Pause then Resume = No Input (prl_vm_app) Goes Wild

D

derbbre

Junior Member
Hi - I have Parallels Desktop for Mac, version 4.0.3540 with a VM running Windows XP, SP3. I use them on a MacBook Pro, early 2008 (Core 2 Duo 2.4Ghz, 4GB RAM). The VM is given 2 CPUs, 512MB RAM, and 64MB Video RAM.

If I boot the VM, then Pause the VM, then Resume the VM, I cannot access the VM. The cursor will move, but I cannot click on nor type into anything. I have Bridged Networking on the VM, and get no response when I ping it's IP address from the Mac or try to connect using Remote Desktop. At the same time, the prl_vm_app process goes wild, taking 100% of my CPU.

For that matter, I can no longer successfully Suspend this VM. When I try, I get the spinner in both the VM window and Dock icon and the same process (prl_vm_app) goes crazy.

Even stranger, when I use Pause/Resume, I can at least Stop the VM and the prl_vm_app will die. When using Suspend, the only way I can get rid of prl_vm_app is to reboot the Mac. I cannot kill it via Activity Monitor, nor from the command line -- even with a 'kill -9'.

While I can still use the VM, I must Start and Stop it every time, rather annoying as Pause is preferred.

Any suggestions?
 
Sorry - fixed it myself.

I had originally set this VM up with PD version 3, giving the VM only 1 CPU. After upgrading to PD 4, I allowed it 2CPUs. After setting the configuration back to 1 CPU, both Pause/Resume and Suspend work fine.

My problem here, for sure, but perhaps PD can warn the user that changing a Windows VM from 1 to 2 CPUs will cause freezes...
 
Thanks

I had this problem too. Your suggestion fixed it. It would be nice if the configure window warned of this problem. Heck, it'd be nice if we could select two processors and not have this problem at all.
 
I spoke too soon. This continues to be a major problem. I am on the latest version of both OS X (10.5.6) and PD4 (3810). For my windows VMs (XP and Vista), suspend is unusable. If I do suspend, once I resume, prl_vm_(any of 'em) go bonkers and until I reboot the guest (an sometimes the host) both guest and host CRAWL.

I just don't use suspend any more, I always shut down.

Not a showstopper I guess, put pretty darn annoying. I had almost no trouble with PD3, but PD4 is a pain.
 
derbbre said:
I spoke too soon. This continues to be a major problem. I am on the latest version of both OS X (10.5.6) and PD4 (3810). For my windows VMs (XP and Vista), suspend is unusable. If I do suspend, once I resume, prl_vm_(any of 'em) go bonkers and until I reboot the guest (an sometimes the host) both guest and host CRAWL.

I just don't use suspend any more, I always shut down.

Not a showstopper I guess, put pretty darn annoying. I had almost no trouble with PD3, but PD4 is a pain.
Click to expand...

Could Parallels come in and have solutions to help people suffering slow response, freeze Activity Monitor, high CPU usage for prl_vm_app, two CPU problem,...... in PD4 3810?!

Any plan to fix and improve PD4 in next release and when to post it?

Thanks!
 
Same here

I am using the most recent build of Parallels on an 8 processor Apple Xserve, and I have 4 processors assigned. I need the speed. I am going to try to switch to 1 processor but this really needs to be addressed. Do the new versions of Parallels have this problem? If not, I don't mind upgrading, but if they do then I am not budging until this gets fixed. We have 30 parallels installations here. I cannot risk the confidence killer this will be if everyone begins to experience this!
 
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