Running Windows-based software on my Mac

T

Timble

Getting an answer to this is proving to be elusive. I have an eMac with OSX (10.4.11), 1 GHz PowerPC G4. I need to run a program that is available for PC only (Intuit Quicken: Rental Property Manager). Recommendation was to use VMware Fusion which I downloaded. An error message appears that it is not supported on this system. Do I need to acquire Windows first or just what is the procedure? Thanks much!
 
P

pffftttt

In order to run Windows-based software on your Mac, you need to run some virtualization/emulation software (VMware Fusion, Parallels Desktop, etc.), and then you also need to install a version of the Windows operating system - without Windows being there, Windows-based programs will not run.

Since you don't have an Intel-based Mac (you have a PowerPC-based Mac), this is probably not going to be a satisfying experience (since most virtualization software requires an Intel-based Mac).

Sorry for the bad news...
 
J

John McGhie

OK, let us give you a direct answer:

"That machine is too old to do this successfully."

That said, you can get Quicken to run in Virtual PC. Virtual PC will run on
a G4. Quicken has fairly low demands for system resources, so you may find
it will work well enough for occasional use. It will be slow: very slow.

Virtual PC comes in a bundle with Office 2004, named Office 2004
Professional. That bundle contains a copy of Virtual PC 7, which in turn
comes bundled with a copy of Windows XP, ready to run. You need both VPC
and a copy of Windows (any copy of Windows that Quicken will run in, XP will
be fine...)

You can also buy Virtual PC 7 as a stand-alone purchase. I don't recommend
that, unless you already own Office 2004. Ideally, you would buy a copy of
Office 2004 Professional with an upgrade coupon allowing you to upgrade to
Office 2008 for ten bucks. Note: Office 2004 "Professional" -- that's the
package that includes Virtual PC. The others don't.

Talk to a specialist software retailer about this. You can find it on
Amazon for $255:
http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Office-2004-Professional-Mac/dp/B0001WN1A8

The original eMac 1GHz came with either 128 MB or 256 MB of memory. The VPC
System Requirement says a minimum of 512 MB of RAM is required, but if you
believe that you will be very disappointed.

I would not even try running Virtual PC and Windows XP in less than 1 GB of
RAM. Which is right on the limit of the amount of RAM an eMac can hold.

So you would be spending money to achieve a very very marginal installation.

I wouldn't try it...

Hope this helps


Getting an answer to this is proving to be elusive. I have an eMac with OSX
(10.4.11), 1 GHz PowerPC G4. I need to run a program that is available for PC
only (Intuit Quicken: Rental Property Manager). Recommendation was to use
VMware Fusion which I downloaded. An error message appears that it is not
supported on this system. Do I need to acquire Windows first or just what is
the procedure? Thanks much!

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33°53'34.20 E151°14'54.50
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]
 

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