Unable to switch to Coherence in Parallels 7 with a Windows 7 guest

Same experiences and problems here. As posted on related forum: This is all just awful and the worst Parallels upgrade in history. Please get the Coherence - Multi Display issues fixed, I mean really fixed ASAP

 

A Working Resolution!

The latest suggestion I received from support works!. This worked for me given one caveat.

NOTE: For this to work I had to perform the steps using the "primary" LCD (this is the display the Apple Logo is on during boot).


1. Unplug all the monitors except primary monitor

2. Parallels Menu bar -> Virtual Machine -> Reinstall Parallels tools.

3. Restart VM.

3. Go to the coherence mode.

4. Plug in your other LCDs


This is on a late 2010 Mac Pro with ATI HD 5770 and 3 external LCDs (2 via mini DP w/ dual-link adapters and one DVI). I believe it was the mini-DP towards the edge of the case that was my primary connection.

 

ESET Version 5

To those who have recently upgraded ESET anti-virus/internet security to version 5 there is a new feature which is stopping coherence mode and possibly some other Parallels features from working. In order to use both ESET v5 and Parallels:
-Open ESET
-Click Setup
-Click the word 'Enabled' next to HIPS under the computer section on the right
-Take the checkbox out of the 'Enable HIPS' and click OK
-Restart the virtual machine

All Parallels features should now be working correctly and you are equally protected against viruses etc as version 4 of the ESET software.

Hope this helps!

 

That almost worked for me, up until i hooked back up my 3rd lcd... at which time i got the same error message...

darn. was really about to buy this software.

r.

 

Great, thanks for this.

Better than Parallels support that is for sure!

 

I just upgraded today and am also having this issue. I'm currently working around it by using full screen on one of my monitors, but this isn't an acceptable long term solution.

Please fix it, and please make sure you test previous version functionality before you release a new version.

 

I've tried a bunch of the above-recommended fixes and none work through a reconfiguration of my monitor configuration as I undock/dock my 2011 (Thunderbolt) MBP. As the a s/w development team lead, I'm pretty shocked that Parallels allows such a serious regression behavior to find its way into a release. Perhaps they rushed v7 out the door without completing the test suite due to competitive pressure from VMware?

 

I have the same problem. I have a dual videocard Mac Pro with 4 monitors. Coherence does not work, with the same error as described here.

While it does help to unplug all but the main monitor, this is an unacceptable solution. Please fix this if you want me to pay for the upgrade.

 

I have exactly the same configuration and the same problem -- 8Gb 27" iMac/Lion/Parallels Desktop 7/Windows 7. As soon as I disconnected my external display, coherence began to work normally. As soon as I reconnected it, I got the error message that instructed me to change settings or contact Parallels support. Obviously, my experience and the experiences of most users in this thread confirm that there is no change in display settings that will work. This is clearly a bug that didn't exist in Desktop 6. Like most respondents, I also don't like paying more to get less. Bad PR!!!

I'm surprised that no Parallels technical consultant has contributed to this thread. Also, bad PR.

 

Same issue with multiple monitors

Coherence won't run for me either after the upgrade to 7 and using multiple monitors. It was so nice in v6. I hope a fix is released soon.

 

Same problem here spent 2 hours on the phone with tech support for this issue then was told it was a known problem and that they are working on it...

 

Took two hours to tell you it was a known problem?

 

It's listed on the "known issues" page now. Wish I had all the time back that I've spent screwing with it.

They NEVER should have released this product but I guess us "users" are the best beta testers. Really...the BEST.....we PAID THEM to test their product...

 

Guys,

I found out for you with multiple monitors that if you say have 2 cards that coherence will ONLY fail on the monitor that is plugged into the 2nd DVI port. If you move your guest window to any of the primary monitors it should go into coherence mode.

I ran through all the steps with support that they are currently recommending which do not work if you want to have your coherence running say off your 2nd monitor ( as I don't like windows taskbar/startmenu sitting above my mac dock).

See other thread here
http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?p=461493&posted=1#post461493

 

Multi monitor in coherence

Downloaded the latest update this morning. Coherence seems to be working with 3 monitors..... Finally!!!

 

Coherence is fixed

Yes, coherence is fixed for me but multi-monitor support is still not what I expect. See my reply to the other thread here:

http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=114064

 

Truth is stranger than fiction

I just lost my coherence mode - tried restarting - reinstalling tools - etc.

Finally dragged the Single Window from Monitor 2 to Monitor 1 - and then it worked.

Note that I have a MacbookPro and a Thunderbolt to DVI Apple Cinema Display setup such that the Cinema Display has the Menu bar and the built-in monitor has the Dock - I also have a DisplayLink connected to a third monitor - and can put VM windows on any of the three monitors.

Mac OS X 10.8 with DisplayLink 1.8

 

You Are A Genius

YOU ARE AWESOME. I have an iMac with two accounts, and could never get Coherence mode working on my wife's account. I always run it full screen in multiple-desktop mode using my account, so I was fine. This lil' tip fixed it after six months of her wanting Coherence mode and thinking that I couldn't fix a simple computer problem! haha

Thanks again.

 

Unable to switch to Coherence in Parallels 7 with Windows 7

The posts here are old. I am running Mountian Lion OSX 10.8.4 on a MBP 15" early 2011 version. I've been running Parallels 7 and Windows 7 Professional 64 bit for over two years with no problems. Tonight I needed to run a windows 7 program (Ancestral Quest) and started Windows 7. I got an error message that Coherence was unable to start and my options included contacting technical support. That was a waste as there is no technical support now unless you pay for it.

After poking around the forums and technical support pages with no success, I went to an option in Parallels Virtual Mschine, "Reinstall Parallels Tools". I did that and when Windows had restarted, I was able to get into Coherence mode. Wonder why there isn't some help suggesting this? I tried to start a chat and found that unavailable to me. I find the knowledge base and other "user helps" to not be very helpful or user friendly. I even had trouble finding how to get into the Forum.

So, hope this helps someone.

Now I have an off topic question: Why should I upgrade to Parallels 8? Is it worth the $50 it costs to upgrade? I don't run Windows 8. Windows 7 seems to run fine (until this glitch re Coherence tonight). Can someone give me some advice here?

Thanks,