Installing Windows XP and DSA in Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac

1. Go to your Applications folder and click the

Parallels Desktop icon.

2. In Parallels, go to File > New... Click ʻSkip

Detectionʼ.

3. Change the ʻVersionʼ to Windows XP. Click

ʻContinueʼ.

4. Change the Virtual Machine Type to

ʻCustomʼ. Click ʻContinueʼ.

5. You will need to modify the CPU and Memory

Options. Change ʻProcessorsʼ to 2 and change
ʻMain memoryʼ to 1500 MB. Click ʻContinueʼ.

6. Modify Hard Disk Options to ʻNew image fileʼ.

Click ʻContinueʼ.

7. You will need to modify the New Virtual Hard Disk

screen. Set the disk type to ʻExpanding diskʼ and set
the ʻCapacityʼ to 40 GB. Click ʻContinueʼ.

8. Under Networking Type, keep the ʻShared

Networkingʼ option selected. Click ʻContinueʼ.
9. Under Optimization Options, optimize the
performance for the ʻVirtual Machineʼ. Click ʻContinueʼ.

10. Under Name and Location, set the name to

ʻWindows XP Homeʼ. Set the ʻSharingʼ option to
ʻRedirect Windows user folders to Macʼ. Click ʻCreateʼ.
Note: This means that your folders such as documents,
pictures, etc. in Windows will actually be folders on the
Mac.

11. You will now be on the screen Prepare to Install

Operating System. Click the triangle to drop down the
ʻBoot Optionsʼ. Set the boot drive to your CD/DVD drive
located on your computer. Insert your Windows XP
Home Edition CD into your computerʼs CD/DVD drive.
Click ʻDoneʼ.

12. Your new Virtual Machine has been created. A

square, black window will appear that is labelled
ʻWindows XP Homeʼ. Do not start the Virtual Machine
yet. Go to Virtual Machine > Configure. Click the
ʻOptionsʼ tab. Click the Optimization category. Enable
ʻAdaptive Hypervisorʼ, ʻAutoCompressʼ, and ʻTune
Windows for speedʼ. Change the Power Consumption
to ʻBetter Performanceʼ.

13. Click the Crystal & Coherence category. Enable

ʻDisable drop shadowʼ. Leave the rest of the settings
intact.

14. Nothing else can be changed under the ʻOptionsʼ

tab to give better performance. Click the ʻHardwareʼ
tab.

15. Click the Video category. Set the amount of ʻVideo

memoryʼ to 128 MB. Enable ʻ3D Accelerationʼ and
ʻVertical Synchronizationʼ. Then click ʻOKʼ.
16. Your Virtual Machine is now tuned for maximum
speed. Go to Virtual Machine > Start. You will get a
message that says “The amount of video memory is too
low...”. Tick ʻDo not show this message and press
ʻContinueʼ.

17. The Operating System Installation Assistant will

appear. Choose the ʻExpressʼ option and click
ʻContinueʼ.

18. Enter your desired ʻUser Nameʼ and ʻWindows

Product Keyʼ. Double-check your Product Key for
mistakes. Press ʻContinueʼ. Then click ʻStartʼ.

19. The Windows setup will complete many operations,

including formatting your disk, copying setup files, and
installing system files. It might takes 30 minutes to
complete, so go grab a cup of coffee while youʼre
waiting.

20. Parallels will also run the Parallels Tools Setup

Wizard. You will then get a message that says you will
be logged out. Press ʻOKʼ. The Virtual Machine will
restart.

21. Parallels will default to Coherence mode. The Windows

Taskbar is located in your Mac menu bar. Open Internet
Explorer and go to update.microsoft.com . Download all
updates. You may need to restart multiple times.

Click this for your Start menu. Itʼs

located on your Mac dock if youʼre
in Coherence mode.

22. You will get a message that says that antivirus software is
not installed. Ignore the message, but then open Internet
Explorer on your Virtual Machine and go to
www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/. Click ʻDownload
Nowʼ. Choose the download labeled ʻWindows XP 32 bitʼ.
Run through the installation procedure. Make sure Microsoft
Security Essentials gets fully updated and has the green logo
(which will be in your Mac menu bar if you are in Coherence
mode).
23. All you need to do now is install DSA 2. Put the
installation file (ESDPK‐BM02‐14444‐Setup.exe)
on your Mac desktop. In Parallels, click
View > Window. You should see the DSA setup file on the
Windows desktop. Open up DSA and run the setup wizard.
Make sure that you have your Product Key ready. When you
are done installing DSA, do a system reboot. Then, open
DSA, and go to Help > Check for Updates. Update to the
latest patch. Youʼre now set to start using DSA.

24. Need even more Windows speed? Click the Start icon,
right click ʻMy Computerʼ, choose ʻPropertiesʼ and click the
ʻAdvancedʼ tab. Under Performance, click ʻSettingsʼ. Under
the Visual Effects tab, click ʻAdjust for best performanceʼ.
Click OK. This will disable many of the fancy Windows
effects, but you donʼt really need them if you run your
applications in Coherence mode.

25. Thatʼs it! Using these settings resulted in great

performance when running applications such as DSA, PP, and
WP. I suggest you keep your old Virtual Machine in case
there are any files that you need to retrieve. I hope this helps.
If you have any questions, please post on the Serif Forums.