4. Using The Express Method

I used the Windows Express option to create a basic Windows XP VM. After the Product Key screen you are instructed to insert the Windows CD and click Finish to continue. After about 2 minutes, the virtual PC boots and the XP install begins and continues to completion. First it formats the drive.

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Then it copies the files;

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My XP VM install went fairly well but took well over an hour to complete. At times it appeared that the XP installation locked up, as there appeared to be no activity. But the installation eventually completed successfully.

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The system formats the disk, copies the files and runs the set up just like a regular PC because from XP's standpoint, this is a standard PC with the following hardware:

Hardware as seen through XP's Parallels-enhanced Device Manager. Click the image for larger version.

I did the installation using XP with SP1. The Mac's USB 2.0 controller was not detected correctly. Installing XP service pack 2 corrected the problem. This installation was very easy because of Parallels built-in automation, which works just fine for a simple installation of XP. The initial installation of XP uses only 1.31 GB of space on the hard drive, but this grows to 2.77 when the system is booted. I have used both Virtual PC and VMware. The installation and use of Parallels is very similar to those products, but there are some differentiating features.