Parallels For Mac Without Reboot

The latest Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac adds new features and performance to this versatile package for running Windows and Linux on a Mac, without rebooting

In the left pane choose Boot order and move CD/DVD to the first place in the Boot order list. Close configuration and run virtual machine. Once you see the black shell, click on the virtual machine window to make virtual machine grab the mouse. Parallels Desktop® 13 for Mac is the fastest, easiest, and most powerful solution for running Windows® applications on a Mac®—without rebooting. Easily switch between Mac and Windows apps. Powerful performance lets you run Windows productivity applications, like Microsoft Office, Project, or Visio, and demanding graphical applications, without compromise. You just reboot into full native Windows when you want to run games, but if you're just using Office or something less taxing on the hardware, you can boot into Windows under Parallels and there's no need to restart.

Running one operating system (OS) inside of another is a doddle these days. For Windows 7 users, it's built right into the OS itself – on Professional and Ultimate versions at least.

  • There are many virtualization programs available, but Parallels Desktop for Mac is the most popular and will be the one we focus on. If you'd like to check out other virtualization options. This means to switch from OS X to Windows, you need to reboot your Mac. Built into the Mac OS X operating system.
  • Parallels Desktop 14 is the fastest, easiest, and most powerful application for running Windows applications on a Mac without rebooting. Optimized for macOS Mojave, Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac lets you save up to 20 GB disk space and start Windows and applications up to 35% faster.

A virtual machine (VM) inside your real one gives nearly all the functionality of the real computer. All, that is, except for graphics firepower. But even that is changing, as we found with Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac.

Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac lets you run any IBM x86-based operating system, from Windows to Linux to UNIX, on Mac Intel hardware. And there's very little hit on performance, making the experience – in full-screen view especially – essentially identical to being at the original computer.

The latest version of Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac promises more speed to what is already the fastest virtualization package available, along with a few more features and enhancements.

We already rated the previous update to Parallels 5 highly, thanks to unique features such as support for multi-touch trackpads (in Windows VMs at least), along with hardware-accelerated graphics effects in Linux.

There's a proud boast that Parallels now has '64-bit performance', although that's not the entire story. The main app has been updated, but some of its associated processes such as the Windows WDDM display driver, the display server and the Parallels client app are all still 32-bit.

Nevertheless, running 64-bit VMs is not an issue, nor assigning more than 4GB of RAM to one, providing you have a recent Mac and enough memory installed.

There looks to be dozens of minor additions and embellishments in Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac. Of particular interest, we'd point out the ability to pause a Windows VM running from Boot Camp; use of Mac keyboard shortcuts in Windows VMs; and a redesigned USB connection dialog box, which can be set to not bug you every time you plug a new USB device into your Mac.

It's quite easy to import a VM machine from arch-rival VMware – any VMware OS images on your drive will already be listed in the Parallels Virtual Machines List, ready for conversion.

There are a myriad of fine-tunings available, including security lockdowns for use in business environments, time syncing between real and virtual machines, folder sharing options; and most conspicuous are the various types of Mac-to-Windows integration options.

Parallels

The Coherence mode, which has Windows' program windows floating freely in the OS X desktop, is simplifed to barely even mention the confusing Crystal addition of Parallels 5.

Parallels for mac support

Parallels For Mac Without Rebooting

During initial setup of a Windows VM, you're asked if you'd like Windows to be 'Like a Mac' or 'Like a PC'; the former gives you Coherence mode by default, and maps Mac user-directory folders to their equivalent in Windows.

I Like a Mac. And I Like a PC

We prefer to keep our Windows VMs as separate as is machinely possible from the Mac, for the obvious security issues associated with running Windows anywhere.

Set to full-screen mode, though, we still find it too difficult to access any of the Parallels VM settings for peripherals and virtual hardware, as well as Suspend and the Configuration panel.

Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac only seems to offer a hot-corners option, where a mouse cursor in the screen corner causes that corner to peel back to reveal the Mac desktop. It's a slower process than VMware Fusion's drop-down dock, and interferes badly with any hot-corner shortcuts already set on the Mac host.

And Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac is still sneaking the third-party MacFUSE app into the system without clearly asking permission. This app helps Parallels read other file systems.

For Linux fans, the Parallels 6 update still enables proper graphics rendering, and the 6.0.1 update works with the latest Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat. Parallels is the only virtualisation software we've seen that can let Linux VMs display properly.

RECOMMENDED: Click here to fix Windows errors and improve PC performance

A large number of Mac users install Windows on Mac to run apps and games that are exclusively available for Windows. While it’s possible to install Windows on Mac using virtual software such as VirtualBox and Parallels Desktop, users who don’t like to compromise on performance prefer using the official Boot Camp assistant software to run Windows on Mac.

Users who have installed Windows on Mac using Boot Camp probably know that Boot Camp software lets you quickly reboot into Mac OS X from Windows. One can do a click or right-click on the Boot Camp icon running in the notification area of the taskbar and then click Restart in OS X option to restart the machine and boot into OS X.

This option works great even if you have set Macintosh or even Windows as default OS in the startup disk. However, Boot Camp doesn’t let you quickly reboot into Windows from Mac OS X. That is, if you want to reboot into Windows while using Mac OS X, you need to either open system preferences and select your Windows drive or manually restart, hold down the Alt (Option) key and then select Windows Boot Camp drive to start using Windows.

While it’s possible to set Windows as default OS in Boot Camp and boot into Windows without pressing the Alt (Option) key, users who use OS X as their primary operating system might not like the idea.

Users who often boot into Windows and looking for a better way to boot into Windows should try out a small program named BootChamp. BootChamp for Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later helps you quickly boot into Windows without having to manually restart and hold the Option(Alt) key.

Parallel Software For Mac

Once installed, BootChamp sits in the menu bar and provides an easy way to restart into Windows. The first time you use BootChamp to restart into Windows, you’ll be asked enter your admin password. After this, however, you don’ t need to type the password.

Parallels For Mac Without Reboot And Select

The only downside is that BootChamp doesn’t ask you confirm the action when you click Restart into Windows. That is, if you accidently click Restart into Windows option, BootChamp will boot take you into Windows.

Parallel For Mac

Please note that BootChamp doesn’t alter the settings of startup disk. Also note that with default settings, BootChamp launches at OS X startup and appears in the menu bar. If it’s not starting at startup, run the software, click on the Boot Champ icon in the menu bar, click Preferences, and then click Launch at startup.