Virtual PC for Mac

M

mac_myname

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hi group,

I have a basic general question about Virtual PC for Mac. WIll it allow me to connect to a Windows 2000 VPN, download any files i need, use any programs i have on the Windows OS, then transfer them to use on the Mac Applications? Like office, and email?
if anyone knows of a good place to find info on this(other then the website) let me know

Thx
 
The answer to all of the above is most definitely yes.

That's exactly what I use VPC for -- VPN to work, do what I need there, transfer files back and forth, etc. Transferring standard office files (Word, Excel, etc.) are no problem with the MacOSX-native versions of the apps. Email is a bit trickier, though, since Outlook is a very Windows-centric thing, but you can certainly run it in VPC and connect to the mail servers at work (or wherever).

A word of caution, though... VPC is very processor/memory intensive. I have it running on a TiBook/800 with 1GB of memory (256 allocated to Win2k), and it's just usable. I've tried XP on it, and it's just unbearably slow. But given a choice between a slightly sluggish Windows and having to carry a Windows laptop? Well, I'm a patient man... ;)
 
Kenny,

I have a question about Virtual PC. I do not use it, so I need to ask an expert.
A friend is trying to install windows 98 from the Windows CD. He is having trouble.
*****
I installed Virtual PC 5, opened it and I created a new virtual hard drive. I was asked to create a disk image, I did that, then it asked what Operating System I would be installing, then how much space and how much memory. (it had presets for these though which I used, except for the amount of space which I set to 5GB) I created it, started it up, and it was a DOS environment that said: NO OS INSTALLED. INSTALL OS.
So I put in the Win 98 cd, and then clicked on disk capture. Then it asked me if I wanted to boot from hard drive or boot from cd rom. I chose the second. It then said...Starting windows 98, and then gave me the selection of: Running setup from the win 98 cd rom,
The Windows 98 Menu pops up with these options:

1. Start with CD-Rom support
2. Start without
3. Install Windows

I have tried all three options, and each time I try them, the same thing
happens that all I get is a blinking "_"
****
What is he doing wrong?
 
Hmmm... This got me to digging around in my box of unused and forgotten CD's... :)

The CD I had woudn't even boot, but fortunately, I have the floppy and was able to capture that to start the install. As I type this, it's well into its way copying files to the harddrive (and it's the first time my TiBook has cranked up BOTH fans.. yikes..) It'll be a little trip down memory lane... So I don't know what he could be 'doing wrong', but a couple of possibilities occur to me:

1. Is this the full Win98 CD or an upgrade? I don't know how familiar you are with Win98, but an upgrade CD absolutely cannot be used to install to a blank VPC image.

2. It sounds like he's saying that he captures and boots from CD. I don't remember the win98 CD's being bootable (mine definitely is not). Does it boot in a "real" PC (assuming one is available to try)? I'm not 100% certain that Win98 never released as a bootable version, I've just never encountered one.

3. Could this CD be a system restore CD from another machine? Could it be a little less... ahem.. legit?

I believe for this to work, the disc has to have the phrase "for PCs without Windows" printed on its face.

I hope you find some of this helpful..
 
Thank you. I'll let you know what the status is. I just emailed him with the question.
 
Windows 98 Install CD's most definitely ARE bootable. It only boots to DOS, but it *IS* bootable.
 
Ok. Maybe the later pressings added that. The original copy I have definitly is not bootable. It came with a boot floppy instead. It was an early (first revision) release, so I don't find it surprising that later revs would be bootable..

*shrug*
 
Agreed. It was a trip down memory lane, but not a pleasant one. First thing I did after the install was to install WinAmp, which crashed Win98 to bluescreen. Even after uninstalling it (using safe mode), Win98 still doesn't run right. I never thought much of Win98 anyway, but last night's excercise was a potent reminder of how crappy it really was... :)
 
Latest up date: He says:
"The CD does not contain any information on a fresh install on a system with no Windows installation. It just has several numbers followed by 2 letters."

could this possibly be an update CD?
 
Possibly.. It could be an upgrade cd. OR it could be a system restore disc, or maybe an MSDN copy. Hard to say without seeing it. Has he tried booting a real PC with it yet to see whether it will at least come up correctly that way?
 
He has had no luck whatso ever in getting to install Windows 98.
There is no logo or authenticity sign on the CD and I am assuming this copy may not be legitimate..
All that is on the CD is:
MH2DFG11-02

What do you think?
 
If there's no logo at least, I'm pretty certain that this isn't a proper Win98 cd. Microsoft (like Apple, and everyone else) is very careful to make sure that their products carry their logo(s). Even the little green USB-PS2 dongle that comes with their mouse products has the Microsoft logo on it.

As for the number on the disc, I have no clue whatsoever what that is. The Win98 CD key is 25 characters in groups of 5, like 'xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx'. There's another number on the package, in the form of 'xxx-xxxxx', but I don't know what that is.

Perhaps he could be more specific about what the origins of this disc are, but it doesn't sound like a legit copy, so I can't really do anything more to help here. Sorry.
 
The only thing I will suggest to him is to get a copy of Connectix's OS Pack if he insists on installing Windows 98.

That CD is not legal. period.
 
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