Check out the new Parallels 4.0. It really is nice. Uses less than 10% system resources now compared to about 35% before. Runs about 50% faster too. Windows boots fast. Linux Ubuntu runs nice too.





http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/a ... ideo_demo/

Would you say that it is worth the $40 upgrade fee over V.3?

Yes, for sure. They really optimized it. Coherence mode even works better.

I agree!

So far I have been very happy with the improvements. I especially like the way I can let Parallels use both of the cores in my C2D.

I found running Cinebench that by allowing both cores to be available to Parallels it benchmarks within in 15% of the same test in Boot Camp.

James, I would think with your multiple chips and cores you may be able to really make it scream!

Guess i will have to caugh it up and see how she runs...(G)

Well a little update on the "Step Up" on Parallels. Of course, i haven't sat down and read all the directions yet, so things could very well change once i have done that.

I downloaded the V.4 of Parallels today. It installed fairly easy though it did take a bit of time to finally get installed. Not bad though when you consider i guess.

Right off i was not overly happy with it. Every game i had installed in V.3 and was working all of a sudden DID NOT WORK any longer. It kept telling me i had the wrong CD in the drive. My favorite email program would not load up. Finally after some diddling around and a lot of cussing i was able to get a couple of the games to work mostly, except i couldn't reach the controls at the bottom of the screen to continue. Finally i find that by running in "full" screen mode i can see them, but the game itself does not run in full screen on my 30" monitor. Bummer, but live able.

Haven't really had time to really check out all the other software yet that i still use in Windoz, but what i have tried so far seems to run ok. Hopefully after going through the manual i will straighten out the kinks and get something i can live with.

After reading the manual and doing some tweaking i will get back with my final thoughts on V.4 of Parallels.

Jim, contact their support if you have any questions/problems. They will help you out.

Well after dinging around with it for a couple of days i would say it is probably a decent upgrade, though i can't say i see any great shakes improvement in its performance.

I don't see the "extra speed" alluded to in using the extra cpus. It is reasonable fast yes, but then it was with V.3 too. Maybe i am just not using software that takes advantage of it or something.

The Coherence mode seems to be working well, but it worked well for me in V.3 also.

The game playing ability i see no improvement at all. What was working in V.3 is still working in V4, and what would not work in V3. still doesn't work in V4. I get the feeling though that particular problem is more with Apples hardware than with Parallels software. I have a nvidia 7300GT video card that just doesn't do games that well and from what i just read at the Apple store the new ATI card they are pushing is basicly a piece of C**P. I can get Call of Duty 1 and 2 working, but #4 will not run saying the video card can't hack it.

How does one move from full screen back to window or coherence mode? the ALT + ENTER does not work for me and the CTRL + ALT does not release the cursor either. Is this because i am not using an Apple keyboard?

On the surface i don't see that it was worth the $49 it cost to upgrade, now maybe under the hood there are enough fixes and improvements to make it worth it.

James, not sure if you got the answer to the full-screen issue, but for those still wondering; the OS X menu bar is brought up while in full-screen Windows by pressing CRLT-ALT. You can then switch in and out of modes under "View".

I believe the default keystroke for toggling full-screen is CTRL-ALT-Enter, but this can be changed in preferences.

For those still looking at gaming within Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac, there's a list on the feature page (HERE) which shows games we've tested. Just because it's not on the list doesn't mean it won't work, however.

I actually suggest that if you have Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac installed, run a web browser in your VM and check for online requirements comparison sites (Like system requirements lab). In my experience, results from sites like this don't always mean you can run a certain game in a VM. There are driver compatibility issues to consider, which the app. doesn't account for. It will give you somewhere to start, though.