Need to Run a Windows App Natively on My 2018 Mac Mini

[Sossity]

I have found myself in a bind, I need to run some windows only drafting 3D modeling software, called Lumion.

I discovered that it is not compatible with virtualization software like parallels desktop or VMware fusion.

My only options seem to be to buy a windows pc quickly, so I can complete my class for the semester that requires this software, or somehow get bootcamp running to run this app natively of which I am not familiar with at all, I have only used parallels desktop.

I did look at a video of on bootcamp, and it needs a windows ISO file to install.

I have a windows 10 pro ISO that I had used to install into parallels desktop.

Can I use this windows ISO that I installed into parallels into bootcamp when I attempt to set it up? I do have a product key for my windows 10. Or will I have to acquire another windows ISO?

My other option would be to get a windows PC box, but I need a fairly powerful one, and then I need to be able to use it with my Mac Studio display which has only thunderbolt and USB-C ports on it.

Right now, I am running a 2018 mac mini with Ventura, and 3.2 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7, Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB, and 64 GB of RAM with a 2TB SSD drive.

On the app website they have minimum, recommended, and ultra system requirements; https://lumion.com/product/system-requirements

Thanks for any suggestions on this.

 

[bogdanw]

You can download the latest Windows 10 ISO (2023 / 22H2) from Microsoft https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows10ISO

Get started with Boot Camp Assistant on Mac https://support.apple.com/guide/bootcamp-assistant/bcmp712cfeb8/mac

If you need an external USB drive to install Windows, you can create one with WinDiskWriter https://github.com/TechUnRestricted/windiskwriter
Thread started by the developer: "WinDiskWriter: the ultimate open source tool for creating Windows bootable USB drives on Mac" https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...g-windows-bootable-usb-drives-on-mac.2400850/

 

[Fishrrman]

Before you start messing with bootcamp, I suggest you download SuperDuper (which is free to use for the purpose below).

Then get an external drive (HDD or SSD) and create a BOOTABLE cloned backup of your OS install as it is now.

That way -- if something goes wrong -- you'll have a way to "get back, get back, get back to where you once belonged".

Otherwise, if something gets messed up with bootcamp... you could be in trouble.

 

[ducknalddon]

Can I use this windows ISO that I installed into parallels into bootcamp when I attempt to set it up? I do have a product key for my windows 10. Or will I have to acquire another windows ISO?

Yes. Run the Bootcamp app on your Mac and point it towards the .iso file to install. It's fairly straightforward.

 

[ipaqrat]

Does it have to be Lumion? Specific part of your project statement of work? In my experience, running Lumion on a 2019 MBP, native in boot camp, was not great. I remember having realism effects settings kinda low, which sorta defeated the point of using Lumion. I got better results feeding .DWGs to Blender, though I remember some shenanigans to get it working. That was back in 2020, and I haven't done any 3D CAD lately.

 

[Sossity]

Does it have to be Lumion? Specific part of your project statement of work? In my experience, running Lumion on a 2019 MBP, native in boot camp, was not great. I remember having realism effects settings kinda low, which sorta defeated the point of using Lumion. I got better results feeding .DWGs to Blender, though I remember some shenanigans to get it working. That was back in 2020, and I haven't done any 3D CAD lately.

Yes, it does, we are being made to us this app. Does it have a web version?

 

[ipaqrat]

I wasn't aware of a web-hosted version back in 2020. But that does bring to mind a virtual PC in AWS or Azure, but I don't guess that would be less expensive than buying a killer PC. The rate in AWS for a G-Series virtual machine might be around $2.00 per hour, and will run a Windows SERVER license, so a desktop activation code wouldn't' work.

There might be other cloud hosts the specialize in this kind of use case... "https://irendering.net/lumion-cloud-rendering-service/"

3D Rendering is one of the most resource-heavy tasks on any platform. There's no way out from under the performance:expense that will require.