internet access on your virtual machine, select ‘Show All’ then the ‘Network’ section. Uncheck the ‘Connected’ box. See note below.
Note: Some Photodex products, such as the StylePack volumes, require an internet connection to activate. This internet connection must be on the Windows side. After a product has been activated the internet connection can again be disabled. Settings for a virtual machine can be launched from the Virtual Machine Library at any time, provided the machine is currently off. If you need to disable or enable your virtual machine’s internet connection after setup is complete, select your machine from the list and click ‘Settings’ at the bottom of the window.
Then follow steps 10‐12 again.
11. When you are done making changes, click the red close button in the upper left corner of the
settings window.
12. You should now see the ‘Virtual Machine Library’. Your newly created virtual machine should be listed in the column on the left. Click the ‘play’ button to the right of your machine name.
13. Fusion will now install Windows onto your virtual machine. Once it finishes, Windows will
launch and may prompt you to login.
14. Fusion should automatically begin installation of VMware Tools. This enhances graphics and mouse performance.
15. If installation of VMware Tools does not begin automatically, select the ‘Virtual Machine’ menu
from your menubar at the top of the screen and then select ‘Install VMware Tools.’
16. When prompted hit the ‘Install’ button.
17. You’ll then be prompted to select the ‘Run setup.exe’ program from the VMware Tools drive. Double‐click on it to run the Tools installer.
18. The VMware Tools installer window will appear. Hit ‘Next’ and wait for installation to finish.
19. After VMware Tools finishes installation, Windows will restart. Your Windows virtual machine is now ready for operation.
Running Fusion with a Boot Camp partition
If you’ve already set‐up Boot Camp, then Fusion installation is much easier as Windows is already installed. Information for installing Boot Camp can be found on Apple’s web site.
1. Find and launch VMware Fusion. It should be located in your Applications folder.
2. Your Virtual Machine Library window will appear, and will have a ‘Boot Camp partition’ listed. Click on the play button just to the right of this.
3. VMware Fusion will prepare your Boot Camp partition for use.
4. Fusion will now launch Windows for the first time. Login with your Windows password (if you
have one) when prompted.
5. Fusion should automatically begin installation of VMware Tools. This enhances graphics and mouse performance. If installation of VMware Tools does not begin automatically, select the ‘Virtual Machine’ menu from your menubar at the top of the screen and then select ‘Install VMware Tools.’
6. When prompted hit the ‘Install’ button.
7. You’ll then be prompted to select the ‘Run setup.exe’ program from the VMware Tools drive. Double‐click on it to run the Tools installer.
8. The VMware Tools installer window will appear. Hit ‘Next’ and wait for installation to finish.
Usage Notes: Fusion supports several display modes. One of the most useful is Unity mode. This will combine your Windows programs with the OS X interface so it appears that you are only using OS X. The only indication you’re still using Windows will be the stylistic look of the main program window. For example, the trademark Minimize, Maximize, and Close buttons will be in the upper right corner. OS X
windows have similar buttons but in the upper left corner. See part two of this guide for more detailed instructions. Need additional help? Contact our support department, 7‐days a week. 1‐800‐377‐4686 [email protected] Copyright © 2009 Photodex Corporation. All rights reserved.