Do we really have to deal with this software compatibility crap again?

[ArkSingularity]

Is QEMU not an option for this software you need? Can’t say I’m familiar with it as I haven’t installed it on my machine but I have seen people use it for Intel Windows emulation.

QEMU is great for testing things on different architectures, but it's not very good at emulating things at near-native levels of performance. It works by emulating an entirely different CPU architecture entirely in software real-time, which has a monumentally heavier overhead compared to Rosetta's ahead-of-time translation.

Technically, QEMU does accelerate this with some just-in-time compilation and other such optimizations, but it doesn't exactly get anywhere near shooting range of running on bare metal.

Ethernet is the way to go if your setup permits it. I will admit that wifi periodically drops, but not often which is why I have it plugged directly into my router. Sorry I don't have any numbers to measure network latency, but my experience has been pretty good with this setup.

Yea, I'm thinking the same. My wifi router is fairly fast, but I wouldn't want to saturate the connection trying to run a VNC/RDP for hours throughout the day.

 

[0339327]

I guess I didn't realize how much of a compatibility issue using an ARM M1 MAC would really be. When my Intel refurb Mac burned up 60 days in, I figured I should grab the most updated model of the Mac Studio. And that was a mistake, it appears.

So I ran into a couple of issues lately with some past Windows software that I wanted to use again. To be fair, I didn't think I'd want to use the software back when I bought this computer back earlier in the year. But, now I do. Anyway.

Is there any possible way to force these programs to run on Windows 11 in the Parallels software?

Or am I screwed?

It was a really great thing to have Intel Macs that could run any software imaginable. Sigh.

I went out and bought a PC for the few times I need Windows. The PC cost me $650 on Ebay and was barely used with a Core i7 10th Gen. Since then, I only need a few times per year.

 

[TurboCoder2022]

I hope you figure out a way to run your software @TurboCoder2022. ARM is one of the reasons Apple lost me as a customer with their laptops.

Were you able to get your money back for that dead refurb? It lasted only 60 days?

No. The refurb company would not cooperate with us when we wanted to remove our data first (if you look through my history on this forum you should find what happened to my refurb). They would only allow us to send it to them, nor would they allow us to observe them wiping the data. So, we didn't trust them with our data. So, we didn't move forward with the refund and ate the cost.

 

[v0lume4]

No. The refurb company would not cooperate with us when we wanted to remove our data first (if you look through my history on this forum you should find what happened to my refurb). They would only allow us to send it to them, nor would they allow us to observe them wiping the data. So, we didn't trust them with our data. So, we didn't move forward with the refund and ate the cost.

Ah, the company wasn’t Apple huh? This must have been one of the soldered SSD Macs? I don’t blame you. Sorry to hear it.

Of all the reasons I’ve scoffed at soldered SSD’s, I haven’t ever considered that — what happens with the computer dies but the data is still intact? Good to know.

 

[BrianBaughn]

Of all the reasons I’ve scoffed at soldered SSD’s, I haven’t ever considered that — what happens with the computer dies but the data is still intact? Good to know.

No biggie…if you have FileVault on.

 

[zenodux]

No biggie…if you have FileVault on.

And you have a recent backup (I prefer local backups) & sync via iCloud.

 

[BrianBaughn]

And you have a recent backup & sync via iCloud.

Why iCloud?

 

[zenodux]

Have you tried WINE / CrossOver? WINE (Wine Is Not an Emulator, https://www.winehq.org/) is an open source project that implements the Windows APIs on other platforms like Linux & Mac. CrossOver (https://www.codeweavers.com/crossover) is commercialized WINE with a nice installer & GUI interface. Both websites have databases where you can search for your software to see if it works. Also, you can try out CrossOver for free to see if your software works. WINE is free, of course.

What's happening under the hood is pretty cool, actually. CrossOver is an Intel Mac app, so it's being translated to ARM64 code by Rosetta 2 ahead of runtime; it's faster than most emulators. And because WINE/CrossOver is implementing the Windows APIs without the bloat of running a full Windows OS, it's quite fast. I've run Age of Empires II Definitive Edition with no noticeable lag at high resolution.

I recommend you give it a try. I defenestrated and have never looked back.

 

[zenodux]

Why iCloud?

Good point. It was the first service that came to mind. Also, I didn't mean using iCloud for backup as well, just sync. But that's what I wrote, lol. I prefer local backups.

 

[v0lume4]

No biggie…if you have FileVault on.

Noted!

 

[maxcor]

I guess I didn't realize how much of a compatibility issue using an ARM M1 MAC would really be. When my Intel refurb Mac burned up 60 days in, I figured I should grab the most updated model of the Mac Studio. And that was a mistake, it appears.

So I ran into a couple of issues lately with some past Windows software that I wanted to use again. To be fair, I didn't think I'd want to use the software back when I bought this computer back earlier in the year. But, now I do. Anyway.

Is there any possible way to force these programs to run on Windows 11 in the Parallels software?

Or am I screwed?

It was a really great thing to have Intel Macs that could run any software imaginable. Sigh.

This is really a Windows ARM compatibility limitation. Microsoft have not develop a Rosseta Like real time code translator for their own OS like apple does in macOS that can run x86 software in arm processors. Off course is because they don’t need to care about it, windows machines still runs almost completely in x86 processors and the only reason the ARM Windows version exist is because A deal with Qualcomm. So yes, better buy a pc for that because this is not in apple hands.

 

[ArkSingularity]

Have you tried WINE / CrossOver? WINE (Wine Is Not an Emulator, https://www.winehq.org/) is an open source project that implements the Windows APIs on other platforms like Linux & Mac. CrossOver (https://www.codeweavers.com/crossover) is commercialized WINE with a nice installer & GUI interface. Both websites have databases where you can search for your software to see if it works. Also, you can try out CrossOver for free to see if your software works. WINE is free, of course.

What's happening under the hood is pretty cool, actually. CrossOver is an Intel Mac app, so it's being translated to ARM64 code by Rosetta 2 ahead of runtime; it's faster than most emulators. And because WINE/CrossOver is implementing the Windows APIs without the bloat of running a full Windows OS, it's quite fast. I've run Age of Empires II Definitive Edition with no noticeable lag at high resolution.

I recommend you give it a try. I defenestrated and have never looked back.

Wine is great. And it's blisteringly fast too, there isn't really much of a performance penalty for using it because it's technically not really emulating anything. It's quite literally just a re-implementation of the Windows APIs so that applications have a familiar "windows environment" to run in when they are launched.

I'm quite impressed they pulled it off to the degree that they have. It's still not perfect, but it's come a long way from where it used to be.

 

[mrmister]

The iMac “burned up” in sixty days? What?

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

Lotto Pro and Launch Box.

You’re disappointed cause the new Macs won’t run these two borderline freemium programs?

That’s like being upset your new car doesn’t run on leaded gasoline or doesn’t have a carburetor. Get with the times my guy.

 

[Shirasaki]

I just didn't realize that they decided to go back to the major major drawback of the Mac that they had before in software incompatibility.

They never bother about software compatibility, until dev community as a whole force their hands. First instance in my mind would be Apple II. Nowadays, Apple’s software compatibility policy heavily favor cutting edge technology and they will kill off old stuff asap whenever they see fit, disregarding what’s actually happening in other industries. There’s a reason engineering in general (with exceptions) don’t care about Mac as a whole.

Heck, if not because of the need to offer longer term software support for older devices and win PR vs Android, iOS would have a ridiculously short supported device list, spanning between the latest and the immediate last generation of them.

 

[SilvioInfante]

I just didn't realize that they decided to go back to the major major drawback of the Mac that they had before in software incompatibility.

What you don't realize (apparently) is that it isn't a "major drawback" for most people actually using these products professionally.

 

[TurboCoder2022]

The iMac “burned up” in sixty days? What?

Yeah. Check my post history for the full story.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

To anyone wanting "full Windows" compatibility that we USED to enjoy with Bootcamp on Intel Macs (a very, VERY great feature that was lost in the Silicon switch), the very best option is to return to "old fashioned" Bootcamp in the form of a separate PC.

I too purchased Mac Studio for Mac stuff, but also having a need/desire to run some Windows apps, I picked up a Mac Mini-like PC too (my first PC purchase for myself in about 20 years).

For monitor, instead of going with ONE choice from Apple with ONE input, I went third party 5K2K from Dell (a 40" Ultra-wide) with 4 inputs. It costs about the same as ASD with a stand option... but delivers much more screen RE and much more use flexibility and a good mix of connections in a built-in hub. To my perfect 20:20 eyes, it looks as good as the iMac screen it replaced... EXCEPT now there is much more screen R.E.

Mac hooks into one input. Pc into another. And 2 are still free for anything else I might want to attach. The Ultra-wide can split screen so I can have half of the screen for Mac and the other for PC when I want to use both at the same time... OR I can give each the entire 40" screen and just push a button to flip from input Mac to input Windows and back again. The built-in hub can make one keyboard and mouse work with BOTH systems.

IMO, this is THE (best) way for anyone needing dependable (full) Windows vs. hoping Windows for ARM can scratch all such itches. Unlike Apple, PC and PC hardware upgrades have tremendous competition so a partial budget for a good Mac will buy a LOT of PC. The simply ability to "show around" again is missed... and it's thoroughly shocking how much less expensive RAM and SSD upgrades are vs. Apple pricing.

Now that I have both, I find that apps that still haven't gone Silicon have Windows versions and I just install the Windows versions and use them on the PC. It works fine. No Nuclear reactor required to power it. No fans sounding like jet engines. No third degree burns if I touch it. My electric bill is not bigger than the mortgage (as it wasn't when all Macs were Intel based). Etc.

I can fully depend on apps made for Windows will run correctly on a real PC... vs. hoping ARM Windows emulation will do the same. And no annual Parallels "subscription" fee.

 

[SilvioInfante]

To anyone wanting "full Windows" compatibility that we USED to enjoy with Bootcamp on Intel Macs (a very, VERY great feature that was lost in the Silicon switch), the very best option is to return to "old fashioned" Bootcamp in the form of a separate PC.

The very best option is just get a windows PC for those needs and be done with it. We're all doing the same thing. We're doing the actual work on a Mac, but we need to test things on Windows. Well nothing better than a real PC for that.

Just do what I do: get yourself a quality gaming PC that you can actually enjoy from time to time, and use that to run your Windows tests or whatever it is you're doing over there.

 

[TurboCoder2022]

The very best option is just get a windows PC for those needs and be done with it. We're all doing the same thing. We're doing the actual work on a Mac, but we need to test things on Windows. Well nothing better than a real PC for that.

Just do what I do: get yourself a quality gaming PC that you can actually enjoy from time to time, and use that to run your Windows tests or whatever it is you're doing over there.

Not all of us can financially get a new computer every month. But, in a year after I pay off my Mac Studio, definitely.

 

[ArkSingularity]

Not all of us can financially get a new computer every month. But, in a year after I pay off my Mac Studio, definitely.

Refurbished thinkpads. You'd be surprised how cheap you can get them (despite being quite expensive new). Corporations buy them in bulk and dump them every few years, so relatively recent ones end up entering the market fairly frequently in massive numbers.

 

[Darren.h]

Might be better and also kinda fun to build a separate pc for your windows needs?

you dont have to buy an expensive Intel Rapture 13th Gen chip.

You can choose to build a 13th Gen Intel i5, i3 or i7 system.

It's fun to build your own system and tweak it to your needs.

Thats what I did.

You can go as small as mini ATX case or full Tower.

 

[theorist9]

I just didn't realize that they decided to go back to the major major drawback of the Mac that they had before in software incompatibility.

Actually, they didn't. The software situation now is nothing like it was during the PPC days. Now the Mac's market share is so large that most major apps are available for both Apple Silicon/MacOS and Windows.

There are certainly exceptions (such as what you've run into), and broad areas that are relatively limited on the Mac (games) or closed to Macs entirely (CUDA). But then again, the CUDA barrier was there even with Intel Macs after they dropped NVIDIA. But, notably, just as there are Windows programs that won't run on the Mac, there are also Mac programs that won't run on Windows—and for which there are no adequate Windows equivalents.

For instance, Windows has no good clipboard managers (I tried to help some PC-using colleagues find some, to no avail), and has nothing equivalent to KeyBoard Maestro for easily stringing together keyboard commands to create shortcuts (AutoHotKey is *not* user-friendly).

Thus in many ways Macs and PCs are coming closer to parity in their software limitations.

 

[vigilant]

Because I was an idiot and didn't research enough before I purchased. And I thought it wouldn't be a big deal.

I also wanted a higher quality display.

Everything I’ve thrown at Parallels on ARM has run great for me. I’m not arrogant enough to believe that it’s perfect, but it works.

I’ve had a couple of Windows tablets and my MBP runs Windows better than Microsoft’s own hardware using ARM.

The problem isn’t the Mac, it’s Microsoft.

 

[Boil]

Not all of us can financially get a new computer every month.

None of us have the slightest need to get a new computer every month...