Quick Answer: Still working on it…

The Whole Story

I have been using Parallels Desktop for Mac version 3.x, but recently upgraded to Parallels Desktop for Mac version 4.x.  Apparantly one of the features as of an update to version 3 (but still version 3) is that you can now use a Boot Camp install of Windows in Parallels.  (Previously, you could only use Boot Camp or Parallels, unless you wanted to run two separate installs of Windows)

In order to get the absolute full utlility and performance out of my Macbook (the all aluminum model purchased in late 2008, 2.4 GHz, 2G RAM, 256 VRAM) in order to play the newer games (and do work?), I want to move my current installation of Windows XP from a Parallels Virtual Machine to a Boot Camp install (a partitioned section of my hard drive).

Method to be attempted

I did a bit of searching and found a thread on the Parallels forums.  I found a post that gives to methods to moving a Virtual Machine to Boot Camp.  The first method is long (about 40+ steps), but the second (written by a Parallels affiliate) is shorter:

Username Eru Ithildur wrote:

Here is a much less extensive list (Geez bps1, you’ve got us beat!), but it might work:

1. Un-install Parallels tools.
2. Download Acronis to your VM.
3. Back-up your VM with Acronis to an external.
4. Download BootCamp.
5. Install BootCamp with Windows XP SP2 and the BootCamp tools per the instructions on Apple’s site.
6. Restore your Acronis image to BootCamp. (Your old data should now be there)
7. Create a new VM, use the Advanced configuration and BootCamp as a harddrive.
8. Boot into your new VM and install Parallels tools.

__________________
Parallels Service Partner
Consulting Available – Contact me via e-mail for more details.

Ardent Flame Designs

http://www.ArdentFlameDesigns.com/

The Grupp Law Firm, PLLC

http://www.GruppLaw.com/

XServe Xeon – 2×2 @ 2 GHz – 5 GB RAM – 750 GB 7200 RPM HD
15″ MacBook Pro – 2.33 GHz – 2 GB RAM – 120 GB HD – 256 MB Graphics

So this is the method that I will attempt.

Materials You Will Need

• Windows XP SP2 install disk
• Acronis (this software is included for free if you buy Parallels 4.x)
• Boot Camp Assistant (I am running Leopard, 10.5.6 and it was already installed)
• External hard drive (with enough space for your current Parallels Virtual Machine installation)

On the next page, I will continue the story and show the problems I ran into and what I did to fix them.