Installing Windows on MacBook Pro M1 with Parallels: A Frustrating but Not Impossible Task

As a long-time user of Parallels on my Mac to develop LabVIEW code for Windows, I was excited to try installing Windows 11 on my new MacBook Pro M1. Unfortunately, it has been a challenging and frustrating experience so far. In this article, I'll share my journey and the difficulties I've encountered.

My goal is to install Windows 11 x86 on my MacBook Pro M1 using Parallels, but I'm encountering an architecture mismatch error that prevents me from doing so. I've tried installing Windows 11 ARM instead, which was relatively straightforward. However, my main issue remains getting Windows x86 installed and configured properly.

I've been working with UTM (a frontend to QEMU) to try and get Windows x86 up and running. After trying around 25 different Windows 11 snapshots, I haven't had any luck installing even the most basic add-ons like DAQ. I was able to install the base LV with the math toolbox, but nothing else.

I've also experienced issues with NI-Max, which consistently kills Windows whenever I try to install it. This has made it difficult for me to boot into Windows and access my projects. LabVIEW does install, but I'm struggling to get VI Package Manager working due to dependency issues with various packages.

If you're facing similar challenges, I recommend keeping snapshots of your Parallels VMs as you progress. You never know when you might need to revert back to an earlier version.

Macbook pro m1 parallels windows