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This is a problem I encountered some time ago, when I was running Boot Camp v3.1 on my MacBook Pro.  Since then I upgraded to v3.2.  I know there’s a v3.3 around but before upgrading I thought it worthwhile to see whether v3.2 had fixed that problem (especially since I couldn’t rule out the possibility of v3.3 reintroducing it).   Only one thing to do: prevaricate test.

• Copy file from GRaid Mini (GRm) to Desktop:
  • 2GB fine
  • 12GB appears ok initially but then fails (to zero b/s transfer rate, then the Grm device “no longer exists”, at least until reboot)
• Reverse: 2GB fails (same way) almost immediately.

OK not good thus far…

Next tried an alternative approach: run W7 as a Virtual Machine on Mac Os via Parallel.  I have Parallels v6.  Forum search revealed that there is no FW support in either v6 or v7, though the developers seem interested in knowing why people want it.

• 2GB GRm to W7 Desktop: ok
• The reverse: ok.

Had to stop there due to other work - and a very full W7 disk.

The next workaround to consider is attaching a NAS.  Ethernet bandwidths can be 1Gbps, hence more than FW800’s 0.8 Gbps, though I wonder if there could be any issues of lag / latency in this approach.  I’ll do some research and put up another post about this idea.

One thing that might help when in W7, re-building the set of apps previously installed under XP, would be to migrate the whole XP instance to a virtual machine elsewhere, in practice my MacBook Pro, which has Parallels 6 under Mac OS.

Then, while installing apps to the new W7 instance, can do a side-by-side comparison with the virtual XP instance.  The only unknown is the Microsoft activation/licensing issue - could it “clog the gears” of this proposed process?  Presumably I need to transfer the activation(s) to the XP virtual machine.  But could the W7 Upgrade process itself absorb the XP activation, crippling the XP virtual machine?

Only one way to find out, and that time is not now…

Here are the steps that worked for me:

• First, boot from Windows 7 installation (DVD).
  • On a MacBook Pro (with BootCamp), power-on with Alt/Option key held down.
    • Initially, only the standard Mac and Windows options appear, but wait a few more seconds and then additional options appear for Windows and EFS methods of booting from the DVD.
    • I selected the Windows option (guesswork).
• Select the System Recovery option http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/668-system-recovery-options.html
• Select the STartup Repair option http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

As it happened, this whole process was a distraction.  I was trying to get a BootCamp-W7 Virtual Machine (VM) in Parallels working - it would boot OK in BootCamp but not Parallels.  It was a matter of identifying the problem by excluding other possibilities, as much as hoping for this to be the fix.   However I record the process I went through, here, for posterity.

• Google: [parallels clone vm “boot camp”]
  • http://forum.parallels.com/thread3261.html

Article about migrating an existing Boot Camp windows system to Parallels.  I’m guessing the method could equally be applied to manually migrating any windows installation (e.g. from another machine), as an alternative to the mainstream method.

• http://forum.parallels.com/thread3261.html

Some background knowledge available here (from around 2007?):

• http://www.askdavetaylor.com/use_winxp_boot_camp_partition_in_parallels.html

Need to establish a better home network, e.g. so Parallels on my Mac can see my Windows laptop, so it can suck the XP out of it.  Also want shared printer etc. (I have a node for that).   Just a question of setting it all up…

I want to transport everything off an existing PC into a Parallels VM (on a Mac).  I want to confirm it is possible and find out how to do it.  So, after a bit of googling:

• Yes it is possible.
• The source machine (the Windows PC in this case) needs to be running the Parallels Transporter Agent
•  The Transporter Agent may be obtained from http://www.parallels.com/uk/download/desktop
• Here’s a problem someone experienced when installing it to Windows 7 (though my main source PC is running XP):
  • http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=97119
• Here’s someone who is attempting to do the same thing I wish to do, but stumbled:
  • http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=97777
  • (no answer to his question so far)
• x

Regarding Time Machine and Virtual Machines of Parallels, ensure these VMs are excluded from Time Machine’s source volumes.   That can be done in the Config dialogs of the VMs themselves.

I was getting a problem where Boot Camp Windows 7,  accessed as a virtual machine under Parallels, failed to recognize that Parallels Internet Security (Kapersky 2009) was fully running.  It was unable to see that the Kapersky Firewall was running and only had limited visibility of the Kapersky AntiVirus.Some advice from a Parallels official was found in the article at the following link:http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=95997&highlight=securityIn that article it was advised to follow the steps below:

1. In Virtual Machine uninstall Parallels Internet Security
   • from Add/Remove Program.
2. Select Uninstall, Complete Uninstall.
3. Reboot guest OS.
4. In Virtual Machine uninstall Parallels Tools
   • from Add/Remove Program.
5. Select Uninstall, Complete Uninstall.
6. Reboot guest OS.
7. Install Parallels Tools
   • from Parallels Desktop Menu - Virtual Machine -> Install Parallels Tools.
8. Install Parallels Internet Security
   • from Parallels Desktop Menu - Virtual Machine -> Install Parallels Internet Security.
9. Reboot guest OS.

However when I followed this exactly it resulted in no difference.