Suggested setup for cross-browser testing in a Windows XP VM on a Mac?

Question

I have windows XP set up on a VM on my mac running only IE6. I used to use this: http://spoon.net/browsers/ to test on IE7 and 8 but it requires that I have .Net framework installed on my VM, which I'd rather not do. Any suggestions for the optimal setup for cross-browser testing with a VM on a mac?

Answer 1

I use one small 512MB VM for each of IE6, 7, and 8.

My Macbook Pro has 4G of Ram, and I can open all 3 at once, but I tend to just do 1 at a time so I don't have to close applications or swap.

Answer 2

This will help a bit with the IE7 and IE8 testing:

http://ipinfo.info/netrenderer/

Ultimately, your best bet is to just have more than one VM configuration. I use a Mac Pro for my main system, with VMWare Fusion for Windows emulation. With that setup, I have:

• One VM with Windows XP and IE6
• One VM with Vista and IE7
• One VM with Win7 and IE8.

This allows me to test all three platforms in a much better way than I could with just a screenshot service. I can interact with the sites, see the JavaScript, CSS and Ajax in action, etc.

Answer 3

An easier approach might be to use IETester, which is a standalone browser that uses a variable JavaScript engine to emulate multiple versions of IE.

Answer 4

User IE collection to install multiple versions of IE on the same Windows PC.

IF you want to automate this process, check BrowserSeal