Windows 10 on a Mac, best option? (1 Viewer)

[Encantador]

I have two Mac's and 3 old Windows PC/Laptops.

I only need to use one piece of Windows software so am looking at the best way to have access to it on the Mac's.

Every Windows machine I have I could upgrade at the moment to W10 for FREE. Unfortunately, they are all old and very slow so of no use. But to put W10 on my MAC I need another copy of Windows.

I know I can use either Bootcamp, Parallels or VMWare Fusion, whichever of these options I choose will need me to obtain a copy of W10. This is where it gets confusing.

The options appear to be.......
1) Buy Windows 10 for about £70
2) Buy Windows 7 for about £40 and get the free upgrade before 29th July.
3) Download the iso file from MS then buy a legit product key from ebay for £10 (sounds a bit dodgy).

Have I got this about right?
Are there any options i am missing?

Any ides/suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks

Steve

 

[Allanm]

My first suggestion would be to try and find an alternative programme you can use on your Mac, but if that isn't possible, my second suggestion would be to get Win 7 and use that for as long as you can before upgrading to 10 and only then if absolutely necessary. ( oh, I see it's still a free upgrade before the end of the month, so maybe get 7 and upgrade it soon)
What is the software you need to run on MS?

 

[Deleted member 29692]

The entire concept of ruining a Mac by installing any version of Windows on it makes me shudder. That's never the answer.

As Allan says what's the software?

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[Encantador]

Thanks for the reply, I need to run the MT4 trading platform from IG Index.

 

[Encantador]

The entire concept of ruining a Mac by installing any version of Windows on it makes me shudder. That's never the answer.

I agree, but needs must.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

I agree, but needs must.

A couple of ideas.

Firstly, would their web based platform work for you? You obviously need to be connected to the internet to use whichever one so are there any major advantages in having a software package instead of using a web version or major disadvantages in using the web one?

Secondly, if the software is the only thing that will work for you think about buying a dedicated machine to run it on. A basic netbook would probably do it, remove all the crap that Microsoft pre install, basically strip it right down, and just use it to run that package.
I had to do something similar with a print server at work. That package won't run on Mac so I didn't have a lot of choice.

A basic netbook won't cost much more than a couple of hundred quid.

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[Encantador]

No, the web version won't work unfortunately.

I have been looking at the separate machine option, but apart from being a lot more expensive, it is another machine to carry, keep charged etc. I would still be needing the Mac for everything else.

In terms of potential problems being caused by Windows, would that determine whether I should use Bootcamp as opposed to the other options? Changing between W10 and Mac would not be a major issue.

Thanks again.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

In terms of potential problems being caused by Windows, would that determine whether I should use Bootcamp as opposed to the other options? Changing between W10 and Mac would not be a major issue.

Thanks again.

I'd be talking to whoever supports the software to find out if there are any known or potential issues in using it in Bootcamp or any of the other alternatives. If they say you are likely to have problems with one or more of the choices then that's really going to make the decision for you.

I know for me it was never an option for a number of reasons. As much as I detested the idea of buying a Windows machine it was the only choice available.

 

[ericroy]

Unless you have a particular desire to spend money, I would suggest that you host your Windows install on your Mac by using VirtualBox. (It does not remove your need to have a valid licence for the version of Windows you want to run.)

With this installed on my MacBook I have been able to run Windows 98, XP and 7 on the rare occasions that I need them without any detriment to the normal operation of Mac applications.

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[Deleted member 29692]

Unless you have a particular desire to spend money, I would suggest that you host your Windows install on your Mac by using VirtualBox. (It does not remove your need to have a valid licence for the version of Windows you want to run.)

With this installed on my MacBook I have been able to run Windows 98, XP and 7 on the rare occasions that I need them without any detriment to the normal operation of Mac applications.

There are lots of ways of running Windows on a Mac. None of them are any better than any of the others.

The one thing they all have in common is the potential to cause issues with particular software packages, especially specialist ones.

 

[RogerThat]

I have two Mac's and 3 old Windows PC/Laptops.

VMWare Fusion will allow you to perfectly clone the Windows PC that has your desired software on it, making it an almost ideal solution.

I say almost.. Fusion isn't the cheapest of products...

 

[Encantador]

VMWare Fusion will allow you to perfectly clone the Windows PC that has your desired software on it, making it an almost ideal solution.

I say almost.. Fusion isn't the cheapest of products...

I dont need to clone the whole PC. (I assume that it doesn't mean I can transfer Windows as part of that process).

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[Encantador]

Can anyone explain what the 'Product key' option is all about? They all say they are legit and purchased through MS re-sellers.

 

[RogerThat]

(I assume that it doesn't mean I can transfer Windows as part of that process).

Yeah, you can, it literally takes an exact copy of the machine in question Broken Link Removed

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Can anyone explain what the 'Product key' option is all about? They all say they are legit and purchased through MS re-sellers.

If you want a legit one buy it from Micro$oft. There's no possible good reason to buy it from a reseller.

If the "legitimate resellers" are offering them cheaper than M$ do then that should tell you all you need to know.

If it's £10 it isn't legit!!!

They are sold so that if you inherit a copy on disc of whatever it is, be it Windows or any other software, you can use it but still have to licence it separately from whoever bought the original copy.

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[Encantador]

Yeah, you can, it literally takes an exact copy of the machine in question Broken Link Removed

Thanks, in that case, is my best option to.....

Re-install Windows on one of my old machines to get rid of all the crap I dont want/need.
Upgrade to the free W10
Buy Parallels or VMware Fusion, transfer PC across?

Thanks

 

[tofo]

I have two Mac's and 3 old Windows PC/Laptops.

I only need to use one piece of Windows software so am looking at the best way to have access to it on the Mac's.

Every Windows machine I have I could upgrade at the moment to W10 for FREE. Unfortunately, they are all old and very slow so of no use. But to put W10 on my MAC I need another copy of Windows.

I know I can use either Bootcamp, Parallels or VMWare Fusion, whichever of these options I choose will need me to obtain a copy of W10. This is where it gets confusing.

The options appear to be.......
1) Buy Windows 10 for about £70
2) Buy Windows 7 for about £40 and get the free upgrade before 29th July.
3) Download the iso file from MS then buy a legit product key from ebay for £10 (sounds a bit dodgy).

Have I got this about right?
Are there any options i am missing?

Any ides/suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks

Steve

I think I would talk to Apple direct and pick their brains
Especially since they both seem to be on better terms these days
I do have m/soft word on my Mac but never use it .
( it was a freebie)

 

[tofo]

Just found this on apple site
@Encantador
http://www.apple.com/us/search/windows-10?src=globalnav

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