starting Windows a Windows app automatically

starting Windows or a Windows app automatically

I switched from Windows to the Mac about a year ago and, when I did, I wanted to be able to use some specific Windows apps that either do not have Mac versions or that I don't have the Mac version for. I installed Parallels, Windows 8 and the Windows apps I needed and have occasionally used them. I am running Mavericks and Parallels 8.

I now find that I need to use one of my Windows apps regularly (Photoshop CS 5) and also that my current photo editing software will not allow me to call a Windows app as an external editor unless Windows is already running. In an attempt to fix this problem I first set the Windows app to automatically run when I boot my Mac. That worked (really well, actually) but I could not find a way to have the app start in minimized mode so I did not have to minimize it manually every time I booted. I next tried setting the Parallels Desktop to run when I boot but that gave me the same issue. The Parallels Desktop starts in the Windows full screen app and the desktop link has to be clicked to actually go to the Windows Desktop. I know that fixing either problem is only a single click but I would like to just have Windows (or the app) just start and park itself nicely in the dock. That leaves me with two questions.

1) Is there any way to configure a Windows app to start minimized? And, if not,
2) Is there any way to set the Parallels Desktop to actually start Windows in it's desktop screen?

One more question. When I first set up my MBP I assumed I would not need too much space for Windows and I allocated 60 GB for it. That has worked well, but I now have only 20 GB left and, if I am going to be using Windows regularly, perhaps I should give it more space. Is there any way for me to increase the size I allocated for Windows? I have plenty of SSD space but I don't know how I can increase the space I originally allocated for Windows. It does not seem to be an actual partition so I don't know how to change the configuration. If it is of any importance I am not running in Coherence Mode.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

Hello MikeFromMesa,

Please follow the steps as suggested below:

1. To configure a Windows app to start minimized:
> Right-click on the shortcut of the program you want to start minimized and select Properties.
> Click on the drop-down menu under Run.
> Select "Minimized," then click the Apply & OK button.

2. To start Windows 8 in it's desktop screen:
> Start Windows 8 Virtual Machine.
> Right-click any open area in the task bar, then click Properties.
> Click the Navigation tab, then check the box next to Go to the desktop instead of Start when I sign in. Restart Windows 8 and let us know how does it work.

3. Please follow the steps suggested at http://kb.parallels.com/113972 to give more hard disk space to Windows Virtual Machine.

 

Thank you for your post. I was playing around with this earlier today and found the property you mention.

I tried this but ran into a problem due, perhaps, to my misunderstanding your instructions. You say to right-click any open area in the task bar. I assume you mean in the Windows desktop since there does not seem to be a task bar in the start screen (or perhaps I am clicking in the wrong place?). But when I right-click on the desktop task bar and open the properties page I do not have a Navigation tab. I only have "Taskbar", "Jump Lists" and "Toolbars" and none of those contain a setting to Go to the desktop. And, for what it is worth, I booted up an old Windows laptop I have that is running Windows 8 and could not find a Navigation tab when I right-clicked on the Windows desktop task bar either. As I said, perhaps I am misunderstanding your instructions.

In an attempt to solve this problem myself I installed Start8 which automatically starts the desktop and, although this solution works, I am not particularly happy with it since I would rather not have a 3rd party app solve this problem for me. If I can figure out what you are telling me to do I will uninstall Start8.

Thank you. I will do that. And, since you work for Parallels, perhaps you can tell me how much extra space I might need for Windows on my MBP if I plan to upgrade to Parallels 9 over 8. With so little space available I have refrained from upgrading to either Parallels 9 or Windows 8.1

Thank you.

 

Subsequent post (since I cannot be sure if this reply will get posted before or after my earlier reply I am remarking that this one is second).

Ah. I did some Googling and found that the method you are suggesting works for Windows 8.1, but I am running Windows 8.0 and this process is not available for that release.