[Ti] VPC on my Powerbook

[Dr. Trevor J. Hutley]

At 20:44 -0500 8/10/04, Chris Olson wrote:
>On Oct 8, 2004, at 10:25 AM, Dr. Trevor J. Hutley wrote:
>
>>Creating a new PC is one way forward, as a blank disk seems to 
>>provide the option of booting from the Windows XP install CD.  But 
>>then I have to go through that long and agonizing WindowsUpdate 
>>process to update all the software, and downloading Acrobat Reader, 
>>and all the other programs and utilities that are already on the 
>>current C: drive....
>
>Have you recently upgraded Windows XP to SP2?  That would be highly 
>suspect, as it would not consider the VPC additions to be "trusted" 
>software.

I did not upgrade to SP2, as my (Windows) "advisor" here said this is 
only for security improvements, not actual improvements to the 
Windows OS.

>One other note, and I also have considerable experience with VPC, I 
>don't ever recommend running Windows in VPC to run Windows.  Only 
>use it as an avenue to run Windows programs that won't run on your 
>Mac, and for which no native replacement is available.

That is exactly what I use it for.

>  All the windows updates are unnecessary, IMHO.  Your programs will 
>run fine without them.

I did not know that.  Thanks.

>  I disable IE on Windows because I can browse the web just fine with 
>Safari on the Mac,

I use IE, in VPC as there are still some sites (eg my bank here in 
Saudi) which only really work properly with IE in Windows.  Even 
selecting IE6 in Safari does not do it.

>and there's less chance of infecting my Windows install with 
>malware.  I don't even use networking capability in my Windows 
>install - it's disabled also.  Applications like Acrobat Reader are 
>unnecessary in your VPC Windows install because you can do that 
>operation (view a PDF) on your Mac and save the virtual HD space for 
>something else.  Windows doesn't have to run that app, or anything 
>else that you can do natively on your Mac.

I think you are right.  Now that the Mac/VPC interface is (normally) 
seamless, I need very few Windows-only applications.  All the erst I 
can run (better) in Mac OS.

>It'll run faster, and you'll have way less problems with it just 
>cutting Windows down to the basic of what's needed to run your 
>Windows-specific app instead of trying to maintain a fully 
>operational Windows install.

I should find out from hte Windos guys here how to cut XP down to the minimum.

>  If you need a fully operational Windows install, you may want to 
>consider switching platforms.

My boss once asked me if I would do that and I said 'not whilst my 
head is connected to my body'.

-----------------

To 'solve' my VPC problem, I am right now creating a new VPC hard 
drive with a new install of XP.

I hope that gets VPC working normally.

I get the feeeling that soon, I shall just stop using VPC, as there 
is less and loess need for it.
It is always a good demo to Windoze users of the Mac capability, but 
my real use for it has been less and less....

regards,  Trevor