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Comment by simonbarker87 | Hacker News Reader

One thing I’m unclear on still is the windows VM situation.

Is it just that “right now” we can’t run a windows VM but with some work by Apple/Microsoft/Parallels it can happen or is there some fundamental blocker here?

I thought there was an ARM version of Windows already?

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Parallels is planning an ARM release[1]. This won’t run Intel arch Windows, but rather they hint that it will Windows for ARM64. They also mention Microsoft’s recent announcement that Windows for ARM will soon have the ability to run x64 (Intel arch) applications.

[1] https://www.parallels.com/blogs/parallels-desktop-apple-sili...

> Windows for ARM will soon have the ability to run x64 (Intel arch) applications.

I remember this was promised a long time ago. I'm surprised it's not the case.

I remember Intel "warning" that x86 emulation is riddled with IP/patents - now that they are falling behind I fully expect them to turn to milking competition by patent trolling - sort of like Microsoft back in the Android vs Windows Phone days.

The basic x64 patents were close to expiring at the time and may have expired by now. I suspect they were waiting for that to happen before releasing 64 bit support.

If you read that link, there is no hint at anything to do with Windows on there at all. It's quite a short press release, it makes no mention of what might be run inside parallels. I would expect linux to run, but Windows would be complete speculation.

The link does mention an early access program.

Those are weasel words. They are not saying parallels will run windows ARM. Read carefully and see what they're actually saying. There is not even a hint that parallels will run windows ARM on M1 macs, but the sequence of sentences creates the illusion of one.

Parallels, like vmware, is depending on microsoft here. If microsoft doesn't play ball there will be no windows on apple silicon macs. Currently there can be no officially supported way of running windows ARM on M1 macs, as the windows license does not allow it.

Windows ARM is not available to OEMs.

Parallels is trying emulation on M1 but who knows how well that will work. https://www.parallels.com/blogs/parallels-desktop-apple-sili...

In the article, I don’t see mention of Windows x64 running as a guest. They do hint at Windows for ARM, though.

There is no hint of anything to do with windows in the article whatsoever.

"Parallels is also amazed by the news from Microsoft about adding support of x64 applications in Windows on ARM."

I had the impression that, virtualization was not possible on current M1. As I sadly discovered that docker didn’t and won’t run on current silicon. Is it still possible for parallels to move forward without virtualization ?

It is possible

Virtualization is possible on the M1, it is not possible on the Developer Transition Kit which uses a A12Z chip without Virtualization extensions.

It can only virtualize ARM, of course.

That’s great news! I was disappointed since I read the discussion on github. I clearly misunderstood. Thanks!

I wouldn’t really expect x86 virtualisation instructions to be supported under Rosetta.

You’re going to need an ARM version of Docker, running ARM Linux kernels, and ARM userland Linux binaries.

Virtualisation within the x86 emulation isn't possible. So you can't just run the x86 build of parallels and have it work. But it should be possible to build a new dedicated ARM version of parallels.

It is possible, but docker is not yet ported. The docker images you run will have to be ARM images, as docker cannot emulate x86. Docker supports multi-arch images with their buildx infrastructure, so this situation will fix itself over time. Most of the official base images already support ARM.

> Windows ARM is not available to OEMs.

Not "officially", but you can get hold of it as an individual and install it on e.g. a raspberry pi relatively easily already. Running it in a VM might be doable.

Actual Windows 10 ARM too, not the restrictive IoT version that's officially supported on the pi.

https://www.windowslatest.com/2020/01/27/windows-10-arm-on-r...

VMware also commented on trying to work on it. https://mobile.twitter.com/VMwareFusion/status/1326229094648...

A lot depends on Microsoft and my guess is they would prefer to offer Windows in the cloud for Apple users.

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