Parallels 9 Won't Show Any Windows!

sshultquist · Nov 7, 2013

I have migrated to a new MacBook Pro (15" Retina Haswell), but Parallels isn't working at all. When I launch it, the icon shows in the Dock, but the Windows are not visible. Clicking on any option doesn't result in any visible windows, although the menubar shows Parallels Desktop. It's also active in Activity Monitor. When I try to Quit it, I get the "you have an open dialog" BONK sound.

I have attached a second monitor, used Expose, and done everything I can think of to figure out where the Windows are and how to get going, but I'm at a loss. HELP?!?!

sshultquist · Nov 8, 2013

sshultquist said:
I have migrated to a new MacBook Pro (15" Retina Haswell), but Parallels isn't working at all. When I launch it, the icon shows in the Dock, but the Windows are not visible. Clicking on any option doesn't result in any visible windows, although the menubar shows Parallels Desktop. It's also active in Activity Monitor. When I try to Quit it, I get the "you have an open dialog" BONK sound.

I have attached a second monitor, used Expose, and done everything I can think of to figure out where the Windows are and how to get going, but I'm at a loss. HELP?!?!

Really?

Nothing?

I have been a loyal Parallels user (including beta user) since Parallels for Mac version 1. It is now unusable. My VMware Fusion demo copy works just great! So, it appears that Parallels has some gigantic problems with Mavericks that has made the product completely non-functional for many of us.

But no response at all? Nothing? Wow.

Paul Derby · Nov 12, 2013

I have the same problem. I have a MacBook Pro 15" Retina that I run with the lid closed. Have two 28" Apple Display monitors attached via Thunderbolt. When I start up Parallels 9 I see no Parallels Desktop window. If I press F3 to view all the open windows, the Parallels Desktop miniature window appears on "desktop 2" which is the rightmost monitor on the end of the Thunderbolt daisy chain. I can drag the Parallels Desktop window to "desktop 1" and see a portion of the Parallels desktop window to the left side of the screen on the left monitor. It is enough to drag the window back over to the second monitor on the right. Then all works just fine. When I shutdown Parallels/Windows 7 I drag the Parallels Desktop window to the left monitor before quitting Parallels. That way when Parallels is launched it shows up on the left monitor and I can drag it to the right monitor where I do Windows work.

A nuisance, but an easy workaround.

Hope that helps you with your problem. Hopefully, it is similar.

Paul

sshultquist · Nov 12, 2013

Paul Derby said:
I have the same problem. I have a MacBook Pro 15" Retina that I run with the lid closed. Have two 28" Apple Display monitors attached via Thunderbolt. When I start up Parallels 9 I see no Parallels Desktop window. If I press F3 to view all the open windows, the Parallels Desktop miniature window appears on "desktop 2" which is the rightmost monitor on the end of the Thunderbolt daisy chain. I can drag the Parallels Desktop window to "desktop 1" and see a portion of the Parallels desktop window to the left side of the screen on the left monitor. It is enough to drag the window back over to the second monitor on the right. Then all works just fine. When I shutdown Parallels/Windows 7 I drag the Parallels Desktop window to the left monitor before quitting Parallels. That way when Parallels is launched it shows up on the left monitor and I can drag it to the right monitor where I do Windows work.

A nuisance, but an easy workaround.

Hope that helps you with your problem. Hopefully, it is similar.

Paul

Thanks, Paul...

I suspect that I was using a different monitor when I last launched Parallels a few weeks ago (I travel constantly, and seldom have the same setup; I often do not have an external monitor at all). When I try to gather the windows, Expose shows no open windows, but given that the icon bounces and the sounds indicate that there's a dialog "somewhere" waiting for input, I'm sure that the system thinks the windows exist...

Any input helpful (critical, actually) at this point. I'm using Fusion now, and will have to purchase it if I can't fix this.