Parrallels on Mac, Question about RAM

matt.finn

I have an 8gb MacBook Pro and I often need Windows for certain programs.

Basically I was wondering if I assign 4gb of the RAM to Parallels is the RAM only divided when parallels is running and does osx retain all 8gb if the memory when the app is closed

Stuxnet

RAM usage is dynamic, so essentially you are allocating a limit/cap on what you want you want to guest OS to have access to. It will only use what it needs at a certain time, up to the limit you set. Your not taking away from the host machines ram at all. So in short, give it 4gb, no hassles. You'll still have 8gb on the host machine when you shut down parallels !! That cant change, as its physical ram, as opposed to the virtual ram you have allocated for windows !

matt.finn

Cheers, Thats what I was thinking but I wasn't entirely sure.