Can I Upgrade Windows OS and Copy Old Virtual Machine?

Discussion in 'Windows Virtual Machine' started by judger48193, Feb 25, 2010.

  1. judger48193

    judger48193 Member

    Messages:
    54
    HELP!!!!

    I currently have Parallels 3.0 for Mac, Build 5608. I have a virtual machine with a Windows 2000 Professional Guest OS and lots of apps running on it. My apps are starting to lose support under Win 2000. Apparently there is no clear upgrade path to a better supported OS like XP (Or is there?).

    I am trying to wean myself from Windows but the apps won't let me. If I was to bite the bullet and get a new Windows version, XP say, could I create a new virtual machine, install the Windows XP OS as a guest and then migrate or copy all of the data and apps to the new virtual machine? Notice, I say MIGRATE or COPY. I am pretty sure that I do not have the means to re-install all of these old apps.

    Is this a pipe dream or can it be done? If so, how would I do it?

    Thank you for your thoughts.

    PS: I would also probably install the last build for 3.0 for MAC or even go to 4.0 or whatever on the new virtual machine to allow me to upgrade my MAC OS 10.5.8 to 10.6 to get the 64 bit efficiencies.

    HELP!!!!!!!
     
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2010
  2. judger48193

    judger48193 Member

    Messages:
    54
    Disappointed!

    I am quite disappointed that somebody from Parallels support has failed to address this thread in over 2 weeks. This is definitely related to upgrading guest machines and migrating the old one to it. It also addresses the need to move to newer Parallels versions.

    I believe that I have provided very specific information regarding the environments.

    HELP!!!!
     
  3. Elric

    Elric Parallels Team

    Messages:
    1,718
    Hi,
    I think that the best option is to take trial of Parallels Desktop 5.0 and try.

    The only caveat (I don't familiar with upgrades, so my conclusion is based on information from internet) is that you need to have WinXP Professional to make upgrade from Win2000 to XP (upgrade definitely will not work with Home edition of XP)

    You definitely need Parallels Desktop 5.0, because 3.0 won't work on Snow Leopard

    Also, Parallels should suggest to create a backup of PD3.0 VM, I'd recommend to accept it. Also, I think that it worth to backup the converted from 3.0 to 5.0 Win2k machine before starting the upgrade from Win2k to XP.

    That's all that I know about subject :)
     
  4. judger48193

    judger48193 Member

    Messages:
    54
    Elric, thank you for your comments.

    Although I have been using my iMac for a while, I use it mostly to run my Win 2000 guest OS to use my apps there. I am definitely still a Mac newbie.

    I have only created one guest OS under Mac OS 10.5 by transferring from my old Win 2000 PC over my network to the iMac - worked well. My Windows guest OS is called "Microsoft Windows 2000". I have not ever upgraded the Parallels 3.0 release that I am using.

    Are you telling me that I can download a trial copy of Version 5.0 or maybe 4.0 for free to test? How do I do that?

    I thought that my initial conversion strategy would be to convert my current Win 2000 guest OS to the new Windows XP guest OS before attempting to upgrade Parallels for Mac OS 10.6 or Snow Leopard. This is so I can take it in steps. Can one Parallels guest OS be copied or migrated to a new Parallels guest OS? If so, how?

    I am also aware from Internet searches that one can't upgrade from Win 2000 to anything but Win XP Professional. However, my Win 2000 PC was built for me and I do not have any Win 2000 system disk - I do have an old Win 98 system disk. So, I was going to build a new guest OS for Win XP and "Migrate" my old Win 2000 apps. Part of my original question was whether that is possible and how it should be done. Any suggestions? ANYONE?

    Going back to my "Mac newbie" comment, how would I backup my old "Microsoft Windows 2000" guest OS on my Mac? Can I, say, just Copy the Mac desktop icon to my Time Machine Backup Drive while it is open?

    Thank you, again. I hope that I can salvage my old Win 2000 environment by upgrading to a newer Win OS like XP until I can figure out a strategy for going to the Mac and still keep my aging Windows apps going.
     
  5. Elric

    Elric Parallels Team

    Messages:
    1,718
    Exactly! http://www.parallels.com/download/desktop/


    You definitely need to upgrade first Parallels Desktop from 3.0 to 5.0 before upgrading Mac OS.

    What about upgrading first Win2k to WinXP or first PD3.0 to 5.0 - I think it doesn't matter


    I believe that it this question is not connect with Parallels.. here is the same situation as physical machines

    afaik, the CD with Win2k is not required to perform upgrade

    This is the question for which I don't know the answer..


    Likely, you virtual machine files are located somewhere in Home/Documents/Parallels/Win2000. Just copy the whole folder to the backup drive. There is nothing used outside of this folder. Just check that size of this folder is normal - it should be big, I think >= 2GB
     
  6. judger48193

    judger48193 Member

    Messages:
    54
    Elric, thank you again. The ideas on Parallels upgrade testing and Mac backups are very helpful.

    It has been so long since I upgraded a Windows version that I may have some bad information and ideas about what's involved. I thought that I need to totally create a new Win XP guest OS and reinstall all of my old apps which I am not sure I have any more. That's what all of those convoluted questions were about on migrating and copying from Win 2000 to Win XP guest OS machines.

    Do I understand that I can just get a Win XP Professional upgrade disk versus a full version of XP and just run it on my old Win 2000 without messing up my old apps, creating a backup copy before proceeding, of course?
     
  7. Elric

    Elric Parallels Team

    Messages:
    1,718
    Of course I cannot state this, nobody knows what problems can be there. It is just my personal opinion. But for me it seems that it is the most convinient way to try.

    May be another option is to search the Web for discovering a way of transfering installed applications from Win2k to WinXP, but I don't know whether such solutions exist
     

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