Running on a Mac

[wcsg]

Been a while since posting but was curious about those who decided to run their table off a mac. I have an imac and read some thread about using Parallels 6, but nothing more current. They have version 9 out now and wondered if those who run with the cross flat form software are still doing okay?

I've gone through 3 PC's already and have a spare imac 2008 which I'd love to use instead.

I still have the Shopbot control software 3 and don't really use anything other than the parts software. I just do simple 2D part cutting and can't see using anything else than the stock software my table came with

[ntraub01]

Erik,

I have successfully run my machine off a MacPro laptop with little to no issues. Actually all of our projects are designed with Sketchup, imported into Vetric and all cut files created with a MacPro. Yes, we have used the same MacPro laptop to process and cut files but we usually transfer all of the cut files to a thumb drive and allow a Lenovo ThinkPad x200 laptop to drive the machine. The only reason we are using a Windows machine is because I would rather a $400 laptop fill up with sawdust instead of a $3000 machine.

We use VMware Fusion Pro to multi-platform our MacPros and have had great success doing so. A couple of thing you need to remember is that even if you have setup your Mac to not sleep you still need to make the same settings adjustment to Windows to keep it from sleeping as well or you may unexpectedly find yourself receiving all kinds of training and experience on how to restart a file mid-run. Also, you need to dedicate a good amount of RAM and processor capacity to Windows. I would say at least a 50/50 split it not more should be adequate.

Good luck!!

[Roy Harding]

Although I use a PC to control my Shopbot (I had the computer laying around unused anyway), I do use Parallels on my Mac. My Mac is a 2009 20 inch, with 8GB. Under Parallels, I run Partworks, the complete Microsoft Office Suite, financial software, and other design software not available for the Mac.

My experience has been that the performance of windows software running under Parallels on my Mac has been flawless - I wouldn't hesitate to use a Mac to control my Shopbot.

You can try Parallels for free for 14 days - why not give it a whirl? As you say, you have a spare Mac laying around anyway, and the trial would cost you nothing.

After reading Nicholas's reply, I have to agree with him that dedicating significant memory to Parallels is a must. As I stated earlier, I have 8GB onboard the Mac - 4 GB is dedicated to running Windows under Parallels. I've tried it with the minimum (1 GB), and it was not satisfactory. In your case, if you're dedicating the Mac to the Shopbot, you'd dedicated the maximum amount of memory available to the Parallels virtual machine.

[Billions]

Erik, I run my Shopbot Buddy off of an old MacBook Pro running Parallels and Windows 7 and it's been good.

My workflow is usually to design in OS X on my newer MacBook Pro, jump into a Parallels virtual Windows 7 machine, set up my Shopbot files, save to my Dropbox folder (which I have on both my OS X and Windows machines), walk out to my Shopbot in the workshop, where my old Macbook Pro is running Windows 7 under Parallels and the file is almost always already available in my Dropbox folder.

Issues are very minor, like sometimes the USB connection gets lost if I try putting the computer to sleep instead of shutting it down at night. OS X is fine of course but the virtual Windows machine sometimes loses the connection to its virtual USB, so then Windows can't see the actual Shobot USB connected to the MacBook Pro. If it does happen, a restart clears it up, but that's just the same thing as shutting down completely at the end of my sessions, and turning it back on the next day - so that's what I do.

The other issue is that Parallels is mildly aggravating with its occasional advertising when I start it up - it stops everything to tell me about something they're selling and it won't continue booting up until you click 'decline' or 'ok'. So if you start it and go do something else, you come back to a waiting computer than you have to click to get it to boot. That's a Windows experience I wish they had not emulated.

[JohnCoker]

I had an old small form-factor PC so I run the ShopBot off that. However, it occurred to me that booting Windows (using Boot Camp) on an iMac would make a great control machine.

[wcsg]

Thank you everybody.

I will be running it with only a imac that has a max of 6 gigs, hopefully that's enough!

I only do 2D files, mostly flat cut out letters so hopefully as far a memory goes it won't push too hard, IF small files make a difference or not.

[wcsg]

So installed parraells 8 with XP which was the system of my old OC that failed. Installed the software and the port, any port 1-16 will not connect. Am I missing something?

If I go to load control box firmware it says 4, if I try to Load it says

"Error opening comm port. The comm port identifier is bad"

That's it. Anyone familiar with this have an answer?

[Roy Harding]

So installed parraells 8 with XP which was the system of my old OC that failed. Installed the software and the port, any port 1-16 will not connect. Am I missing something?

If I go to load control box firmware it says 4, if I try to Load it says

"Error opening comm port. The comm port identifier is bad"

That's it. Anyone familiar with this have an answer?

It MAY be that your comm port needs to be dedicated to the XP virtual machine running under Parallels on your Mac. Check your Parallels configuration. (You can dedicated USB ports, etcetera to either the virtual machine or the host system).

[gc3]

make it easy on yourself...get a xp compu for machine