ESET for Mac s-l-o-w on Parallels?

Discussion in 'ESET NOD32 Antivirus' started by TechMaven, Apr 29, 2012.

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  1. TechMaven

    TechMaven Registered Member

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    After using Nod32 for years on my Windows machines, I recently installed ESET on my Macs, and haven't noticed any drop in performance. Sooo...

    Last week, I beat a Mac-using friend on the head until he agreed to try ESET as well. And last night over dinner I ask, So how is it going with ESET on your Mac?

    "HORRIBLE!" he says. "My machine all but ground to a halt before an important conference call with a client! So I uninstalled ESET and the problems vanished."

    "Hmm," sez I. :oops: "That's odd. What were you running?"

    Well, it turns out he was running Parallels and some kind of GoToMeeting type thing. These programs, I know, can be very processor intensive. But he's got the latest, loaded MacBook Air 13" with the Core i7, 4Gigs RAM and 256GB SSD -- exactly they same machine that I'm using right now. And, while I don't run Parallels, I can't imagine this machine grinding to a halt even then -- not because of ESET. The performance loss shouldn't be more than 20%, right?

    So I still want to save my friend from himself. He's STILL in denial about malware on Macs, even though he recently had to take his Mac into the Genius Bar for a Mysterious Memory Problem that they removed. (They called it "a script" and cautioned him to bring the machine in if it ever exhibited similar symptoms, never using the "T" word. I told him about Flashback, informed him that even Apple's website was recommending use of an antivirus, scoffed at his worries than an AV would slow him down -- and now this!) My first thought was he came down with another infection that didn't like ESET. But says he ran a full scan when he first loaded ESET, and it found nothing. Ran Apple's new Flashback removal tool and it too found nothing. So I guess there's a reasonable chance his machine is clean for now.

    I told him last night that perhaps ESET for Mac needs a special setting when running Parallels, but I have looked in all the usual places and found no such warning.

    And now my question is, WHAT'S HE DOING WRONG? :doubt: Is there indeed some special deal with Macs running Parallels? I hate to leave him to his own devices, because he's already fallen prey to one probable Trojan.
     
  2. Janus

    Janus Registered Member

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  3. TechMaven

    TechMaven Registered Member

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    Thanks, Janus -- will show him the page. This is exactly what I was looking for.
     
  4. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    4GB of RAM runs out pretty quickly when running dual operating systems on a machine. He may need to upgrade. No mention of what version of Windows he is running in Parallels. Adding an AV to the mix will likely choke things. Is he running another AV in the Windows installation?

    Also, I know it's just an opinion but I recommend VMWare Fusion over Parallels any day. I got my boss to switch a couple of years ago and it has eliminated 95% of being called into his office to look at his Macbook to see what is wrong with it.
     
  5. Marcos

    Marcos Eset Staff Account

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    I'd suggest contacting Customer care on this matter as further logs will be required for investigation.
     
  6. TechMaven

    TechMaven Registered Member

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    You coud be right about Parallels, but switching is a non-starter with my friend. You're also right about memory, but AFAIK 4Gb is as high as the Air goes.

    I also doubt I'll ever get him interested enough to call customer support, but if the first suggestion fails, I'll give him the number. There's an office politics undercurrent here that makes everything more difficult -- he's a CEO, IT didn't want him to have a Mac and, well, it's complicated, ya know? o_O
     
  7. TechMaven

    TechMaven Registered Member

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    Your other points are good 'uns too. Pretty sure he's running Win7 in Parallels but will double-check -- and you're right of course about any WinAV being a possible trouble-source, so will ask him about that too.

    AND one more thing. I personally hate Parallels, counsel friends not to go near it and have never tried VMWare Fusion. As I mention, my friend won't switch, but you have me intrigued for my own sake. What advantages does it offer? Faster? More stable? Easier to manage?
     
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2012
  8. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    I don't expect your friend to switch as the investment has already been made but I like to steer anybody away from Parallels that I can. Fusion is infinitely more stable, faster, and just easier to use. Not a Mac user myself but my boss has been for the years I have worked for him and when I started he had Parallels. It seems every time there was an update it would be unreliable until there was at least 1 update. It would randomly shut down, and at one point just updating destroyed his Windows install in the VM and we had to start over. I had been using VMWare Workstation for Windows and suggested we try Fusion, which was a new product at the time. The issues since have been minimal, and those were from a forced cold reboot, which I have tried to direct him not to do. Often you can find it on sale. They have a 30 day trial available if it interests you.
     
  9. TechMaven

    TechMaven Registered Member

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    Thanks, Jack. It actually does interest me. When I have an unusually brave moment I'll probably try. :)
     
  10. ziggy123

    ziggy123 Registered Member

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    I am sorry I didn't read this post before installing Parallels on my Mac but be that as it may do I need ESET AV on both operating systems Windows 7 and OSX 10.7.4? Thanks for any help
     
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