parallels vs vmware vs virtualbox vs bootcamp

Since Fusion is the latecomer to the Mac virtualization party, I think it would be wise for VMWare to ensure that it plays nicely with an existing Bootcamp/Parallels setup.

Does anyone have a way of being able to switch between Bootcamp, parallels and VMWare in any order without this reactivation issue? I appreciate that this is much a problem for PArallels as VMWare. Likewise if I am in a stable state of switching between VWare and Bootcamp, and I then run Parallels, I have to activate again. This has already caused me to fall foul of XPs activation and have to go through the 'Activate via telephone' dance. The problem that I am having is that although I can switch between VMWare and Paralles without XP asking to be reactivated, as soon as I run VMWare again, all three environments ask to be reactivated when next launched. I imagine that if I did buy VMWare, I would still use Parallels (and Bootcamp directly) regularly. I am testing Fusion as there are some things it does better than parallels, so I am thinking about buying it (I already bought Parallels). Yes, VMware Fusion is a commercial app, not free.

Virtual systems are normally used for providing separate environment for each client sharing a single physical system. VirtulaBox is an open source software to run virtual systems on top of a physical system. I never tried VirtualBox because I use my 'Bootcamp' drive virtually in macOS and, as far as I know, VirtualBox isn't capable of this, at least not easily. VirtualBox vs Parallels Desktop : Which is Better VirtualBox. I have a Bootcamp XP installation that I have been using with Parallels happily for a while. pastrychef said: That's good to know about Parallels.

Parallels vs vmware vs virtualbox vs bootcamp