I already own Windows XP Professional; Do I need to buy a new version?

[gogirl]

I'm hoping someone can give me some advice about installing Windows XP Professional on a Mac Book Pro.

I'm getting ready to make the switch from XP to Mac. I have two applications that I absolutely need on the Mac that are Windows only. (Both help me control my diabetes.) Since I already own Windows XP Professional and have the product key, can I reinstall it on the Mac Book Pro (after installing Parallel or Fusion of course)? Has anyone done this? I cannot find the cd, unfortunately, but as I noted, I do have the product key.

Thanks!

 

[Tallest Skil]

It is against Microsoft's EULA to have it on both machines at once, but yes, you can just use the copy that you have if you don't use it on your old machine afterwards.

EULAs are not very enforceable, though.

 

[CWallace]

The only possible hang-up is it won't activate since the hardware configuration has changed, but evidently Microsoft's phone activation group is pretty liberal about issuing new activation codes.

If you intend to use Boot Camp and Parallels/Fusion, do not activate XP until you have it configured in both systems. If you activate it in Boot Camp and then run Parallels (at least), it breaks the activation and then you (usually) need to call Microsoft to get a new activation.

 

[MacDawg]

With Fusion, you activate in BootCamp and then run the Tools in Fusion

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[Hmac]

I'm hoping someone can give me some advice about installing Windows XP Professional on a Mac Book Pro.

I'm getting ready to make the switch from XP to Mac. I have two applications that I absolutely need on the Mac that are Windows only. (Both help me control my diabetes.) Since I already own Windows XP Professional and have the product key, can I reinstall it on the Mac Book Pro (after installing Parallel or Fusion of course)? Has anyone done this? I cannot find the cd, unfortunately, but as I noted, I do have the product key.

Thanks!

Yikes! Control of your diabetes is dependent on Windows XP?

 

[gogirl]

Yikes! Control of your diabetes is dependent on Windows XP?

Yes and no. The two programs that are Windows-only are one called Calorie King which contains a database of foods including the carbohydrate count for lots of restaurant offerings. That's available only for the Palm OS. Calorie King does offer a verison of their software but it's computer-based, which doesn't help me much when I'm at PF Chang or El Pollo Loco or In 'n' Out. I need the program on a handheld device and the only one it's available on is a Palm.

The other program downloads the readings from my glucose meter. The meter is a Lifescan product called One Touch (there are lots of different versions) and it too is a Windows-only product. The website specifically states that Lifescan (a Johhson & Johnson co., I believe) has no plan of releasing a Mac version.

So there you have it. I need the carb totals to put into my insulin pump and I need the meter software so I can adjust the settings of my pump. I could do all this the old-fashioned way, without the software, but controlling my diabetes would be a more difficult. It's easier just to get the bloody Windows XP software onto the Mac Book Pro.

(I hope the software developers are reading this.)

Thanks!

Gogirl

 

[Siron]

can I reinstall it on the Mac Book Pro (after installing Parallel or Fusion of course)? Has anyone done this? I cannot find the cd, unfortunately, but as I noted, I do have the product key.
Thanks!

Gogirl
Several things.

1. You need to install XP with Boot Camp Assistant first - then install Parallels or Fusion. Either program will detect your BC XP install and use it.
2. If you don't have the disc how do you intend to install XP? If you can't find it you can buy an OEM copy online for about $125 (or I have a copy of Vista Business that has never been installed that I can sell to you - PM me).
3. You can use your copy of XP (assuming you can find the disc) to install on your Mac as long as you unistall the copy on your PC (which pretty much makes it useless to anyone).

Good luck.

 

[gogirl]

Gogirl
Several things.

1. You need to install XP with Boot Camp Assistant first - then install Parallels or Fusion. Either program will detect your BC XP install and use it.
2. If you don't have the disc how do you intend to install XP? If you can't find it you can buy an OEM copy online for about $125 (or I have a copy of Vista Business that has never been installed that I can sell to you - PM me).
3. You can use your copy of XP (assuming you can find the disc) to install on your Mac as long as you unistall the copy on your PC (which pretty much makes it useless to anyone).

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice. I went ahead and bought a new copy of XP because it seemed easier than hassling with Microsoft and besides, as a historian I'm not all that technologically adept. All the downloading, which was how I was going to reinstall my copy of XP, sounded like there was a possibility that something could go amiss--especially since my wireless connection is iffy at times.

However, your advice about installing XP first is contrary to what I was told at the Apple store. They said to install Parallels first because it would help me partition the hard drive. Then I'm to install XP on the smaller of the the two sections of the drive (smaller since the programs I need don't use that much space.) But maybe it's Bootcamp that helps me partition the drive?

Anybody have any advice about this issue?

Thanks to all,

Gogirl

 

[Hmac]

Gogirl
Several things.

1. You need to install XP with Boot Camp Assistant first - then install Parallels or Fusion. Either program will detect your BC XP install and use it.
   
   
   Good luck.

1. 
   
   That's incorrect. Boot Camp has nothing to do with Parallels or Fusion. You CAN run the same XP license under both Parallels/Fusion AND Boot Camp, but you certainly don't have to.

 

[Hmac]

However, your advice about installing XP first is contrary to what I was told at the Apple store. They said to install Parallels first because it would help me partition the hard drive. Then I'm to install XP on the smaller of the the two sections of the drive (smaller since the programs I need don't use that much space.) But maybe it's Bootcamp that helps me partition the drive?

Anybody have any advice about this issue?

Thanks to all,

Gogirl

Just install and run Parallels - it will prompt you on the XP install. After you install XP and have it up and running, don't forget to download the XP updates.

The only reason to screw around with Boot Camp is if you need something like DirectX, that cant's be emulated well in Parallels. From your description of your needs, I suspect Parallels will work fine for you.