None of what you describe sounds any different than what I may do on a given day. VTPro, 3-4 Simpl, S+, Command Fusion, a text editor or two - in a VMWare Fusion VM. Mac side might have open Photoshop, maybe XCode, Firefox, Mail, Various other things. I've never, and I mean never, had any major issues over three Macs or on previous PC notebooks.
How do you mean overloading? Are they slow? Do they BSOD or kernel panic?
The Macbooks get hot, but I've learned that it doesn't matter (it is uncomfortable in your lap, and I usually throw a couple magazines between me and the Macbook if I'm using it that way.)
How much RAM do you have? How is it allocated? Are you using 64-bit windows? (I don't like it in Fusion.) How are you processor cores allocated in Fusion (half is recommended.) Can you shut off 3D acceleration in Fusion? (I don't know about AutoCAD.)
I usually start from scratch about once every 12-18 months, swapping out hard drives and starting clean. I rarely experience any sort of catastrophic failure. Housecleaning is usually motivated by erratic or slowdown behavior, and might be overkill. It's usually easier to start clean than to hunt down and fix all the problems that appear. If only Windows is acting up, I'll make a new one and transfer things. That's the beauty of the VM. In 30 minutes I can have a "new PC".
Are you using beta anything?
Heath Volmer
Digital Domain Systems
(303) 517-9714
On Apr 20, 2012, at 8:42 AM, oldspunky wrote:
For the past 5 or 6 years the laptops I use for program development have been dying (about 1 a year). I have tried Toshiba, Lenovo, HP, and Panasonic Toughbooks. So this time I tried a Mac Powerbook (with VMware Fusion and Windows 7. Now the Mac is getting clunky too.
I am probably overloading them, but when I have several copies of Simpl Windows, Vtpro-e, Autocad, xpanel, Toolbox, and probably a Clearone or Biamp configuration file (and perhaps Photoshop) all open at the same time the laptops get pretty hot. Unfortunately I usually need all those things when working on a program or bringing up a system.
I do a lot of my programming on the road so using a desktop is probably not an option.
I have been using Radioshack fans and they seem to help, but my Mac is still getting hot enough to fry eggs or my hands. Any ideas? Or should I just accept this and budget a new laptop (and software) every year or so.?
Thanks,
Paul
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