The host OS can be completely isolated for security purposes, but it’s also possible to set up shared folders on both the host and guest file system, and files can also be dragged between desktops. At its simplest level, Parallels Desktop 7 simply runs Windows (or any guest OS) in its own window and makes the host computer's resources such as optical drives, USB ports and webcams available at the click of a mouse. To help with this, Parallels Desktop 7 has several features that help integrate Windows into Mac OS X. Parallels Desktop for Mac enables you to run Windows, Linux, and more side-by-side with Mac OS X on any Intel-powered Mac, without rebooting. While running Mac OS within Mac OS is possible, most Mac users would want virtualisation software for a fuss-free way to run Windows without rebooting into a Boot Camp partition. You can also install it from an already downloaded Lion installer. If the host is running Lion, Parallels Desktop 7 can use its recovery partition to set up a new virtual Mac and either download Lion from the App Store again, or import a Lion installation from a Time Machine backup. Parallels Desktop 7 is only compatible with 64-bit Intel Macs, but it doesn’t need Lion to be installed on the host - it will even run Lion as a guest OS on a Mac that’s still running Leopard. The Parallels Desktop 7 virtual machine manager, used to create and launch guest operating systems

Parallel mac os x