Can i get a virus using crossover mac?

Question

Hi I am looking to get an imac but need to use normal microsoft office (2007). I am looking at installing office 2007 via crossover, and I wanted to know if by doing so will I be opening up the computer to more risk by running office 2007 on crossover. I am going to be using crossover for office 2007 only and nothing else since open office sometimes can't translate everything in excel.

Thanks for your help

Answer 1

Both Crossover and Parallels allow you to run windows programs and share files between mac operating system partition and the windows operating system partition- all from within the the mac operating system's browser window (no rebooting to switch from mac to windows).



Crossover seems to claim that you can load Microsoft programs and run them without having the Windows platform (partition) loaded on the Mac (they say that you don't have to buy a microsoft license). This sounds suspicious to me without investigating it. I'd be more inclined to go with the Parallel software just because they are more straightforward with their claims. But do your home work and decide for yourself. Maybe Crossover has come up with something clever (if they had they probably wouldn't hide so far down in their pitch).



No matter which you go with your microsoft files will still be microsoft files, residing in a windows platform. That means they will have the same buggy code and be susceptible to the viruses as any other windows file.



Whether your mail comes in on the mac side or the windows side, if the virus ends up residing on the windows platform it will do its damage.



I have no idea how far bootcamp has evolved- but I would check what capabilities it has in the latest version. You may find it is doing the kind of things Parallels and Crossover can do (i don't know- I'm just saying to check it out before you buy anything).



Good luck.

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

In deference to what hoodoorocket has stated, CrossOver appears to have quite a few advantages over Parallels indeed.



But, to answer your question first. It is highly unlikely that your Mac could be infected by a virus running on CrossOver. This is because each application that you have installed is on its own virtual machine, or "bottle." If an application is infected, simply delete the bottle, create a new one, and move on. The virus would also not likely escape to infect the rest of your mac, and if it did, would not get beyond your own user account. But, this is highly unlikely to begin with. They explain it quite well on their website: http://www.codeweavers.com/support/forums/general/?t=27;forumcurPos=1600;msg=43695



Now, as to the benefits of CrossOver to Parallels. There appear to be many. If you get a virus under Parallels, your entire environment is compromised, and you may have to reinstall Windows and risk all your files on that system being compromised as well. This, as stated above, is just not possible with CrossOver.



Parallels is FAR SLOWER than CrossOver. I could not even get Galactic Civilizations II to run under Parallels. It works like a charm, and very fast under CrossOver.



CrossOver runs apps from multiple Windows platforms (XP, Windows 7, etc., even legacy e.g., Windows 95)... you would have to have multiple installs under Parallels to match that...



There is no rebooting under CrossOver... of anything. You simply close the program.



You don't have to purchase Windows to run Windows apps by using CrossOver. Period. Hoodoorocket should have investigated his suspicion before sewing it. I have investigated it, and can attest to the veracity of CrossOver's claims.



Bottom line, CrossOver is far simpler. An app is behaving badly? Delete it's "bottle" (a folder in the CrossOver folder created when you installed it) and simply reinstall the file. Try that with Parallels... I think you will find it to be hardly simple at all.



On the other hand, there are some glitches... just as you would have with Parallels. I have found some software that CrossOver does not run... but, again, there are quite a few that Parallels doesn't either, and that it runs quite slowly. Such as GalCiv II.