Installing New Windows Programs in Fusion/Boot Camp

[ktbills]

This is a simple question, but I would appreciate your advice. I have a MacBook with Boot Camp and Fusion running from the Bootcamp partition. Now I want to install a new windows program. Am I better off installing in Bootcamp, or in Fusion, or does it not matter? Thanks.

 

[steveza]

Doesn't make any difference really. If it is a resource-hungry app that you would normally use boot camp for then you should install it there.

 

[r.j.s]

Doesn't matter, unless the Fusion machine doesn't meet the min requirements to run the program.

 

[ktbills]

Thanks. I should have explained that I would like the program to be available in both Bootcamp and Fusion. If I install in Bootcamp, it would be available to Fusion when running the Bootcamp partition, correct, or would I have to also install in Fusion?

There is a reason for my confusion, by the way, if you are interested. I am running AVG Free as an antivirus program in Bootcamp and Fusion (running from the Bootcamp partition), and I find that AVG cannot update itself or its virus definitions when I am in Bootcamp (it tries on startup but ends with an error message), but in Fusion it updates fine. That had me wondering if Fusion was responsible (somehow restricting the changes that could be made in Bootcamp even when Fusion was not running) and caused me to wonder if there were advantages or disadvantages to installing new programs (that I want to access in both environments) in one or the other.

 

[steveza]

That's an interesting point. I don't use AV on my Windows machines so I haven't seen this issue.

 

[r.j.s]

There are no cross-restrictions that I am aware of. Is your networking set up in BC? I only ask because that is the only reason I can think of AVG not updating.

Yes, they will be available to both. If you want to be safe, just install it from BC.

 

[ktbills]

Thanks!

I really appreciate the assistance and advice. I am not too worried about the AVG issue, its just a curiosity to me. But yes, networking is activated and works from the Bootcamp partition for everything else. Thanks again.

 

[Mark16q]

I really appreciate the assistance and advice. I am not too worried about the AVG issue, its just a curiosity to me. But yes, networking is activated and works from the Bootcamp partition for everything else. Thanks again.

Just tried to update AVG in Bootcamp and it wouldn't connect as the OP mentions above, but it did work thru VMWare. Everything else I've tried thru bootcamp works as it should.

Another VMWare v. bootcamp difference I've run into is that Laplink won't work thru VMWare. when I try to connect to others on my network, they don't show up. Laplink works perfectly in bootcamp. any ideas why this wouldn't work in Fusion?

Thanks,

Mark