Virtual PC 5 for Mac with Windows 98

Customer Reviews:

Not Mac 8500 w/ G3/11gb hard drives [Posted on 2002-09-06]
After you try to load this software on a Mac 8500 w/G3 w/ 1 gb hard drive, you are told that the internal hard drive must be able to accept 1.5 gb.
Moving everything but the system file to attached 10gb drive still won't allow it to load.Also you learn that the G3 must run at 400mhz.
Sure would have been nice to have had this info before spending money.... Never even got close to loading Windows2000!

Oh ish, a PC operating system on a Macintosh [Posted on 2002-12-15]
I bought this software for a single purpose: To run Windows only web services on my Macintosh (Paltalk.com). I first loaded this software onto my G4 400 which is running Mac OS 9.21. Installation was a snap and I was quickly surfing the web through Explorer running on Windows 2000. I downloaded the PC only web software and fired it up. Here is where the problems were encountered. I have GB cable and was able to hear incoming audio just fine, but I was unable to get outgoing audio to work on my G4 desktop.

Undaunted, I loaded Virtual PC with Windows 2000 on my G4 PowerBook (667mhz) in the hopes that the additional processor speed would cure my recording woes. This machine has OS 10.2 on it, and again installation was a snap. Again I was surfing and downloading the Paltalk.com software and again, I couldn't get Windows to record my voice so that it could be understood. In other words, this software didn't fulfill my sole reason for purchasing it and $185.00 was foolishly spent just to get the Paltalk software to work on one of my Macs. Bummer.

Curiously, I've also had difficulties getting Virtual PC to be able to see the CD-ROM which makes me wonder how on earth you are supposed to load any software that doesn't come off the web into the Windows 2000 envirnment.

All in all, I could have bought a slow-yet serviceable-used PC for the price of this software. The bottom line: The evil empire is still just as evil even when loaded unto a Macintosh.

Nice product, but if you're using OS X wait for Virtual PC 6 [Posted on 2002-12-20]
Connectix Virtual PC is a good product at base, but release 5 for OS X is a "new" and weak version. I've used prior versions of VPC successfully under Mac OS 9 to run some of my old PC software and to access proprietary corporate web sites that are written for Windows only. The software installed very easily, it automatically picked up my Mac internet connection (via Airport and cable modem), and it ran the Windows software really well. A bonus is that when Windows crashes (as it always does, eventually), my Mac doesn't have to be rebooted -- I just relaunch Windows within VPC. That's better than running Windows on my old Dell machine.

However, the version 5.0 release on OS X is basically a new product, and it's EXTREMELY slow. Wait for 6.0 and see if the speed issue has been addressed. Connectix has announced version 6.0, but as of this date (Dec 20, 2002), it hasn't appeared on Amazon.

Good but you should just own a PC [Posted on 2003-05-18]
For a few bucks more you can get a real PC. And if you get Windows XP (Home or Professional) you have an OS that's more stable, more user-friendly and definitely far less snobbish than OS X. Aren't you sick of OS X hangs yet?

Playing PC games on your Mac with Virtual PC [Posted on 2003-06-11]
I recently purchased Virtual PC 5 with Windows 98 for my 600 MHz iMac. My only purpose for buying it was to play some of the awesome games designed for Windows. As I searched for info about Virtual PC's capability of playing these games, I found nothing that discouraged me from buying it. After I got it home I discovered my answer in the "Read Me" file, so here it is straight from the documentation...

"Virtual PC is not recommended as a gaming solution for the Mac. Virtual PC does not provide the resources many PC games require to run, such as hardware accelerated 3D video."

If you're considering it for this reason, don't waste your money like I did.

Click here for more details and discount information...