Parallels 5 Settings

Followings are my Parallels 5 Preferences and Configurations.  I use most of the default settings. 

They are self-explanatory.  But note that:

1)  I assigned 2 CPUs and 2048 RAM

2)  Smart Guard and Undo Disks functions cannot be used when virtual machine is installed over Bootcamp.

Parallels 5 – my choice

I have reinstalled the bootcamp partition in order to better test the real side of Fusion 3 and Parallels 5 in a clean environment.

I finally choose to use Parallels 5 as it runs faster and especially I can use all the finger actions on the trackpad.

Thanks goodness.  After weeks of jumping ups and downs for RAM incompatibility issue and hesitation on which virtual machine to use, now I can sit down and start finetuning my computer.

Parallels 5 vs Fusion 3 – which is better?

I started using Parallels 4 on my MacBook Pro about a month ago and then switched to Fusion 3 after its recent launch in late October.

Perhaps there were a lot of people like me switching to Fusion campus, Parallels pushes its latest version 5 as a strike back in quite a sudden manner.

Following is the side-by-side comparison between Parallels 5 and Fusion 3 I did at the night I downloaded the new version.

Parallels 5 or Fusion 3 – Are You Puzzled?

Not too long after I purchased my MacBook Pro, I bought both Parallels Desktop 4 and VMWare Fusion 2 since I still need to run some Windows applications that no alternatives are available on Mac platform.

Before the release of Fusion 2, I’d been using Parallels 4 since it ran smoothly and could handle 64-bit environment nicely. Currently, I am using Fusion 3 since it comes with better graphics rendering (not performance) and its user interface is more user-friendly.

update on…My RAM is not OK!

After replacing the 1333MHz RAM with 1066MHz model, my computer no long has the Kernel Panic problem.

The lesson is:

1) RAM testing utilities are not perfect;

2) no matter what the salesman says, don’t risk to use over-spec RAM when you are upgrading.

The 4GB RAM module is Kingston KVR1066D3S7/4G.   Although the company’s website doesn’t say that it is made for MacBook Pro, it runs smoothly without a problem for over a week now.

Do you get lost?

In Windows, you could easily know where you are because Windows Explorer always shows the “path” information.

Finder Showing Path

In contrast, Mac doesn’t do the same in Finder by default.  As one switching from PC, I always get lost between folders and files.  You may say it’s no big deal but habits cannot be changed overnight.  Moreover, you will feel more comfortable of knowing where you are, won’t you? 

No Icons on Bookmarks Toolbar?

Although I like Safari’s page review function, the browser isn’t the stuff that I like.  Unfortunately, there is no IE equivalent browser available on the mac platform, Firefox seems to be the only best match to what I want.

Bookmarks Toolbar with no Icon

However, unlike the PC version, the Bookmarks Toolbar on Firefox Mac can only displays text — hope that it’s going to change in future versions.

My RAM is not OK!

I thought the results of Memtest and Rember showed that my RAM were OK and then my RAM would be OK.  I was wrong.

Everything I enter Space setting, the kernal panic problem occurs.

I have no choice but to send back the RAM and ask for replacement with the default 1066MHz ones.

Poor me …..Will wait and see.   

Is your RAM ok?

I recently upgraded my MacBook Pro from 4GB to 8GB with RAM modules by Transcend.  They are running a faster speed of 1333MHz, instead of the original 1066MHz.  After the modules were installed, I encountered quite a few “kernel panics” strikes that many people believe bad RAM a very possible suspect.

Does your HDD pause intermittently?

In response to the “intermittent hard disk pauses” issue reported by some customers, Apple on Oct-14, 2009 released the Performance Update 1.0, hoping to fix the issue.   In addition to the regular Software Update, the patch for Snow Leopard could also be downloaded directly from Apple.