Mac OS + VirtualBox (or VMware Fusion) + ISBoxer = can it work?

[Akima]

I tried multiboxing for a few months several years ago and I had a blast. I am now interested in getting back into it, but I have since moved to an iMac (for non-gaming reasons obviously). Warcraft has been working fine on the iMac, so it wasn't an issue so far. But now I find that all the good multiboxing software options only work in a Windows environment.

Unfortunately I can't afford to buy a new gaming PC at this time, so I am looking at my other options.

One that came up, is that I could use VirtualBox (or VMware Fusion) to have a virtual machine running Windows, in which I could run Warcraft and ISBoxer.

Could this setup work? If not, what alternatives could I look at?

Note1: I'm not interested in using BootCamp as I don't want to split my hard drive space. If it's possible to run it using a separate external hard drive for the Windows partition, then this option could perhaps work, but I'm not sure if that's even possible or if the performance would work for multiboxing.

Note2: I currently have 4 accounts (2 active, 2 inactive), so this setup would be for 3 or 4 boxing, depending on how many accounts I decide to re-activate. I don't do 5 accounts because my husband also plays (1 account), so I leave at least 1 spot free to play together.

[Lax]

One that came up, is that I could use VirtualBox (or VMware Fusion) to have a virtual machine running Windows, in which I could run Warcraft and ISBoxer.
Note1: I'm not interested in using BootCamp as I don't want to split my hard drive space. If you don't want to split your hard drive space, I don't think you can avoid that by using a VM to solve the problem?
Could this setup work? If not, what alternatives could I look at? It should technically work, assuming your VM can provide the performance you're looking for. Boot Camp obviously is an option that I believe most Mac users around here are familiar with and probably have tried. Parallels may also work? I know less about that option myself to say.
If it's possible to run it using a separate external hard drive for the Windows partition, then this option could perhaps work, but I'm not sure if that's even possible or if the performance would work for multiboxing. I'm no expert on Boot Camp in particular, but if it's anything like other similar software it should let you use basically whatever drive you want. Certainly you can use an eSata drive (Macs have this sort of thing, right?), even an SSD, and perform just fine.

[Akima]

If you don't want to split your hard drive space, I don't think you can avoid that by using a VM to solve the problem?

The difference (from what I understand) is that BootCamp locks up a predetermine amount of space. So I would up front have to set a partition of, lets say 500gb, for the Windows partition. This is space that is 'lost' from the Mac side as it is now reserved for the Windows partition, wether I use it or not.

Using something like VirtualBox or VMware Fusion, I think you can set a kind of 'flexible' size. Meaning that even if I assign it a 500gb size, it won't reserve all that space up front, and instead will only use the space it needs, up to the set maximum of 500gb.

[Jeremiah]

Hey mate,

I have used WoW on my iMac for years and it's a great machine for it and I tried for a VERY long time to find a way to box on mac but it just isn't viable. Bootcamp really is the only way to get something that is viable and enjoyable to play but you've ruled that option out.

In the end I bit the bullet and bought a low price PC for boxing on low resolutions for slaves and decent resolution for master.

I really hope you find a way to make boxing work on the mac but in my experience it just isn't possible, unless you're keen to write your own software suite to make it work.

Peace

[Svpernova09]

I've done Windows 7 via Bootcamp and was able to run 4x Diablo 3 at low settings on a MacBook Pro w/ Nvidia graphics. Wasn't very enjoyable. I believe bootcamp is going to be the best bet performance wise because you should get closer to the "metal" of the machine VS virtual machines