Migration Assistant Causing Access on New MBP to Impersonate Other Mac

[TresyK]

I migrated my old Mac Pro documents and apps to my new MacBook. This included my Access installation. Now, if both Macs are on, I only see one in my Access list of computers, and it's labeled as my MacBook, yet the icon is of my old Mac Pro.

How do I get rid of this? I tried reinstalling over the migrated copy of Access, but that didn't fix it. I've tried logging in and out turning Access off and on. So far, nothing. I assume there's some cookie somewhere in the bowels of my Mac that needs to be deleted but I have no idea what it would be.

 

[Maria@Parallels]

Hi, and whats happened when you remove your old Mac from the computers list?

 

[TresyK]

Hi, and whats happened when you remove your old Mac from the computers list?

I hadn't tried removing the old Mac from the list until you suggested it, but just did. It didn't work. I took Access offline, clicked the trashcan and deleted the computer. At this point, the MBP displayed correctly. I then restarted Access on the Mac Pro and signed back in. My new MacBook and icon in the Access desktop immediately reverted to my old Mac icon and new MacBook computer name. (BTW, sometimes it's the other way around: old Mac Pro name and MacBook Pro icon.)

 

[Maria@Parallels]

I hadn't tried removing the old Mac from the list until you suggested it, but just did. It didn't work. I took Access offline, clicked the trashcan and deleted the computer. At this point, the MBP displayed correctly. I then restarted Access on the Mac Pro and signed back in. My new MacBook and icon in the Access desktop immediately reverted to my old Mac icon and new MacBook computer name. (BTW, sometimes it's the other way around: old Mac Pro name and MacBook Pro icon.)

Thank you for the provided info.
And could you please generate the problem report using this KB article?
Please generate it after the issue reproducing and reply us back with the report ID number

 

[TresyK]

157781681

 

[TresyK]

No reply after 2 weeks. You asked for the report ID number. What else?

 

[TresyK]

Hello?

 

[Hemnath@Parallels]

Now, if both Macs are on, I only see one in my Access list of computers, and it's labeled as my MacBook, yet the icon is of my old Mac Pro.

Can you please take a screenshot of this scenario and reply with the same?

 

[AlexP10]

I've got the same issue. I figured this thread gets better chance if I pile in my info.

I have installed a fresh copy of Parallels Access today on my new MacBook. I have had a copy on iMac for a while. I only have one on the list. Icon and name don't match, and I get a connection to a random machine. I tried to connect from MacBook, and I sometimes I get connected to iMac, but sometimes to the same MacBook (in which case I get nesting browser windows).

I also tried connecting from iPad, with the same result. I only see one computer on the list, name and icon are random.

I can provide a few screenshots. See attached. I tried turning access on and off on the MacBook. Screenshots are all from the MacBook. The name of iMac is "i80", of MacBook is just "MacBook Pro".

I'd appreciate some help with this.

- Alex

 

[Hemnath@Parallels]

I've got the same issue. I figured this thread gets better chance if I pile in my info.

I have installed a fresh copy of Parallels Access today on my new MacBook. I have had a copy on iMac for a while. I only have one on the list. Icon and name don't match, and I get a connection to a random machine. I tried to connect from MacBook, and I sometimes I get connected to iMac, but sometimes to the same MacBook (in which case I get nesting browser windows).

I also tried connecting from iPad, with the same result. I only see one computer on the list, name and icon are random.

I can provide a few screenshots. See attached. I tried turning access on and off on the MacBook. Screenshots are all from the MacBook. The name of iMac is "i80", of MacBook is just "MacBook Pro".

I'd appreciate some help with this.

- Alex

In the screen seen in the screenshots that you provided, there is a right arrow button just next to where the computer's name is displayed (i80). Click on this right arrow button and let us know what happens.

 

[AlexP10]

In the screen seen in the screenshots that you provided, there is a right arrow button just next to where the computer's name is displayed (i80). Click on this right arrow button and let us know what happens.

I tried to connect from MacBook, and sometimes I get connected to iMac, but sometimes to the same MacBook (in which case I get nesting browser windows). Don't really see the pattern.

Another piece of info that might be relevant. My Documents directory is synced between these two computers via iCloud. If parallels keeps any unique IDs in that directory that might be a problem.

 

[Hemnath@Parallels]

I tried to connect from MacBook, and sometimes I get connected to iMac, but sometimes to the same MacBook (in which case I get nesting browser windows

Any time you try connecting to a remote computer over the web console, the host machine's name/picture will always be shown along with the other available computers to connect to - here, if you try connecting to the host computer itself, then yes, you will get what you refer to by "nesting browser windows". If you click on the right arrow button that we mentioned earlier, the other computers will be shown. So anytime you don't see the remote computer you want to access, just click on the right arrow button to get to see the required remote computer.

If parallels keeps any unique IDs in that directory

There is no such thing.

 

[AlexP10]

Any time you try connecting to a remote computer over the web console, the host machine's name/picture will always be shown along with the other available computers to connect to - here, if you try connecting to the host computer itself, then yes, you will get what you refer to by "nesting browser windows". If you click on the right arrow button that we mentioned earlier, the other computers will be shown. So anytime you don't see the remote computer you want to access, just click on the right arrow button to get to see the required remote computer.

I tried clicking on the right arrow. It does not show more computers, it just connects me to the computer next to the arrow. The problem is that computer is randomly either iMac or MacBook. With name and icon mixed up. I never see two computers on the list.

I played around a bit more. Here's a few more facts. Still don't see any logic, unfortunately.

- iPad also shows only one computer on the list. Not always the same as I see in the browser.
- If I turn access on and off on MacBook, the iMac on iPad's list goes on and off line. (iPad is currently correctly showing name, icon, and correctly connecting to iMac, but it's random).

 

[Hemnath@Parallels]

I tried clicking on the right arrow. It does not show more computers, it just connects me to the computer next to the arrow. The problem is that computer is randomly either iMac or MacBook. With name and icon mixed up. I never see two computers on the list.

Let us try this then: Please follow this article to remove Parallels Access completely from both iMac and MacBook, reboot both the machines, follow this article to reinstall Parallels Access on just the iMac (please do not install Parallels Access on the MacBook for now), try connecting to the iMac from the MacBook and let us know if the issue persists.

 

[Maria@Parallels]

Hi @TresyK - we got your response to this forum thread as a forum admin alert.
It looks like you responded to the forum notification by email instead of posting it back to the forum. To post messages to the forum thread, please do that on the forum directly.
Here is a copy of your message:

See attached. "Bart" is my desktop Mac, but it's showing as my laptop (normally named Tresy Kilbourne's MacBook) when I turn Access for both computers on. If the MBP is not on, then Bart correctly shows as a Mac Pro.

 

[TresyK]

Hi @TresyK - we got your response to this forum thread as a forum admin alert.
It looks like you responded to the forum notification by email instead of posting it back to the forum. To post messages to the forum thread, please do that on the forum directly.
Here is a copy of your message:

See attached. "Bart" is my desktop Mac, but it's showing as my laptop (normally named Tresy Kilbourne's MacBook) when I turn Access for both computers on. If the MBP is not on, then Bart correctly shows as a Mac Pro.

Was wondering what had happened to my response. I will not rely on email replies going forward.

 

[Hemnath@Parallels]

See attached. "Bart" is my desktop Mac, but it's showing as my laptop (normally named Tresy Kilbourne's MacBook) when I turn Access for both computers on. If the MBP is not on, then Bart correctly shows as a Mac Pro.

Does this happen on any machine on which you see the list of computers available for remote access?

 

[TresyK]

Yes, it's independent of platform. On no computer can I ever see both of these machines if both are logged in. One or the other shows up, and its icon is misidentified. Just now I tried viewing my list from my iPhone after signing both in. I very briefly saw both computer names, but the Mac Pro icon was attached to the MBP name, and the Mac Pro label was floating unattached to any icon. Then it vanished, leaving a MBP label and a Mac Pro icon. This is why I suspect that Migration Assistant basically cloned my Mac Pro installation when I used it to set up my MBP, and now I'd like to know how to undo that.

 

[Hemnath@Parallels]

Thanks for your response. Assuming you have removed and reinstalled Parallels Access agent as per our earlier instructions and to investigate the issue further, we need a couple more Problem Report ID's: one from the MBP and one from the Mac Pro (as updated info serves us better). Please follow this KB article for assistance.

 

[TresyK]

Ok, I did as instructed. I even uninstalled and reinstalled Access on both machines per your KB article for the second time, just to make sure both systems were "pristine." The problem persists. The report IDs are 177150246 and 177149861.