Vmware Fusion in BootCamp?

[hNicolas]

I recently installed VMware and Windows 7 on my iMac, all is running well but I have read some threads that some users are running Fusion in a BootCamp partition. Is there an advantage to having a BootCamp partition, and is it recommended?

Thanks for any help.

 

[r.j.s]

By pointing Fusion to the Boot Camp partition, it allows you to use the previously installed copy of windows as a virtual machine. It also allows you to go into windows without having to restart for those quick things, but still maintain Boot Camp for intensive things like games.

In your case, you'd have to delete the VM you made, and install Win7 using Boot Camp. Once the install is finished, open Fusion and it should list the Boot Camp Partition.

Like this:

 

[hNicolas]

So Fusion doesn't have to be installed in the BootCamp partition? It will run alongside and I wouldn't have to reboot to use Windows that's in BootCamp?

 

[r.j.s]

So Fusion doesn't have to be installed in the BootCamp partition? It will run alongside and I wouldn't have to reboot to use Windows that's in BootCamp?

Correct. Fusion is a Mac app, not windows, so you couldn't install it anyway.

Performance wouldn't be as good, but it never is for virtualization.

 

[acurafan]

you can't run VM Fusion in a Windows environment anyway (not supported), it's made for Mac.

if you load the bootcamp partition with Fusion you will not be able to take advantage of advanced VM features, i.e: suspend OS, snapshots, etc. and you will not be able to take advantage of windows aero due to vm implementation with gfx hardware.

the advantage is you can quick load a bootcamp OS, and be able to cross access files/folders within mac os b/c of the vmware tools sharing on the guest os.

 

[hNicolas]

OK, so I reinstall windows in BootCamp, and I can reboot to use windows in BootCamp for optimal performance. If I want quick access to windows, I run windows through Fusion via Bootcamp. Is this right?

Another question, with the above scenario, for installing windows software, updates, and maintenance, should it be done only when running in BootCamp start-up, or would it not make a difference either way?

 

[r.j.s]

OK, so I reinstall windows in BootCamp, and I can reboot to use windows in BootCamp for optimal performance. If I want quick access to windows, I run windows through Fusion via Bootcamp. Is this right?

Yes, that is correct.

Another question, with the above scenario, for installing windows software, updates, and maintenance, should it be done only when running in BootCamp start-up, or would it not make a difference either way?

Either way, changes are saved by Fusion.

 

[acurafan]

OK, so I reinstall windows in BootCamp, and I can reboot to use windows in BootCamp for optimal performance. If I want quick access to windows, I run windows through Fusion via Bootcamp. Is this right?

that is correct. regarding windows patches and software, you can run those in either mode. i've ran windows7 patches and installed networking tools via bootcamp and fusion without a problem.

 

[hNicolas]

Great, i know what I have to do now.

Thank you both for your help, much appreciated.