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artifex

macrumors 6502
Nov 1, 2003
453
83
OK, official word from Parallels: everyone who ordered after May 1st will be receiving an e-mail in the next few days with their FREE upgrade information.

Whew!

Does that include people who actually bought a box from a retailer?
 

qrayg

macrumors member
Feb 19, 2007
50
7
Earth
It weirdly STILL doesn't have Ubuntu 7.04 under "Supported OSs"

Argh! I got ANOTHER free key, and it didn't work...WTF?

I've tried 3 keys that they've sent me and I get the same error. I'm way too pissed off to give this app any more time. It's BootCamp for me from now on.
 

kepardue

macrumors 6502
Oct 28, 2006
354
7
Got the upgrade, and I'm installing Microsoft Flight Sim 2004 right now (Original Core Duo 2.0Ghz iMac), just to kick the tires. I'm not really expecting much, but the curiousity is killing me. If this works, I *may* be brave enough to try the Flight Sim X demo.

I'll let you all know how the performance is.
 

72930

Retired
May 16, 2006
9,060
4
Got the upgrade, and I'm installing Microsoft Flight Sim 2004 right now (Original Core Duo 2.0Ghz iMac), just to kick the tires. I'm not really expecting much, but the curiousity is killing me. If this works, I *may* be brave enough to try the Flight Sim X demo.

I'll let you all know how the performance is.

Don't forget to post specs with that (and how much RAM you give) :)
 

RojoLeo

macrumors 6502
Mar 11, 2007
380
26
Austin, TX
Does that include people who actually bought a box from a retailer?

Yes, and no. If you call their line, there's a voice recording that gives you a website to go to if you bought it in stores. Yes, you get a free upgrade, but you have to go there first.
 

artifex

macrumors 6502
Nov 1, 2003
453
83
Yes, and no. If you call their line, there's a voice recording that gives you a website to go to if you bought it in stores. Yes, you get a free upgrade, but you have to go there first.

Which number? The website shows 2 area code 425 numbers, and no 800 numbers. :(
 

thunderclap

macrumors 6502a
Nov 8, 2003
641
1
1) 64-bit support. Windows just runs much faster in 64-bit mode. This has nothing to do with 64-bitness itself, but because of the extra registers and other improvements in the x64 arch. I was hoping Parallels was going to have this in 3.0, the said it was planed for 3.0 in the past.

It was my understanding that the Intel Mac's only supported 32-bit Windows. The reason I ask is because I just order Windows Vista (32-bit) for my new Mac Pro and, if I will achieve better performance with the 64-bit version, I may exchange it. (I will primarily be using Vista for games.)

Thoughts?
 

DrEwe

macrumors member
Oct 12, 2004
37
0
Seattle
I suspect they're trying to make as much cash as they can right now... just in case Apple announces that a 'secret feature' of Leopard is built-in Parallels-like integration with Windows.

Just what I was thinking!:)
 

psingh01

macrumors 68000
Apr 19, 2004
1,586
629
didn't expect this out so soon. while i am a happy customer of parallels (pre-3.0), there was no way I was going to rush to pay their "discounted" price for something with barely any information! no trial, no benchmarks. what version of directx? just a "3d acceleration" claim. the official blog seemed to avoid answering any questions. I would much rather pay the $49.99 after i know what it does and how good it does it. until then i will not upgrade.


to the user on the first page asking how the upgrade process normally goes, I bought an older version at a retail store, the upgraded by downloading the newer version from the parallels website. it basically was the whole program and replaced the existing parallels install, just used the existing key.
 

DaBrain

macrumors 65816
Feb 28, 2007
1,124
1
ERIE, PA
My upgrade key worked grand :)

Installing ubuntu to see how good Linux Tools are.

My key they emailed me after upgrading worked flawlessly! Just got done playing a game that requires Direct X and it ran just as nice as on my PeeCeee I use to use before I got my iMac a year ago!

So far a great experiance with Parallels here! :)

Well time to eat a wee bit of crow here--))) After having this upgrade one day now, I have found most of my 3-D games several years old) that required only Direct X 7 will not run. I get a Direct Draw error. Not so pleased now! Live and Learn!

On Paralles forum their appears to be many many issues ppl are having with a LOT of games! Bummer!
 

topgunn

macrumors 68000
Nov 5, 2004
1,557
2,062
Houston
It was my understanding that the Intel Mac's only supported 32-bit Windows. The reason I ask is because I just order Windows Vista (32-bit) for my new Mac Pro and, if I will achieve better performance with the 64-bit version, I may exchange it. (I will primarily be using Vista for games.)

Thoughts?
32-bit for games is much faster than 64-bit.
 

DaBrain

macrumors 65816
Feb 28, 2007
1,124
1
ERIE, PA
I've tried HL2:EP1, and GTA:SA....but neither will launch.

Now, I haven't really given either game very much time to try and launch, and I'm on my way out the door...so I'll try again later tonight...

Just a side note on Direct X. I had to go into the VM pref's for XP and place a check in a box telling it to use Direct X. By default it is not checked. Hope this helps some gamers out there! :D
 

DaBrain

macrumors 65816
Feb 28, 2007
1,124
1
ERIE, PA
Just downloaded and installed 3.0, entered the upgrade serial number with no problem, tried to enter my original serial number and get the message "Invalid Activation Key"

So I'm stuck now with no way to get Parallels running, brilliant :(

Anyone got any ideas?

Not sure why you would enter the original serial code key after you already put in the upgrade key?

Just trying to be helpful:

So on page 29 of their users guide it states that IF you have already activated Parallels, the all one needs to do is put in your new upgrade activation code which one gets in your email from element 5 after you purchase the upgrade.

You also have to put your purchase name in. Id' say make sure you use the same name from when you made your original purchase.

I did this and all went well.

Hope this is helpfull to some!
 

SiliconAddict

macrumors 603
Jun 19, 2003
5,889
0
Chicago, IL
Parallels is hardly expensive is it? full retail is well under $100 and the recent upgrade is a give-away price. I'm anticipating the VMWare solution to be a lot more expensive.

I expect you don't have much in the way of Adobe, Microsoft or (non-i) Apple software on your Mac then?


I think you need to keep some things in perspective. First and foremost virtulization in general is nothing new. Its been going on for a heck of a long time. the only. ONLY reason Parallels gets away with their "cheap" price of $80 for something that is free from WM is because they are the only game in town. . .for now. Their software isn't anything revolutionary. Its simply the first in class on the Mac. That sure as hell doesn't warrant a price premium. They simply got there first. Heck look at Parallels own site. Parallels for PC: $50. Parallels for Mac: $80. Why do you think that is?

Second just because Microsoft, Adobe, and Apple have premium products doesn't give license to everyone who develops on the Mac to make their prices outrageous. Heck all three of those companies offers an upgrade path to existing users. Parallels? Nope. Sorry we don't give a rats rear about our existing customers. Buy it or don't. We don't care. In my case I won't. I'm going to hold out until VMWare releases Fusion. I originally was hoping to wait for them however Parallels was calling. Now? Screw em. I'm going to wait until VM releases then I can use images on both my Mac and PC that I can store on a thumbdrive. Oh and the PC software is free anyways.

EDIT: OK it does appear there is an upgrade path for Parallels to the latest version. Its in an odd location. Instead of having it under the buy online. Its under the product description, the under the buy it now. They should have it under both and under the buy it now on the front page but that's neither here nor there on the subject of price. $50 is definitely a reasonable upgrade. My bad.
 

diamond3

macrumors 6502a
Oct 6, 2005
883
375
I've tried 3 keys that they've sent me and I get the same error. I'm way too pissed off to give this app any more time. It's BootCamp for me from now on.


So thats all it takes to give up on a program that you bought. You entered in 3 keys that happen not to work and you're done? You either didn't need the program in the first place or you are easily frustrated.
 

p1ayer2

macrumors newbie
Jun 4, 2007
6
0
Gaming on a VM?

Can someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I was told not to bother with Parallels for serious gaming because it can't use my machines entire capacity like boot camp can.

Newer games like Supreme Commander for example are hungry for all the GPU and CPU they can get. I just don't think that first person shooters would run with enough frames per second to make it worthwhile while even recent real time strategy games would probably have to be so dumbed down it wouldn't be worth playing them.

Maybe Parallels would be good for Tetris or something but that's not what I'm into.

************
MBP 2.4, 2GB Ram, 160 7200 HD
 

kepardue

macrumors 6502
Oct 28, 2006
354
7
Don't forget to post specs with that (and how much RAM you give) :)

1.5GB 667MHz RAM. So far no go with FS2004. It reports that my graphics driver is incapable of supporting the 3D features. I found the "Enable Direct X Suppport" button in the VM settings. Flight Sim booted and the sound worked, but all that I could see on the screen was a black screen.

Going to try installing FS X demo before reinstalling FS2004, this time with DirectX enabled from the get go.

Edit: 256MB RAM at the moment. If nothing works I'll bump it up a bit higher.
 

cpnorris

macrumors newbie
Jun 6, 2007
16
0
Denver, CO
I have seen a few people say that they use both Parallels and Bootcamp, how does that work and why would you need to use both?
 

netnothing

macrumors 68040
Mar 13, 2007
3,820
422
NH
I have seen a few people say that they use both Parallels and Bootcamp, how does that work and why would you need to use both?

If Parallels or VMware can use your bootcamp installation, then it treats it as one Windows install. No need to have multiple valid copies to have to activate.

-Kevin
 

meagain

macrumors 68030
Nov 18, 2006
2,570
26
I'm loading xp now. What bothers me is the option in set up to allocate more to windows or more to Mac. The recommended is to allocate more to windows. I guess I wish there were more options. I fear slowing up the Mac side. I assume there is an easy way to tweek the allocation after it's all installed?
Anyone know? Thx.
 
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