Parallels 11 - Win7 - USB Trouble

[Rougement]

Will you be releasing a fix for Parallels 10? Not a workaround, a fix. Parallels has handled this very badly, I'm about out of patience with this software.

 

[HorstR1]

Hi Manoj

As previously reported and again detailed in my post #67, the new fix partly goes to resolving the USB connection issue with Parallels 11 and OS-X 10.11.2.

The original issue was that USB devices were not being recognised or connected to Win7 unless your unplugged and plugged in the device TWICE. Now the devices appear in the Parallels available but unticked. You have to manually select the device in the USB dropdown list or unplug and plug in ONCE. Additionally, none of the devices I have been testing are appearing in the USB Connection Preferences list showing whether they should be connected to the Mac or Win7. I did manually remove these devices in the device configuration and have not reappeared.

Until this problem first appeared when I upgraded to Parallels for Mac 11, my USB devices would connect to Win7 on startup and as defined in the Hardware configuration. My EXACT requirement is for Parallels to work as such.

The same problem after the latest parallels update at our side. Now we see the USB devices but they are mainly unticked. At every startup all the paralegals must go to the USB devices and select them. After that all is OK. The USB devices are listed in the Connection Preferences to Windows7 but the programm did not connect them automatic.

Is Parallels not working with their own Programm ? Never seen a support as bas as this behaviour !!!!
Do your work and fix shortly the problem, otherwise we will change to VMware. The didn´t have this problems !!
Lawyer office Goering

 

[Nemensi]

Will you be releasing a fix for Parallels 10? Not a workaround, a fix. Parallels has handled this very badly, I'm about out of patience with this software.

I second that.

I have no problem to buy an upgrade for 50 Euro. But I have a problem to spend 50 Euro for a crippled one. I know that Parallels Desktop 10 has not been fully optimized for El Capitan. But there is a big difference between 'not fully optimized' and 'not working'.

 

[JonathanN3]

Third.

I upgraded my OS partly under the specific verbiage "not fully optimized" meaning that /functionality/ would be retained and new features would not be granted, but I might have to sacrifice some speed in order to stay at version 10. As you quite correctly put it, there is a BIG difference between "not fully optimized" and "not working." I have a Fujitsu fi-7160 scanner that HAS to run in Windows. Now I am completely unable to scan until either Parallels 10 is patched or somebody wants to placate me with a Parallels 11 upgrade for free. (Your call, but one of these should be forthcoming. I paid money for a working piece of software, and USB hardware support is VERY BASIC functionality for this software suite.)

We cannot be expected to hold back a single generation upgrade based on Parallels' compatibility. It has been less than a year since I purchased version 10! If we were talking about 3 or 4 generations difference, I could understand a desire to break with compatibility of the older Parallels versions.

I am happy to provide log dumps or whatever else you feel would help you resolve this, but it's definitely broken.

EDIT: As an addendum to this, and for anyone else experiencing my symptoms: I was finally able to get the scanner to connect by disconnecting and reconnecting it several times. I also installed the recommended USB3.0 driver (designed for Win7, no compatibility listed for newer versions) in Windows 8.2 for good measure. Eventually it showed up under Device Manager connected to the USB 3.0 root hub. NB: I have USB 3.0 support ENABLED for the VM. The device IS USB 3.0 compatible.

 

[Rougement]

As I understand it, the situation is that there is no fix for Parallels 10 and only a partial "fix" for Parallels 11 which involves unplugging and reconnecting ... something I'm not going to ask my users to get involved with. Additionally, the effected machines are stuck on 10.11.1 and 10.11.3 was released today, so I have unpatched vulnerabilities and I am putting the network at risk in an MD's office where data security is paramount. On top of all this, there has been precious little communication from Parallels. WTF is going on here? I'm already assessing if VMware Fusion would provide a more competent solution. You guys need to sort yourselves out, this problem has remained unaddressed for weeks and weeks. If you have no intention of fixing this for 10 and 11, please state this so I can start planning to migrate away from Parallels for good.

 

[ManojK@Parallels]

As I understand it, the situation is that there is no fix for Parallels 10 and only a partial "fix" for Parallels 11 which involves unplugging and reconnecting ... something I'm not going to ask my users to get involved with. Additionally, the effected machines are stuck on 10.11.1 and 10.11.3 was released today, so I have unpatched vulnerabilities and I am putting the network at risk in an MD's office where data security is paramount. On top of all this, there has been precious little communication from Parallels. WTF is going on here? I'm already assessing if VMware Fusion would provide a more competent solution. You guys need to sort yourselves out, this problem has remained unaddressed for weeks and weeks. If you have no intention of fixing this for 10 and 11, please state this so I can start planning to migrate away from Parallels for good.

We have addressed this issue on our latest build of Parallels Desktop and if the issue still persists, please email us the issue along with the problem report ID generated as per this link to cs(at)parallels(.)com, so we can check it for you.

 

[JonathanN3]

We have addressed this issue on our latest build of Parallels Desktop and if the issue still persists, please email us the issue along with the problem report ID generated as per this link to cs(at)parallels(.)com, so we can check it for you.

Not fixed as of build in SS. Have you released something more recent for PD10?

 

[ManojK@Parallels]

Please allow me to rephrase. We have addressed this issue on our latest build of Parallels Desktop 11. As for Parallels Desktop 10, kindly refer to this link which states that Parallels Desktop 10 does not have El Capitan as one of the operating systems in which it is supported. Thus we request you to upgrade so that you can use Parallels Desktop with complete features on El Capitan.

 

[JonathanN3]

Thanks for your clear answer, MK. Kindly allow me to reiterate: It will be a cold day in Hell before I adopt a "rent my software perpetually" model for basic support of my OS and a moderate feature level. It used to be commonplace that paying more for software meant you had MORE flexibility with the licensing scheme. Looks like I'm jumping ship for VMware before you sink her.

 

[Nemensi]

Thus we request you to upgrade so that you can use Parallels Desktop with complete features on El Capitan.

I would, but I request you to offer a non-crippled version first. I really love to work with Parallels Desktop, but since a couple of months you are trying your best to lose another loyal customer to your competitor.

 

[Nemensi]

And by the way, found on http://blog.parallels.com/2015/08/20/everything-you-need-to-know-about-parallels-desktop-11/ :

When OS X El Capitan is commercially available, it will be fully supported in Parallels Desktop 10 for Mac (in Full Screen and Window mode, but not in Coherence or with Windows-integration), and with Windows integration in Full Screen, Window, and Coherence modes in Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac, Parallels Desktop Pro Edition and Parallels Desktop Business Edition.

 

[JonathanN3]

Thanks for that, Sven. I remember having seen that as well.

 

[Rougement]

So which is it? Manoj says V10 does not support El Capitan and everybody has to pony up another $50/seat. Sven links to a support doc stating V10 is fully supported.

Honestly, I din't think Parallels could botch this even more than they already had, and yet they found a way. Please explain why I would even consider carrying on as a customer after this.

 

[JonathanN3]

I should rebut to MK: the article you link (122662) was published Aug 18, 2014. That's before the release of El Capitan (September 30, 2015). Of course it doesn't list compatibility ....

 

[ManojK@Parallels]

I understand your rightful opinions. As you know, Parallels Desktop 11 is tailor-made for El Capitan like Parallels Desktop 10 is tailor-made for Yosemite. This USB issue came up after OSX 10.11.2 due to the new permission modifications on Mac OS X and addressed in our latest build 32408. But for Parallels Desktop 10, it is an issue which our Engineers are aware of but for now, we have overcome the issue only on the latest build of Parallels Desktop 11.

 

[Nemensi]

Yes, and in the past Apple hasn't introduced such major changes in minor updates (as far as I know). But is it really so hard to apply the fix your engineers already have made for Parallels Desktop 11 to Parallels Desktop 10.3.(1)?

In the past years the previous version of Parallels Desktop was always supported for the current OS X. It was never optimized and enhanced for new OS X features, but at least it worked as it should.

 

[Adonsa]

Hi,
I'm trying to ascertain the latest on this USB incompatibility issue prior to upgrading to
System El Capitan and Parallels 11.1.0-32202.
It's fairly well known that Apple Computer diddled with USB implementation with System
El Capitan. This rendered a lot of USB drives unable to boot on System El Capitan boot volumes,
and causes them to boot to an unrecoverable Black Screen of Death.
And so, developers have to figure out how to deal with it, and I have no idea if
Apple engineers are working with 3rd party developers or not.

So, the question becomes, upon upgrading System El Capitan, then to PD 11.1.0-32202 or whatever newer version
there may be, will it be necessary (in my case) to unplug-replug 5 USB devices twice
each time Parallels is used?

If this is true, are Apple engineers in your office helping you develop fixes? Apple Computer
caused the problem, Apple employees ought to be fixing it.
Regards

 

[Adonsa]

Hi,

I'm a paid PD 10.3 and PD11.0 user.

Upon installing PD 11.0.2-TRIAL onto a clean-installed, plain-Jane,
virgin, System El Capitan test drive, I was happy to noticed that
5 USB devices, that are needed within Windows 7, worked,
and that implementation seems to be an improvement (caveat, first impression)
over version PD 10.3

A weird behavior comparison between Parallels 10.3
and the new Parallels ver. 11.0.2 is noteworthy.

The USB Controller menu at the top right corner, bearing
the tiny USB plug icon is where the wierdness resides.

Under Parallels 10.3, in order to get a USB device to function from within windows, or Linux, the Configure...
must be set up under connection preferences AND, the displayed menu picks for installed usb devices must
bear the checkmark to the left in the tiny icon menu, otherwise a device will not become active within the VM.
The checkmarks have to be checked with every Parallels bootup (except for 1 Logitech device which bears the
checkmark on its own).

Improvement with wierdness, comes under the new PD ver. 11.0.2
The Configure... must be set up, of course, and, fortunately, it retains its settings.
Once this is done, the need for the checkmarks to the left of each newly installed
USB device is a farce. Usually the device works in spite of no checkmark
to the left of it. However, on one random occasion, i had to diddle with the
checkmark, to get a particular logitech device to work, after that, it behaved itself.

I have no way of even speculating the background of why this strange behavior occurs;
but, even so, there appears to be an USB interface improvement over version 10.3.
Users might ought to be informed that the presence or absence of the
checkmark can sometimes be ignored, unless a stubborn usb device needs to be
nudged into working.

Praise and kudos go to Parallels engineers for coping with the mess that Apple Computer
engineers made (upon rewriting the USB drivers). Interesting details of how the
USB drivers were re-written, the consequences, and port injector work-arounds, are described
http://www.tonymacx86.com/el-capitan-laptop-support/173616-guide-10-11-usb-changes-solutions.html
on the Tonymacx86 website

Partial quote

In 10.11, Apple has completely rewritten the USB drivers. The new drivers appear to employ the use of ACPI to a much greater extent than the previous drivers. This puts more pressure on ACPI (DSDT) to be correct. If it is not correct, ports that exist may not be enabled by the new drivers.

In fact, even Apple's own products were found to be incorrect, so Apple created a way to override DSDT with a port injector. In the event properties are injected to define the available ports, these properties are used instead of ACPI.

 

[Nemensi]

Any news about a fix for Parallels 10?

 

[Nemensi]

I understand your rightful opinions. As you know, Parallels Desktop 11 is tailor-made for El Capitan like Parallels Desktop 10 is tailor-made for Yosemite. This USB issue came up after OSX 10.11.2 due to the new permission modifications on Mac OS X and addressed in our latest build 32408. But for Parallels Desktop 10, it is an issue which our Engineers are aware of but for now, we have overcome the issue only on the latest build of Parallels Desktop 11.

Thank you very much for releasing the the 10.4 update.