Make sure you have installed Parallels Desktop application on your Mac to following this tutorial.

1. Open Parallels Desktop and then click File -> New menu. If you’re currently run an operating system with Parallels Desktop, stop it first.
   
2. Choose first option, Windows Express and then click Next button.
   
3. Choose Windows Vista option, click Next button.
   
4. Enter your Windows Vista serial number/product number where usually written on CD case.
   
5. Giving it represents name, I suggest leaving it with name Microsoft Windows Vista, and making sure Enable file sharing is checked.
   
6. Choose first option, Virtual Machine in next step and the click Next button.
   
7. If you’re installing Windows Vista with an original CD, choose Real CD/DVD option and then click Finish button.
   
8. Parallels Desktop is starting virtual computer.
   
9. And Windows Vista installation progress is begun.
   
10. Re-enter your product key, if the Vista installation is asked and then click Next button.
    
11. Windows Vista installation will begin to copy its installation files.
    
12. Choose your Windows Vista edition which you bought.
    
13. If Windows Vista installation wizard is begin to install drivers, just click Install this driver software anyway option.
    
14. After all of drivers have been installed, installation wizard is finished. And you’ll bring to your new Windows Vista screen.
    

You can read this article to optimize your virtual machine.

(Article no: 0115)

2. To open Configuration Editor window, you can click on items in Configuration section (if you’re looking my picture below, click area is inside red rectangle) or go to Edit – Virtual Machine menu.

3. In Configurations Editor, click Resource: Options, click Advanced tab and then make sure Acceleration level set to High and Enable Intel VT-x support is checked.

4. Next, click Resource: Shared Applications. I suggest you disable Share Windows application to Mac and Share Mac applications to Windows with uncheck their checkboxes. Although they are great features, but if you enable them, Parallels Desktop will create many shortcuts and actually you will use shortcuts rarely or even you’ll never use them.

5. Next, click Resource: Shared Profile. The decision is in your hands. But I was choosing to disable it, because it will make you confuse and make your Windows be slower. And in my experience, I got some errors with it.

6. In fact, Parallels Desktop support 3D application ran on its virtual machine but it optimized for Mac products which have dedicated 3D card such as Macbook Pro and iMac. But you can optimize the configurations so that Parallels Desktop permits its virtual machine support Direct X. To enable the option, click Resource: Video and check Enable DirectX support checkbox so as you can run Direct X applications.

7. To configure memory amount of virtual machine, click Resource: Memory. If you run Windows XP on it set memory to 384 MB and Vista to 512 MB. This setting is important because if you configure the amount too large, you Mac OS X will run very slowly. In my experiment, I’ve set Video Memory to 16MB if I ran Windows XP and 32MB to Windows Vista.

8. In Resource: Floppy, sure I disable the Floppy because I don’t see its benefit.

9. In Resource: Hard Disk, you can find an important button here. Parallels Desktop has two mode of its Virtual Hard Disk. Expanding Hard disk and Plan Hard disk. In Expanding hard disk your virtual hard disk has flexible size as your Windows XP/Vista needs. Contrary with Expanding hard disk, Plain hard drive has consistent of file size. And Parallels Desktop set to Expanding mode by default. Unfortunately, sometimes Expanding hard disk has larger file size than the actual used. So, if you feel your virtual hard disk file size is too big, go to Resource: Hard Disk, click Advanced tab and click Compact button to reduce your virtual hard disk file.

10. In Resource: USB Controller, I suggest you choose Ask me what to do option. So, every time you plug your USB device, you’ll ask by system. Mac OS X or Parallels Desktop virtual machine that will use it.

OK, we’ve discussed Parallels Desktop configurations which must get attention. And don’t forget Parallels Desktop also install its tools which calls Parallels Tools Center in its virtual machine. For example, on Windows Vista you can open it by double click its icon in systray or you can open it through Start – All Programs – Parallels Tools menu.

You can compact your hard disk in this tool/Parallels Tools Center. Click Tool: Disk Compacting, check Execute all stages at once then click Start button and it will takes 30-90 minutes. And you can find the others Tool inside it.

(article no:0116)