How to avoid feeling stupid about upgrade failures...

[dland]

Advice: Don't move Parallels.app after installing it -- the installer doesn't seem to like it, and you'll feel like a darned fool for not realizing that this was your problem all along.

Now, the rest of the story...

I downloaded and ran the build 1940 installer, and afterwards, when I ran Parallels from my dock icon and powered on the virtual machine, I got this:

Error occurred while trying to interact with Parallels
driver! Parallels Desktop is either not installed or/and
configured or has integrity problems, which prevent it
from operating properly. Please reinstall the Parallels
Desktop.

I Googled for this error and found that others had experienced this issue: several had.

The symptom that led to the solution was that the "About" box said that I was still running version 1848: the application wasn't really being updated.

Why?

Turns out that I had moved the Parallels application *after installation* into a "Windows" folder of my "Applications" folder... The 1940 installer couldn't replace what it couldn't find, so my dock icon remained bound to the version that was hidden away in the folder.

Advice: leave the installed app where it is: I suspect that the Parallels folks will figure out a way around this eventually, because it's always been pretty much up to the user where he or she wants to keep his or her apps...

[David Corrales]

There probably aren't any checks for installations elsewhere. Usually this is the case, but still could be somehow considered a "bug".
You'd expect -both- versions to work fine if it isn't though.

[DavidH]

There probably aren't any checks for installations elsewhere. Usually this is the case, but still could be somehow considered a "bug".
You'd expect -both- versions to work fine if it isn't though.


After updating to build 1940, now get the XP operating system can't be found, as though the entire, previously running fine, intallation was destroyed.
Nothing was moved/removed during or after updating.
Is this what your were referring to in your post, David?

Our Mac acts like we have to reinstall XP Pro; we do have a recent editable disc image saved to an Intel iMac duo, but do not know what goes where in Parallels.
Thanks for any clues. :confused:

David

[dland]

There probably aren't any checks for installations elsewhere. Usually this is the case, but still could be somehow considered a "bug".
You'd expect -both- versions to work fine if it isn't though.

I guess I would consider it a bug if I was the developer... :)

It's been a long-standing Mac tradition that the contents of the hard drive belong to the user, not to developers. For many years, most applications were not installed with an installer: the user just put the application where they wanted it to be. Developing for the Mac has always required more of developers than other platforms in terms of accomodating the user: it's one of the reasons we love it so much as users.

The OS provides ways to say "Where is application so-and-so?" (it's how applications are launched by double-clicking their documents): the proper application of those methods to this upgrade would be dandy. Otherwise, I've seen upgraders that ask you to manually locate the old application.

As for "You'd expect -both- versions to work fine," that would depend on whether there are dependencies that are not within the app itself (things installed under /System/Library or /Users/<user>/Library, for instance). If a Library file outside the app is changed by the install, then the old app may not play nice with it.

[dland]

I just noticed that everyone on this thread is named David.

[joem]

People get into a lot of trouble using Apple's auto update if they've moved files that Apple wants to update.

In the old days (OS9 and earlier) one could mostly put applications anywhere, but in OSX, applications that use an installer must be installed in specific locations, although some installers allow the user to choose a location. Once an app is installed, it isn't safe to move it unless you understand it well. The installer installs a receipt file with details about component locations, and files can't be moved without updating that file.

In the case of Parallels, it installs an application in the applications directory, and support files such as kernel extensions elsewhere. App and kernel extensions of different versions don't play together, and in the case of Parallels, an upgrade requires restarting the Mac before Parallels can be used. The update for any app knows where the app was installed and looks there for files to replace.

If you really want an app someplace else, create an alias for it and put the alias where you want it. Never move an app installed with an installer unless you really understand its innards and know it's safe since it usually isn't.

[David Corrales]

Maybe you need to rebuild the drivers? I have to do that everytime I update parallels or my kernel. Linux here btw.

[dland]

JoeM: Thanks for your reply... I had forgotten to consider the difference between "drag-installed" applications and those that use an installer. I certainly can understand the need for a complex app like Parallels, which I think we all can agree is practically magic, to be in the latter camp.

I am familiar with using aliases to make applications available from other places, but the reason I move apps is to remove clutter in my applications folder. Creating aliases would only make more clutter :-).

[joem]

Create a "My Applications" folder and put aliases for all the apps you use regularly in it. Presto -- no clutter where you live -- it's now all under the rug, so to speak.