3. Installing Parallels

The Parallels software is about 30 MB in a dmg file (Macintosh OS X Disk Copy Disk Image File), which is a nice way to distribute software in the OS X world. The installation process begins with a screen similar to the one below. Click an icon to install the software or to read the User or Quick Start Guide.

Ready to install Parallels

The installation process runs smoothly. You will need the administrator's password for the computer to complete the installation. With Parallels installed you are ready to create a Windows based VM.

Creating Your First Parallel's XP VM

To create a Windows XP based machine, start Parallels. You are greeted by this wizard.

The Windows Express option lets you choose to install either a Windows XP or Vista virtual machine.

Next you enter the Windows Product Key and some user-related information.

Using the Windows Express option automatically completes the installation of your XP virtual machine without further user input. This is much the same as using a Windows answer file, but Parallels provides the answers. You can also choose to perform a typical or custom VM installation. The typical option uses default settings for such things as memory and drive size. You pick the OS from the menu and you proceed as normal, performing each step of the installation just as if you were working on a real machine. The custom option gives you the most control over a VM installation. For example, you can use ISO images to do OS installations. This option is most useful for large deployments.