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Hi,

I use both my Macintosh computers with a number of programs opened at once (plus voice recognition most of the time).

On the machine I use for most of my work, would it be a good idea to increase the RAM from1 GB to 2 GB?

I'm also going to be running Windows on the machine, either using boot camp or parallels!

I'm still undecided is to whether I would run a copy of Windows XP which I have or jump into the fire and buy a copy of Windows Vista!

The other Day I had the opportunity to try out Windows Vista (specifically the voice recognition, which ships with Vista).

I must say I was very impressed with it! (Vista Voice Recognition) It was as good as Dragon Naturally Speaking (which has an extremely high accuracy rate). To be fair I only partially completed training, but just about everything I spoke was directly transcribed on to screen accurately.

Has anybody had much experience with running Vista under Boot-camp or parallels?

Windows XP would be the safest solution my instinct tells me? What is your opinion?

Cheers,

Malcolm.

If you're going to buy Vista then upgrade to 2Gb RAM.

Vista won't run to full spec on the Mini due to the integrated video card, let alone the fact that it requires a video card of a minimum 512Mb VRAM to run to full potential.

Still can't workout why M$ freaking did this? I mean Leopard can do more in 64Mb VRAM than Vista can do in 512Mb. Proof Vista is nothing more than bloatware, wrapped in a ton of whale fat, and then encased in 8 inches of concrete.

I may just be misremembering things, but I thought there was some legal issues regarding Vista under virtualization?

Yep there is is.... http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5951
And this one

Phil

It's interesting reading about Virtualisation restrictions!!

I'm leaning towards running XP home any way, it seems much less hassle in the long run??

Yesterday I send an E-mail off to the people that run parallels, it to use see whether Dragon Naturally Speaking (I remember in one of the builds of parallels it wasn't possible to run programs that were that processor and memory intensive.

From what I understand the latest build of parallels is much improved?

I am almost convinced that Windows XP would be the safest option (and probably using bootcamp) although I do like the convenience of not rebooting when I need to get back into my favourite operating system!

And what ever operating environment I'm in I always use voice recognition (for dictation mainly). Apple has the drivers for Windows XP.

I will be getting a larger internal drive for my system any way. Apparently I've got the choice of drives between the ranges of 80 GB's and 160 GB's (5400 or 7200 RPM); I and thinking of faster drive speed would give me a performance in advantage? Or would it really matter ?

It would also probably make my computer run a little bit hotter?

Cheers,

Hi,

I finally purchased a Lacie 250GB hard drive (external) Firewire. I put a copy of Windows XP on my existing internal drive and loaded the mac OS on the bigger external drive!

Everything is working well, the only nuisance really for me is that I had to put an additional copy of the Mac OS on my internal volume (apparently to make it possible for me to install Windows on the internal volume)?

The size of my internal volume formatted is approximately 55 GB'S

The PC partition takes up approximately 35 GB's (I wanted to make that as large as possible). I was hoping I could make my internal drive a single PC volume but apparently, that isn't easily achieved? Also, on that same internal volume is a copy of the Macintosh OS (at a staggering 21 GB's or there abouts).

I'm seriously considering the purchase of parallels, from my understanding now, the latest release can boot into the bootcamp PC partition (is that correct)?

Cheers,

Malcolm.

I did not read the article Phil mentioned but from memory you can use Vista with Boot Camp because that is not virtualistaion.

Yes you can, but it's a pig to set up properly. The drivers that Apple provide are not Vista compatable without a lot of messing around. I'd stick to XP if I were you.

For the time being would you believe, I've actually taken Window's Vista off my system (and all flavours of windows off my system because I don't need it right now).

With the the Intel Mac's I know I have the opportunity to put window's on if I really want it again.

Malcolm.