[Macworld]

Post your comments for VMWare Fusion 4 here

[tln1ltj2]

If you had a choice of Fusion 4 or Parallels 7, which would you choose and why?

[JohnnyO]

I've had good luck with Fusion 4 as well.

I recently upgraded from a MacBook Pro with Core 2 Duo processors to a late 2011 MacBook Pro with the 4 Core/8 thread i7 processor. I found that assigning two cores to the VM with the Core 2 Duo did not improve performance, but adding a second core on the i7 made the VM feel a bit more snappy, and significantly improved the Windows 7 Experience scores.

Also - the new machine has an SSD, and my VM is on the SSD. As you might imagine, that provides a massive improvement in VM startup times, and file reading and writing in general from the VM.

[blecch]

Has Macworld compared the performance of Fusion 4 vs. Parallels 7 (and possibly VirtualBox as well?)

[RESpatz]

I have been using Fusion since early 2008. I also have two (2) DVD writers installed in my Mac Pro. Using them with Fusion has always been awful. I am being kind. The limited support provided back then and now no more (emails yes) insisted that the problems with one and even two DVD writers was attributable to Apple which doesn't play nice with VMWare's Fusion. The conclusion: Don't blame Fusion if using DVD writers are clunky (if working at all). Remarkably, three years later, guess what? No improvement. It's still awful. Other improvements noted and appreciated. I try to use Fusion as little as possible now hoping someday to say, "Adios, and I won't be bach (sic)". I wish the DVD writer problems would be cured. For those who regard my problem with surprise because their systems work well, I'd be grateful for any hints that make that outcome so.
Best,
Richard

[BobK88]

RESpatz, on 09 November 2011 - 12:52 PM, said:

I have been using Fusion since early 2008. I also have two (2) DVD writers installed in my Mac Pro. Using them with Fusion has always been awful.

What purpose - and with which apps running on Fusion - were you trying to use the DVD writers for?

[macmonty]

It's mentioned that Fusion 4 ships on a USB key, and that it has an "install anywhere" setup; is it possible to install it - and Windows - on an SD card for use with 13" MacBook Air?

I have used Fusion 3 on my older MacBook Pro, but when I moved to the Air I left it behind because I was cautious about disk space. If I could get a Win install and Fusion on an SD card that would be a deal-changer.

Has anyone tried this? (not a Windows person, and totally thinking outside the box here...)

[heisetax]

I've used Parallels since their 1st version on my MacPro. I've also used Fusion since version 1. I've always though that before that Fusion ran a little better. But that decision while really still the same has been forced into mainly using Parallels 7 while using Fusion 4 for a more limited use.

This problem comes from a place that seems odd to me. Both programs by default set up 20-30 GB hard drives to run Windows on. In this day & age that is really too small unless only one program is run in total with no other ones installed. But that doesn't happen here like it probably doesn't happen most places. Both programs allows one to increase the size of drive C: on your Windows partition. They also say that their size can vary as needed. Both programs tell me that drive C: is now 60 GB or 100 GB but that is the last that is the same. With Fusion, even with a drive D: &/or E: when checked using My Computer the size is still 20 GB. With Parallels 6 or 7 the size is the increased size of 128 GB. So because of this virtual hard disk problem I have been forced to use Parallels almost all of the time now.

The Fusion problem has always been there for me. It may have been a problem early with Parallels for me but not for some time now. For this reason only I've changed from basically being a Fusion User to being a Parallels User. This is why it is best to have at least 2 programs to choose from. In that way if one doesn't work well the other is there to hopefully take up the slack.

I do not play games. I just do accounting, income tax, efiling & spreadsheet use. But that means many programs which most of them change each year.

In my opinion if one doesn't have the small drive problem that I have then both seem to be equally great programs to use. This allows us to use our Macs all of the time, even when running those Windows only programs.

[TerryCarter]

I am considering upgrading to the latest MacBook Pro, however, I use Quicken and do not want to give it up. Have tried almost all the other financial accounting systems for home use and none compare to Quicken 2006 in my opinion.

My question is this: Can I use VMware Fusion 4 to install Snow Leopard on a new MacBook Pro so that I will be able to use Quicken?

[rich_pond]

Spent many days experimenting with trial versions of Fusion 4 and Parallels, to upgrade from Fusion 2. My experience was that Fusion 4 was notably slow. There were continuing scattered incidents of watching the pinwheel for a minute or so, especially when starting and restarting. It also seemed to weigh heavily on other Mac operations.

Eventually chose Parallels, which seems more responsive and doesn't throw in long delays. My use of the virtual PC is actually rather light, and I didn't evaluate which program actually ran the PC more effectively - I am more focused on startup, stop, and impact on Mac side programs.

[ead40]

TerryCarter, on 09 November 2011 - 10:56 PM, said:

I am considering upgrading to the latest MacBook Pro, however, I use Quicken and do not want to give it up. Have tried almost all the other financial accounting systems for home use and none compare to Quicken 2006 in my opinion.

My question is this: Can I use VMware Fusion 4 to install Snow Leopard on a new MacBook Pro so that I will be able to use Quicken?

Terry, I use VMWare for this reason. I have both an iMac and MacBook Pro and installed Win7 using VMWare Fusion 3, and then installed Quicken Premier 2009. Have been using it for over 2 years and have not had any problems.

[tomclev]

I have been using Fusion for years and really only had my first "Show Stopper" with the upgrade to Version 4. May not be well known, but Fusion 4 is incompatible with Macs running more than 32GB of RAM - Fusion 4 will run, but you will not have video. I have been in contact with VMWare Tech Support and they say they are working on the problem. Reducing the RAM on my MacPro was not an option so I'm still waiting ....

[willmont]

TerryCarter, on 09 November 2011 - 10:56 PM, said:

I am considering upgrading to the latest MacBook Pro, however, I use Quicken and do not want to give it up. Have tried almost all the other financial accounting systems for home use and none compare to Quicken 2006 in my opinion.

My question is this: Can I use VMware Fusion 4 to install Snow Leopard on a new MacBook Pro so that I will be able to use Quicken?

No, you cannot install Snow Leopard client. You CAN create a VM for Snow Leopard Server, but not the client.

[TerryCarter]

willmont, on 10 November 2011 - 06:47 AM, said:

TerryCarter, on 09 November 2011 - 10:56 PM, said:

I am considering upgrading to the latest MacBook Pro, however, I use Quicken and do not want to give it up. Have tried almost all the other financial accounting systems for home use and none compare to Quicken 2006 in my opinion.

My question is this: Can I use VMware Fusion 4 to install Snow Leopard on a new MacBook Pro so that I will be able to use Quicken?

No, you cannot install Snow Leopard client. You CAN create a VM for Snow Leopard Server, but not the client.

Thank you, Wilmont, that is exactly what I needed to know.

Thanks for your reply ead40, but I wanted to use Snow Leopard with VMWare, not Windows. That's a thought though if I can't find another solution for this problem. I know I can partition my drive and have both systems, but I need to be able to access my financial records when I am in my main drive so that doesn't work either. Darn Intuit!!!