1 Step Forward 3 Steps Backwards - 3.0 is alpha at best

[cmayaud]

Has anyone actually gotten the 3.0 upgrade to work?

I have been using previous versions of Parallels on a MacBook Pro Core Duo to run Vista Enterprise without any problem ... or at least minor inconvenient problems which could be tweaked ...

Overall I had given Parrallels high marks so when they offered the upgrade I didn't hesitate to buy it and when it was released I went ahead and upgraded ... upgraded? Quite the misnomer ...

What a sucker I was ... first there is a new VM format ... so you can't go back unless you revert to one of your previous VMs (which we have all painfully learned to back up often)

Next there was getting the resolution straighten out -- that turned out to be an improper default checked in the Preferences ... okay, that's forgivable but should be immediately fixed so others don't have to suffer through searching these forums just to find out that there is a check box that needs to be unchecked ...

FINALLY, Parallels Tools are UNINSTALLABLE ... no matter what order you try to install the tools -- they NEVER install ... and I don't see ANYONE reporting a solution that is replicateable -- seems to be potluck if it installs at all and even those who finally got it to installed aren't really sure why it finally installed ...

Windows keeps requesting drivers that don't exist (that's your only evidence that Parallels is even trying to install TOOLs)

You can't uninstall Parallels Tools from the VM side or you get a stupid message that says you can't uninstall unless you are running in VM (which, of course, you are or you wouldn't be able to read that worthless message)

And, of course, without the TOOLs -- all of the new feature lauded in the marketing materials aren't available and you are left running a VM which is crippled and is not even half as functional as the previous version ...

AND YOU GET THE PLEASURE OF CONSIDERING BUYING SUPPORT TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE UPGRADE

Why do you need to buy support?

Because literally NO PARALLELS EMPLOYEE ever frequent their own support board to let us know how to fix their crappy release ...

This has got to be an incredibly embarrassing release for the company -- but it doesn't help if they just IGNORE their users who are having problems ...

Even if they just said they know there is a problem and they are working on it, at least we could have SOME Sympathy

Instead we feel like we were HAD -- especially if we got lulled into to thinking that this was a real release that had been properly beta tested ... even a beta release would have been OKAY ... but this isn't even an Alpha grade release ...

Does anyone else feel this way or am I the ONLY ONE who can't get this crappy release to work properly and can't believe anyone would even consider for a moment putting this code into general release -- much less charging existing paying users an additional charge for the privilege of getting hosed in this pseudo-upgrade fiasco? :confused:

[paulj]

you are entirely right - it's a complete disaster. As a technology writer, I can tell you this is exactly what happens to companies before the rug comes out from under them. They have rushed a revision / upgrade to pocket cash, as they are probably aware that the product's days are numbered.

The upgrade is a disaster start to finish, and the company so far isn't behaving any better. Their "tech support" doesn't even exist.

Disgusting, but all too common.

[Purplish]

Works fine for me.

[dkp]

Has anyone actually gotten the 3.0 upgrade to work?


Yes - of course (snipped the rant). Did you contact Parallels via their support email address and request help for your problem? This is not a support BBS - it is a discussion board and a place they can make announcements. But it's a common mistake so you're forgiven.

Not to hijack your rant, but if you don't communicate your issues in the correct channel you won't get much support. This is your second post since March so you haven't even tapped the self-help community here. We can't help if you don't ask. You have not described your system so we can't offer even well-known suggestions.

How about to take a deep breath, start a new thread, calmly list your system, problems, expectations, things you've tried, and we'll see if we can help. Copy the message to support@parallels.com so they can also be working the problem(s).

[brkirch]

FINALLY, Parallels Tools are UNINSTALLABLE ... no matter what order you try to install the tools -- they NEVER install ... and I don't see ANYONE reporting a solution that is replicateable -- seems to be potluck if it installs at all and even those who finally got it to installed aren't really sure why it finally installed ...

Try opening your VM up without starting it and selecting "Prepare Parallels Tools Upgrade..." from the "Actions" menu. Then start up the VM and see if Parallels Tools will install correctly.

[DaveyP]

I had experienced similar problems untill I realised that "Install Parallels Tools..." sets "Parallels Tools setup disk" in the CD/D: drive, from where installation of Parallels Tools can be run and has worked fine for me all the times I've run it.

[AlanH]

This is not a support BBS - it is a discussion board...

The forum is called "Parallels Support Forum" :)

[kb27973]

Well, I'll chime in with my experience since I'm waiting on the UNIX guys to fix the severs at work so I can start Oracle back up... Gotta love AIX clustering.

After some initial problems getting Linux running under 2.5 I had no problems. I then tried the upgrade in a SuperDuper sandbox. Everything went fine. Converted a Linux and Windows XP virtual machine without a hitch. Now I am by no means an experienced user nor a hard core gamer but I've got to say that to me it seems 3.0 is much faster.

Personally I think they have done a good job.

Ken

[buzzdat]

The forum is called "Parallels Support Forum" :)

The Apple support forums are similarly named. I believe that DKP is simply trying to remind folks that this is not the official channel for support from SWSoft. This community is more than willing to help people out with their problems, but only if they clearly state what their problems are <g>.

Based upon recent forum usage, it should probably be renamed to "Parallels Rant Forums" or "bash anyone who has anything good to say about Parallels 3.0 forums" :)

[cmayaud]

Yes - of course (snipped the rant). Did you contact Parallels via their support email address and request help for your problem? This is not a support BBS - it is a discussion board and a place they can make announcements. But it's a common mistake so you're forgiven.

Not to hijack your rant, but if you don't communicate your issues in the correct channel you won't get much support. This is your second post since March so you haven't even tapped the self-help community here. We can't help if you don't ask. You have not described your system so we can't offer even well-known suggestions.

How about to take a deep breath, start a new thread, calmly list your system, problems, expectations, things you've tried, and we'll see if we can help. Copy the message to support@parallels.com so they can also be working the problem(s).

YES this a a RANT ... but really a SUMMARY RANT

1) YES I sent a SUPPORT EMAIL and NO they haven't responded (other than automation)

2) Parallels call this a SUPPORT FORUM and links USERS to it ... which makes total sense to me since "actively managed forums" are a great way for a company to fine tune their products and identify problem and clarify useability issues , etc. etc ... however, "abandoned forums" almost always degenerate with frustration and reverse and good will that might have been had through "active forum management"

3) I try not to post unless there is a reason ... ie If I haved a solution to a Problem or I have a specific problem ... my lack of Posts shows that prior to 3.0 things were pretty good ... solutions to problems were readily available on these foum so there was no need to post problems which had solutions ...

4) I was noticing that there were problems being reported on this board that looked more like they belong on a BETA FORUM -- not a release candidate forum -- and certainly not a current release ...

[cmayaud]

I had experienced similar problems untill I realised that "Install Parallels Tools..." sets "Parallels Tools setup disk" in the CD/D: drive, from where installation of Parallels Tools can be run and has worked fine for me all the times I've run it.


yes but what if you downloaded your upgrade software ... is the solution to burn a CD with the Installer and then reinstall from scratch? ... I haven't tried that yet ... has anyone had success with that approach?

[cmayaud]

Try opening your VM up without starting it and selecting "Prepare Parallels Tools Upgrade..." from the "Actions" menu. Then start up the VM and see if Parallels Tools will install correctly.


The "Actions" Menu selection "Install Tools" doesn't work ... it seems to set up a process which, when you start the VM, make Vista think there is a driver to install ... but the process never completes ...

several peopple have report that you just keep restarting and that eventually it installs ... I've been restarting for a week now and it have never installed (we are talking about Parallels Tools install within the Quest OS .. not the Parallels software in the Host Mac OS which APPEARS to install correctly)

Several reinstalls in the Host os and repeated "reactivations" with license keys appear to proceed normally but still don't properly install the Parallels Tools in the Guest OS (Vista Enterprise)

[fbronner]

Works fine for me also

[dkp]

The Apple support forums are similarly named. I believe that DKP is simply trying to remind folks that this is not the official channel for support from SWSoft. This community is more than willing to help people out with their problems, but only if they clearly state what their problems are <g>.

Based upon recent forum usage, it should probably be renamed to "Parallels Rant Forums" or "bash anyone who has anything good to say about Parallels 3.0 forums" :)

Yup. It's a community support forum. It's where to go to get support for Parallels but not *from* Parallels, necessarily. They are quite consistent about directing support requests to Support@Parallels.com because that is actually funded and staffed.

It always sounds like one is making excuses for them to mention this but the simple truth is the support requirements outstrip the available manpower. It is a bad business decision to staff up to support peak loads because it drives up costs on the back end and does nothing to improve the product. And peak loads will swamp the most overbuilt call center. A humorous example of what can happen when a large segment of the population acts at once. Years ago on the Johnny Carson show he made a joke about low supplies of toilet paper. It was during the gas shortage in the 1970's and was a tie-in joke. Anyway, viewers took it seriously and went to the stores and started buying and stockpiling toilet paper. This actually caused a tp shortage that lasted a very long time, fulfilling the object of the joke. Some stores actually asked customers to return their unused stock which is kind of gross if you think too hard about it.

Fixed resources, dynamic demand, new (buggy) product release, unskilled user base == short fuses, hot tempers, frustrated customers. Ever was it so.

The solution is to encourage, not discourage, volunteers to help out here. When this experience ceases to be rewarding I assure you all it will stop, one disenchanted volunteer at a time. Another useful effort is to try hard to improve the mood of the forum from anger, rage, and frustration to a more positive, "We're all in this together" mood where we actually help each other. There's a reason there are homilies about bad apples spoiling the basket.

First one who says "Kum by ya" gets a whack!

[eriqthegeek]

FWIW, the upgrade and functioning of 3.0 has been flawless for me. Other than being a little disappointed at the over-hyped promises of 3D support, I have no complaints. But for day to day use of standards Windows apps, it works great. And I love the SmartSelect feature.

[twoods]

Same Here, upgraded no problem. So-far-so-good... Parallels tools installed fine. I am running XP pro and not vista enterprise however as it pertains to the orginal post.

Tim

[DaveyP]

yes but what if you downloaded your upgrade software ... is the solution to burn a CD with the Installer and then reinstall from scratch? ... I haven't tried that yet ... has anyone had success with that approach?

Hi cmayaud

I think you've misunderstood my explanation: With the VM running, select "Install Parallels Tools..." from the Parallels menu, then open Windows Explorer (or whatever it is in Vista, I'm an XP boy) and browse the CD/D: drive which should now show the installation "CD" for the Parallels Tools. You run the EXE direct from there (no need to burn a CD - I haven't burnt anything Parallels related in the couple of months I've been using it to get anything to work).

I downloaded the upgrade and experienced the exact same hanging when selecting "Install Parallels Tools...", but it would appear this mounts a virtual CD. It would just have been useful to have known this in advance.

DaveyP

[paulj]

Just got off a 2 hour call with Tech Support, and they can't resolve the problem. There is a flaw with the build that is affecting both network sharing and some printing elements.

SO - They encouraged me to uninstall 3.0 and reinstall the previous version. This, as many of you already know, requires me to ALSO re-install windows, as 3.0 messes with the virtual machine.

About 9 hours down the toilet, and the guys in Moscow (who are the actual programmers) admit that there's a serious flaw.

So for those of you who can use 3.0, well done. For the rest of us, tough luck.

Thanks for everyone's help though!

[Rachel Faith]

First a couple of points:

All you so-called-self-appointed-experts.... Please. Do not talk DOWN to frustrated people. Treat this like a hostage situation and DO NOT make it worse with smug haughty conceit. Really now! If your replies are solid let that and that alone stand for your credibility without actually typing out how great YOU are or how AWESOME your install went. These folks are having real problems and stroking your ego at their expense, unless you WANT them to ask for a refund and go away, serves NO purpose.

Second: Never start with the assumption that the person having the problem is STUPID. Let that be the last resort. Post your first post as if you were talking to someone you are SURE is just as smart and wonderful as you think you are. If they then don't understand what you suggested, THEN.... then you can turn it down a technical notch or two and see how it goes.

Third: If all you have to say is "Ha Ha Mine works, I don't know what yer F'n Problem is Loser".... STFU !! No one needs to hear that s***. OK?

I am appalled at the number of threads I read when a handful of you smugger than thou types jump in and CRUCIFY some poor SOB who's near his wits end after hours or days of frustration.

There are 18 post on this thread and 3.. THREE of them are helpful. And one of them went a little too harsh on the guy IMNSHO.

That should NOT BE the norm.

[cmayaud]

There are 18 post on this thread and 3.. THREE of them are helpful. And one of them went a little too harsh on the guy IMNSHO.

That should NOT BE the norm.

don't worry Rachael ... I didn't take any of the comments as smug ... the reality is this is a crappy release with poor support and lot's of frustrated users -- I didn't see anyone denying that in this thread ...

Truth is I'm open to any suggestion since it's clear no one - smart or dumb - has posted a good solution for the problem anywhere in these forums - YET

Also, BEING SMART is irrelevant in SOFTWARE development ... EVEN A DUMMY should be able to install software, when they can't -- THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR THE COMPANY - not the user ...

The fact that even a DUMMY has to resort to support Forums, MERELY TO INSTALL the software in question, is a pretty good sign the that software version should not have been released in the first place -- even to "smart" beta testers ...

[cmayaud]

Hi cmayaud

I think you've misunderstood my explanation: With the VM running, select "Install Parallels Tools..." from the Parallels menu, then open Windows Explorer (or whatever it is in Vista, I'm an XP boy) and browse the CD/D: drive which should now show the installation "CD" for the Parallels Tools. You run the EXE direct from there (no need to burn a CD - I haven't burnt anything Parallels related in the couple of months I've been using it to get anything to work).

I downloaded the upgrade and experienced the exact same hanging when selecting "Install Parallels Tools...", but it would appear this mounts a virtual CD. It would just have been useful to have known this in advance.

DaveyP

yeah, I tried the "burning CD" approach but, of course, you need "The Tools", which you can't install, already installed to read the CD in the first place ... duh!

I'll try the "reading iso from the VM" approach next and see if that works ... thanks

[paulj]

THIS COMPANY IS A JOKE - they have no clue

Now that they've had me install an OLD version of Parallels, it can't be updated to anything other than 3.0, which is NOT FUNCTIONING.

[Rachel Faith]

THIS COMPANY IS A JOKE - they have no clue

Now that they've had me install an OLD version of Parallels, it can't be updated to anything other than 3.0, which is NOT FUNCTIONING.

Well, last week, I had finally HAD IT up to hear with these kinds of issues, both the technical and the personal or rather complete lack thereof. I finally got a PM and email from 3 different folks... on Friday... all saying they would get back to me next week "We Promise" sorta thing...

Its the end of the day in 2 hours and that leaves 2 days left in the week... My green light is now YELLOW again...

[DaveyP]

yeah, I tried the "burning CD" approach but, of course, you need "The Tools", which you can't install, already installed to read the CD in the first place ... duh!

I'll try the "reading iso from the VM" approach next and see if that works ... thanks

I think you're still not following what I'm saying: You absolutely don't need to burn any CDs with what I'm trying to explain...

1. Launch your VM
2. Launch Windows Explorer and expand My Computer so that you can see the CD Drive (D:)
3. From the Parallels menu select Actions - "Install Parallels Tools..."
4. OK the Parallels warning
5. After a few seconds (3-5 for me), the CD Drive should show "Parallels Tools setup disk"
6. You can then launch PrlTools.exe from the root contents of the CD Drive to install the tools

If this is what you've followed step-for-step already, then I apologise, but it doesn't sound like you have and from my experience this has worked every time (and I'm only saying this to impress that I believe it's a viable solution).

I also apologise to Rachel if I'm the smug haughty guy of her earlier post: I don't mean to be, I know how frustrating it can be when you're trying to get something to work. I'm just trying to assist and I'm not sure I've explained thoroughly in earlier posts.

[Olivier]

Has anyone actually gotten the 3.0 upgrade to work?
...

Yes, with much success and using it all day long to work.

[balkanboris]

No problems at all with 3.0 Sorry for those that have. Noticeably faster with much better memory management. Installation also went without issue. Running XP Pro VM.

[cmayaud]

I think you're still not following what I'm saying: You absolutely don't need to burn any CDs with what I'm trying to explain...

1. Launch your VM
2. Launch Windows Explorer and expand My Computer so that you can see the CD Drive (D:)
3. From the Parallels menu select Actions - "Install Parallels Tools..."
4. OK the Parallels warning
5. After a few seconds (3-5 for me), the CD Drive should show "Parallels Tools setup disk"
6. You can then launch PrlTools.exe from the root contents of the CD Drive to install the tools

If this is what you've followed step-for-step already, then I apologise, but it doesn't sound like you have and from my experience this has worked every time (and I'm only saying this to impress that I believe it's a viable solution).

No, I did understand and tried that ... it didn't work but it's the reason it didn't work that offers the solutions to the problem which I will post separate but it's you guidance that lead me to the solution ...

the trouble is that if the upgrade fails to install Parallels Tools the first time through, the VM itself is "crippled because it can't "see" any CD Drive (iso or otherwise) because it doesn't have the necessary drivers ... this is why you can no longer use the installer to install Parallels Tool because it must "see" the ISO ...

BUT you can't see the "iso" using explorer nor can you use an install disk because it can't use your CD Drive so creating a CD doesn't work either (it has nothing to do with configuring the VM, the guest operating sytem doesn't have the driver installed which are require for it to read the installer ISO)

So the problem to solve becomes: how to get a copy of the Parallels Tools Installer "inside" a VM which doesn't have the drivers required to read CDs (neither real CD Drive nor ISOs are Readable without the new drivers) ...

Although it has taken me a couple of hours I have the solution which I'll post separately ...

Thanks a million DaveyP, you at least got me to focus on the path that leads to the solution!!!!!

[cmayaud]

The Situation:

You are upgrading an existing VM to 3.0



The Parallels Software on the Host Mac Grades fine and the VM appears to upgrade to the new format. You start up you upgraded VM. Yes you have problems starting it up (yes you have to reduce your memory to 1000 from 1500 and yes you have to unclick the MacOS resoltuion check box talked about elsewhere on these forums) but you finally get it to start up and the screen resolution problem is solved.

Now you try to install "Parallel Tools" from the ACTIONS menu ... it seems to run okay but nothing happens in the VM. so you try restarting a few times and still the Parallels Tools won't install ...

Welcome to the "VM Twilight Zone"

Nothing you can do now will install the Parallels tools because you now have a VM which no longer has the Drivers required to see either ISO Disk images (required for the automated install) nor can you just create a CD image of the Parallels Installer because your VM can't read CD's anymore ...

So the Problem to solve reduces to --

[I]"How can I manually get a copy of the Parallels Installer into a VM which can't read ISO or real peripheral devices because it nolonger has the required drivers ....

THE SOLUTION

STEP 1: Create or Use another BOOTABLE VM

[In my case I've been using Parallels for awhile so I have learned to not only make frequent rotating VM backups but I also have "RESCUE VMs". A "Rescue VM" is another bootable VM in the same OS as your normal VM BUT it only has a virgin install of the OS plus you favorite disk repair utilities ... The "Rescue VM" is configured so that one of it's hard drives is the VM you want to rescue ... That way if your production VM suddenly doesn't boot or becomes corrupt, you just launch your rescue VM and often just the process of launching the rescue VM will repair the attached Corrupt VM, if it doesn't, you can still use your disk utilities to try to fix it, and if that doesn't work you can just grab all the files on the VM which have changed, or are new, since your last backup ... that way, even if you have to REVERT to a backup, you at least haven't lost ANY data ...]

It turns out the 3.0 upgrade CAN upgrade VMs without too much trouble IF THEY ARE simple (meaning just the OS and not much else) ... so you can try upgrading a rescue VM like I did or you can create a new bootable VM from scratch (remember to save a copy of this VM cause you don't want to have to do this every time you need a new bootable VM)


STEP 2: Configure your NEW VM to launch your OLD VM as a HARD DRIVE

STEP 3: Configure your New VM to Share the entire Mac Hard drive

(this is in "the shared folders" settings -- you have to create a share icon which refers to THE ENTIRE MAC Hard Drive -- not just a folder on your Mac)

STEP 4: Configure your NEW VM to launch an additional CD-ROM which is based on an ISO (not real CD-ROM) called vmtools.iso (the path is Library\Parallels\Tools\vmtools.iso ... if you can't find it, remember there are 2 Library directories on your mac -- it's NOT in the Users\Library\Parallels directory)

STEP 5: Launch Your new VM

Once you are booted up on y9ur new VM you should now be able to click on you old VM and open it like a peripheral Hard Drive.

You should also be able to open your new CD Rom which runs the vmtools.iso. If you can't read my note at the end of this post for another approach.

STEP 6: create a new folder on in the DESKTOP directory of your OLD VM and copy all the contents of the vmtools.iso into it ...

now you have the Parallels Tools Installer manually copied to a folder on the desktop of YOUR OLD VM.

STEP 7: shut down your new VM and startup your OLD VM

STEP 8: Now launch the Parallels Installer located in the folder you created on your desktop of your old VM...

Voila! Parallels Tools now installs both the proper drivers and all the new features of 3.0...


Whether or not this process was worth it remains to be seen .. but it works ...


NOTE: I bypassed Step 4 because, in the process of discovering the solution I had already converted the vmtools.iso into a CD-ROM so I used the CD-ROM as the source for the installer ... remember, you still need the rest of the steps because your old VM can't read CD-ROMs until you finish the upgrade so you need the New VM to effect the manual transfer of the installer to you old VM ...

Took forever ... but it works and I've been able to reproduce that it works several times ... now if only the Parallels Support People would look at this forum once in awhile we might save alot of heartache among disgruntled Upgraders :)

[dkp]

Took forever ... but it works and I've been able to reproduce that it works several times ... now if only the Parallels Support People would look at this forum once in awhile we might save alot of heartache among disgruntled Upgraders :)

Nice work!

[DaveyP]

Glad you got it sorted! Sorry I kept banging on!

[ihadmeavision]

I had no issues installing v.3 over my previous one. The only problem was that I couldn't get any network connection although Windows XP said everything was dandy. I finally got it to work after I launched Parallel Tools from the Taskbar, selected Network Driver and unchecking the Enabled box for the driver options. It then proceeded to quickly install something (which surprised me), and I don't know what it installed as it did it too quickly. I think it was a driver although I thought I was disabling it?!? Anyway internet connectivity finally happened. Just though maybe this could help someone else. ::I::

Mac Pro
Mac OS 10.4.9
Parallels v.3
Windows XP Pro SP2

[rgh1parallels]

I admire the persistence that cmayaud exhibits in pursuit of this solution. And even though I came into the forum looking for precisely this solution, I decided not to try it because I simply did not wish to waste more time than I already had by buying, downloading and installing 3.0 only to find that I had to uninstall it and start from scratch to get back to where I had started. I do not use Parallels for fun; I use it for work. When I buy a tool to work with I expect it to function as advertised. When it doesn't I move on to the something else. It should be apparent to the Parallels folk by now that they have a problem with this release. They should at a minimum be addressing that in their KB. So far the only solution I have really gleaned from this thread that I find attractive is asking for a refund. Anyone happen to know how that might work?

[brkirch]

the trouble is that if the upgrade fails to install Parallels Tools the first time through, the VM itself is "crippled because it can't "see" any CD Drive (iso or otherwise) because it doesn't have the necessary drivers ... this is why you can no longer use the installer to install Parallels Tool because it must "see" the ISO ...

I understand that the Parallels Tools install fails and leaves the CD/DVD driver in a broken state, but can't you go to the device manager and reinstall just the CD/DVD driver? After all the initial CD/DVD driver should just be a generic one, that was from the Windows install CD.

[dep11]

I had no issues installing v.3 over my previous one. The only problem was that I couldn't get any network connection although Windows XP said everything was dandy. I finally got it to work after I launched Parallel Tools from the Taskbar, selected Network Driver and unchecking the Enabled box for the driver options. It then proceeded to quickly install something (which surprised me), and I don't know what it installed as it did it too quickly. I think it was a driver although I thought I was disabling it?!? Anyway internet connectivity finally happened. Just though maybe this could help someone else. ::I::

Mac Pro
Mac OS 10.4.9
Parallels v.3
Windows XP Pro SP2
For "Ihadmeavision"---I tried what I thought you suggested but when I highlight "network driver" in the Parallels Tool Center I get, under Network Driver Options the following: "Your virtual machine configuation does not include network adapter" and there is nothing 'enabled' for me to uncheck. What am I missing?

[rkuberek]

Is there a way to back out 3.0 to 2.5x?

Robert

[gecko]

I tried upgrading to 3.0 last week from Build 3188, which was working great. I then couldn't get Windows XP Pro to work in my VM at all. I figured it was me, so I had my husband try (software developer with 15+ years experience). After 4 hours of scouring this forum for tips and trying various things, he gave up. He rolled my system back to 3188 and everything was fine again. I wasn't trying anything fancy, I just wanted to boot up my VM and run my Quickbooks and I couldn't. I can't even run v 2.5.

I have sent a request for a refund today, and hopefully I get it soon.

[dpie79@gmail.com]

YES this a a RANT ... but really a SUMMARY RANT

1) YES I sent a SUPPORT EMAIL and NO they haven't responded (other than automation)

2) Parallels call this a SUPPORT FORUM and links USERS to it ... which makes total sense to me since "actively managed forums" are a great way for a company to fine tune their products and identify problem and clarify useability issues , etc. etc ... however, "abandoned forums" almost always degenerate with frustration and reverse and good will that might have been had through "active forum management"

3) I try not to post unless there is a reason ... ie If I haved a solution to a Problem or I have a specific problem ... my lack of Posts shows that prior to 3.0 things were pretty good ... solutions to problems were readily available on these foum so there was no need to post problems which had solutions ...

4) I was noticing that there were problems being reported on this board that looked more like they belong on a BETA FORUM -- not a release candidate forum -- and certainly not a current release ...



I was sad to hear that you received no reply to your email request for support. It seems to be an issue with the entire company as I sent in an email to their customer service department with some general questions and never received a response either. When I finally decided to call them a week later (at the number that their auto response email sent me) I was forwarded to their sales department and they did not seem to know anything about a customer service department or what number I might call to get in touch with them.