Vm Ware Fusion using Boot Camp Installation???

[Scottsdale]

Hey all.

I run Windows in Boot Camp and love it, because I only use Windows a couple of days per month (two at most)... However, with the $40 VM Ware offer and the $30 rebate for competitor products (I have a 3.0 Parallels that I do not use). I am wondering if would be worth it to give VM Ware Fusion a try for this $10 special today only.

Here is my question.

Is there any way I can already use my Vista version that is in Boot Camp in Fusion without reinstalling.... Or, can I at least use same partition and share the files? Just wondering if I have any options or if I do have to share yet more space for Vista... It would save a ton of space to just run it via Fusion or Boot Camp with one installation.

Maybe that is not doable, I don't know which is why I am asking here. LOL

Thanks for any assistance.

 

[kalex]

yes u can use bootcamp partition with vmware. install fusion and launch it. It will detect bootcamp and ask you if you want to use. upon first start it will create config of your bootcamp and start it. after that it should start auto isntall of vmware tools. if not you have to manually do it. Vmware tools installs vmware drivers needed by windows. After everything is done you will be able to use either bootcamp or fusion and run same version of windows.

 

[BrooklynAMN]

VMware fusion will recognize an existing boot camp partition and you can run it. I just did this with windows xp on my macbook.

Performance, however, is not good this way but there is a fix. I suggest using fusion to image the existing boot camp partition and run windows as a true virtual machine. Performance still isn't as good as running windows natively with boot camp, but it was much better than running boot camp through fusion.

You may have to get on the phone with microsoft to straighten out the license keys, but after talking with a robot you'll be all set to have windows as both a physical and virtual machine.

Alternatively, you can eliminate the boot camp partition all together to free up some space. I wouldn't do this if you run more demanding programs in windows as you may prefer to continue to run those natively in boot camp.