need help putting xp on a mac

[polaris]

ok so i have a macmini and a copy of xp but here are my issues.
is the xp in some way registered to my now dead pc and do i have to do anything to use it on a different machine.
i have service pack 1 but need service pack 2 and microsoft seems to be on service pack 3.
any clues on these fellas , i cant seem to find the answers i need by googling

cheers.

[mccoy178]

I just installed xp on my imacs.  I used a program called "Parallels".  I am very happy with it.  There is also bootcamp available.  Once you have parallels installed, you install windows and from there it runs like regular windows as far as updating your service packs and registry.

[polaris]

cheers for the input mccoy
ive got boot camp packaged with my mac so im hoping to just use that , seems that parallels might be more flexible which is a bummer for me as you have to pay for it dont you?

[testicle187]

ok so i have a macmini and a copy of xp but here are my issues.
is the xp in some way registered to my now dead pc and do i have to do anything to use it on a different machine.
i have service pack 1 but need service pack 2 and microsoft seems to be on service pack 3.
any clues on these fellas , i cant seem to find the answers i need by googling

cheers.

The XP should work fine on your mac (however you mac guys do that).  When you install it you will need to activate the copy of windows.  If it won't do it over the internet, you will just have to telephone a customer support representative about it.  When they ask if you have installed any new hardware, say yes, and tell them you replaced the motherboard.  They will give you a code to type in and then you are golden. 

Once your XP is activated you can download XP Service pack 2, and then XP Service Pack 3. 

http://www.microsoft.com/DownLoads/details.aspx?familyid=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en    XP SP2 Download
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=5B33B5A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en     XP SP3 Download

Hope this helps!

[polaris]

ok so i have a macmini and a copy of xp but here are my issues.
is the xp in some way registered to my now dead pc and do i have to do anything to use it on a different machine.
i have service pack 1 but need service pack 2 and microsoft seems to be on service pack 3.
any clues on these fellas , i cant seem to find the answers i need by googling

cheers.

The XP should work fine on your mac (however you mac guys do that).  When you install it you will need to activate the copy of windows.  If it won't do it over the internet, you will just have to telephone a customer support representative about it.  When they ask if you have installed any new hardware, say yes, and tell them you replaced the motherboard.  They will give you a code to type in and then you are golden. 

just tried to do this but they said my copy was only for the pc it was sold with and cant be transferred, ill have to try and find a new copy of xp

[Grasshopper]

just tried to do this but they said my copy was only for the pc it was sold with and cant be transferred, ill have to try and find a new copy of xp

It's crap like this that makes me glad that Linux is finally gaining ground. Actually it's crap like this that is helping Linux to gain ground.

No other industry is able to get away with this nonsense. Just imagine, for instance, that a record company sold DVDs that were only licenced to work in one type of DVD player. It would be ridiculous and no one in their right mind would buy the DVDs. However M$ gets away with it because they have a de facto monopoly.

[Malenko]

It's crap like this that makes me glad that Linux is finally gaining ground. Actually it's crap like this that is helping Linux to gain ground.

No other industry is able to get away with this nonsense. Just imagine, for instance, that a record company sold DVDs that were only licenced to work in one type of DVD player. It would be ridiculous and no one in their right mind would buy the DVDs. However M$ gets away with it because they have a de facto monopoly.

the makers of his PC paid m$ for a bulk license, so they inferred some of the cost of the OS. Go buy a mac, and take the OSX discs you get, put them in your PC and tell me if it installs.

[Grasshopper]

the makers of his PC paid m$ for a bulk license, so they inferred some of the cost of the OS. Go buy a mac, and take the OSX discs you get, put them in your PC and tell me if it installs.

Oh Apple are just as bad, or at least they would be if they could get away with it. But they don't have M$'s overwhelming market share (and thus de facto monopoly) so it's easy to avoid buying Apple products (which I do).

[MinerAl]

I think it has to be XP SP2 on the install disk.  SP1 then upgrade on the Mac isn't an option for some reason.

[Blanka]

Do you need to run Bootcamp (don't see the word here, but that is the only program picky on your service pack and only runs on a genuine XP SP2 disc)?
I would go for the free Virtual Box and run XP in a virtualisation shell.
Or if you need DirectX emulation, try Parallels.

[MinerAl]

I was assuming BootCamp.

[polaris]

I think it has to be XP SP2 on the install disk.  SP1 then upgrade on the Mac isn't an option for some reason.

yep and it can cause big probs with the mac if you dont use sp2 with bootcamp, like possibly the death of your mac , ive been reading.

parallels seems much better as you can use the two systems live too

cheers for the input fellas.

[Level42]

I use Vmware with a backup of XP SP2. Just never update it. Why would I ? I SO rarely use it

[polaris]

is it the FUSION software from vm you are using lev?

[Goz]

Fusion and Parallels are both excellent options. I've used both on my OSX machines in order to do some stuff in Windows. Don't expect to do any decent gaming though. The most current game I've gotten to ran halfway decent is UT2004

[polaris]

OK so i followed testicle 187s advice and told them i was putting a new motherboard in my PC, and they gave me a new activation code 

so if i put it on my mac through parallels can microsoft tell, and will bill gates come round my house with a baseball bat and do me.

[protokatie]

and will bill gates come round my house with a baseball bat and do me.

"Do you"... with a baseball bat... OUCH... Hope you dont like being able to sit down for awhile....

As per what M$ will do, it wont do anything. M$ is pretty tolerant to the sort of thing you are doing (which is suprising, as they have even given support call help for people with copies they know to be illegal). They seem to go after the big guys with a tidal wave of lawyers tho. IE, they pick their fights.

[Level42]

is it the FUSION software from vm you are using lev?

Yep. Works great. I've heared people say Parallels is better (don't know why though), but this works fine for me.

My friend, you PAID for that MS junk, so you're entitled to USE it right ?

[polaris]

well apparently not according to microsoft but ---fudgesicle--- it, i'm only doing it to access my old hard drive, i'm quite happy with using the mac now, between that and my linux eeepc i cant seem to find the need for windows anymore.
 

[Level42]

well apparently not according to microsoft but ---fudgesicle--- it, i'm only doing it to access my old hard drive, i'm quite happy with using the mac now, between that and my linux eeepc i cant seem to find the need for windows anymore.
 

Welcome to the club

[polaris]

well apparently not according to microsoft but ---fudgesicle--- it, i'm only doing it to access my old hard drive, i'm quite happy with using the mac now, between that and my linux eeepc i cant seem to find the need for windows anymore.
 

Welcome to the club

i am starting to really like the mac i gotta say.

my next related question.
what would people recommend for torrent software for the mac, i could use a windows prog through parallels but i want to make it as simple as possible for me and not use the windows online if i can help it.

[Level42]

You like it now, but you'll learn to love it later

Of course there's a good Mac torrent client. I use Transmission. Works fine.

http://www.transmissionbt.com/about.php

[Grasshopper]

well apparently not according to microsoft but ---fudgesicle--- it, i'm only doing it to access my old hard drive, i'm quite happy with using the mac now, between that and my linux eeepc i cant seem to find the need for windows anymore.
 

If you only need to access data on an NTFS partition then you can do that with a Linux live CD.

[polaris]

well apparently not according to microsoft but ---fudgesicle--- it, i'm only doing it to access my old hard drive, i'm quite happy with using the mac now, between that and my linux eeepc i cant seem to find the need for windows anymore.
 

If you only need to access data on an NTFS partition then you can do that with a Linux live CD.

i reckon that'd be beyond me, my head would likely explode  . i think im down to just needing to find my old mobile no's from a sync programme from it now so i may just give up as it seems tricky. cheers though.

Lev, i've gone for transmission  i'm looking at an IM now , i only use msn so i'm thinking of just using the microsoft one, as a long time microsoft hater can you push me toward something else?

[Level42]

Eh, I admit using Microsoft's MSN too. Regretfully, it's _the_ chat application that everybody uses in Holland .

I also have MS Office 2008 for compatibility. I prefer to use the Mac apps like Numbers,Pages and especially Keynote but I've got office as a fail-safe backup. I must say that the Mac version of Office is much more friendly for old-time Office users than the Windows (2007) version. All the menu's are the same old trusty structure, so you're not looking for ages everywhere to see where they hid all the options.

[Ioargra]

Its also possible to slipstream SP2 onto a copy of the install CD, so its integrated when installed.
There's instructions on the net about this, google a program called Autostreamer

That way you don't have to have it installed to update it

[polaris]

sorry Lev i wasn't very clear i meant what software, i've gone for Adium which seemed the best liked online.
i haven't gone into office stuff yet, i think the mac is gonna be more my play/media machine and ill keep the eee for work admin etc.

cheers Iorgara , i'll have a look at that.

Any other tips/software you guys cant live without on your macs