Parallels Transporter & Bootcamp

[capoditutti]

Hi ho!

I've got XP on my mac via Bootcamp, and i've managed to run the Xp installation via Parallels with no problems..

I'm now upgrading machine to a 2.33@15.4, and i was wondering if i can use Transporter to 'package' my XP installation and thereby making it a Parallels Virtual Machine, so when i move my stuff across to my new machine i dont have to install bootcamp again - make sense? Does it work?

Edit - Simply put, can Parallels create an OSX-based Virtual Disk from my Bootcamp Installation, so i dont have to use Bootcamp anymore?

 

[jdechko]

As far as I know, yes, Parallels transporter will be able to make a Parallels Virtual Disk from your current bootcamp partition (or any XP installation), which will be usable in Parallels.

I think, though, that you have to have both machines connected (ethernet, perhaps) to use Transporter, and since you're upgrading, I assume you'll have two computers, so that won't really be a problem, will it.

Here's the Parallels page that tells you the process.
http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/transporter/

EDIT: For future reference, though, the question that you're asking is a little confusing, as with the later versions of parallels, you're able to take an existing bootcamp partition and use it as your virtual disk for parallels, so that changes in bootcamp are reflected in parallels and vice-versa (ie: all programs, documents, etc are available in both - and it doesn't take up 2x the space).

 

[capoditutti]

Thanks for that - i'll take a look and see what they say.. I WAS going to go with this option, but now i've stumbled across another problem in Parallels - the USB support that i need is not really there.. I may set up another bootcamp partition but keep the old virtual machine on the OSX side until thats sorted, then merge important bits aka My documents, and trash the Bootcamp side. I'm just trying to keep Mac-switching to the simple firewire-cable-based-transfer-service, rather than go thru XP install every time....

 

[user13]

Doesn't Parallels have full USB 2.0 support already? As far as I know(and this was mentioned on their official site), this feature has been already introduced in one of their RCs or even earlier. I haven't had any problems with USB devices so far

 

[capoditutti]

I gave up on trying to connect a USB hdd via parallels, because it kept getting recognised by OSX - when i ejected it in OSX i was able to use the little USB icon (bottom right of a windowed screen) to connect it to windows, but as soon as that happened OSX picked up on it again, and windows couldn't use it - any solutions out there for this?