How to reduce disc image size

Discussion in 'Installation and Configuration of Parallels Desktop' started by ohTina, Mar 19, 2008.

  1. ohTina

    ohTina Member

    Messages:
    46
    Hi! I'm not using the full 32G of space I originally allotted for parallels (running XP in the parallels VM 5584). Apparently I have 23G of space available.

    Is there a way to reduce the amount of space parallels is using for XP, so I can free up some Gs for the Mac side? (I'm in a MacBookPro Leopard)

    Thx
    -Tina
     
  2. ohTina

    ohTina Member

    Messages:
    46
    Does anyone out there have a solution? Is Parallels Support monitoring this Post?
     
  3. Xenos

    Xenos Parallels Team

    Messages:
    1,547
    Hello ohTina,

    Please sorry for the delay.

    You can use Parallels Compressor from Actions menu in Parallels Desktop menu bar.

    This tool will let you to:
    - delete unnecessary files on the current system;
    - defragment virtual disks and clean up unused space;
    - compact the virtual disk.

    Keep in mind that the process will take a couple of hours (or more).

    The full description of the tool is in Parallels Desktop User Guide For Mac, p.246.

    Best regards,
    Xenos
     
  4. ohTina

    ohTina Member

    Messages:
    46
    This is getting a little scary.

    I'm trying to delete the snapshots, and the delete status bar just spins and spins.

    Any ideas?
     
  5. Xenos

    Xenos Parallels Team

    Messages:
    1,547
    OhTina, please use Parallels Image Tool to merge snapshots and prepare the virtual hard disk for compressing. You will find the Image Tool in Applications -> Parallels folder.

    Best regards,
    Xenos
     
  6. ohTina

    ohTina Member

    Messages:
    46
    Hi again Xenos. Thanks for trying to work me through this. Here's my latest snag:

    On the "Disk Compacting Tool Options" tab, the table in the Status group: my VM volume is not displayed. I've deleted my snapshots, and never did have undo disk option active. What's missing here? thx again. -tina
     
  7. ohTina

    ohTina Member

    Messages:
    46
    Wow - Thank God I did the Clone backup before I started all this!

    After running the Image Tool, I launched Parallels/Windows so I could log on as administrator to try the compression again, and the Black Screen of Emptiness was all I got. It wouldn't even start in Safe Mode. Nada.

    I deleted that VM. My Clone was backed up on my server, so I started up the Clone, and Cloned that, so I could have everything running on the Mac. Now, the "new" VM is running smoothly, but I still have to get this compression process to work. I'm running out of space.

    1. Should I do the Image Tool again, or skip it?

    2. Under the Disk Compacting tab in P.T. Center - the status, under Volume, still says "There are no drives for compacting." How do I deal with that?

    Please advise. Thanks!
     
  8. Xenos

    Xenos Parallels Team

    Messages:
    1,547
    OhTina, I am sorry for being away for long.
    Please try repairing Windows installation, then check if compression options are available.

    Best regards,
    Xenos
     
  9. ohTina

    ohTina Member

    Messages:
    46
    I can't get it to work from the Windows XP CD. Can I do this from a Disk Image? I know how to generate the Disk Image itself, so how do I do it from a Disk Image?

    Thx
    -Tina
     
  10. ohTina

    ohTina Member

    Messages:
    46
    I did finally get the compressor to run - BUT then....

    It's gets through the first compression phase, I get the restart request. I restart, it runs through acouple of initial things, and then get's to the "Prepare to compact disk" segment. Several times now, I'll get a message that it's out of virtual memory and is reallocating, and the compressor just stalls and never continues any further. I let it run overnight. Nothing. It's such a drag.

    I've reset my virtual memory/paging size in windows, and restarted, in addition to increasing memory in the virtual machine area in Parallels, and nothing seems to work. How do I get through this snag?
     
  11. Hugh Watkins

    Hugh Watkins Forum Maven

    Messages:
    943
    you seem to be creating your own problems

    If you are out of space on your macintosh hard disk add an external one

    I run all my VM from external drives - La Cie firewire 800
    and save my images and clones there too

    Windows laptops are begining to have 250gb hard disks and
    a Vista set up as sold takes about 30 gb

    so my own 32gb WinXp Sp2 VM just keeps on trucking and I keep data in shared folders to keep it lean and mean

    the whole point of the Mac GUI is automation
    you need to drop the DOS / regedit / resedit mentality and use the utilities provided for the Mac OS
    KISS

    Hugh W
     
  12. ohTina

    ohTina Member

    Messages:
    46
    Thanks Mr. Watkins.

    Meanwhile, I'd like for the compression to complete successfully, so can Support offer any further recommendations?
     
  13. Howard@bringitonstudios.c

    Howard@bringitonstudios.c Bit poster

    Messages:
    4
    Hi ohTina,

    I am trying to do the exact same thing fo the same reason. I am wondering if we can use Transporter to make a copy of our virtual PC to an external HDD - set the new smaller size as we do this - then replace the old with the new.

    Can support confirm if this will work?

    Cheers
    H.
     
  14. ohTina

    ohTina Member

    Messages:
    46
    Do a Clone back up, and give it a shot. It seems a reasonable work-around, but it is a work-around. I'd like the Compressor to work as expected, but it's not.

    Plz let us all know how it works out!
     

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