Stop: c000021a - Session Manager Initialization

Well my started today, fo rno expected reason with the followings windows error when I started Parallels

"stop: c000021a {fatal system error} the session manager initialization system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc000012f (0x00000000 0x00000000). The system has been shut down'

Haven't really tried anything because I'm not sure what to try. Of course I have not been backing up my HDD with Time Machine because it appeared the consensus was it wasn't a good idea.

I have been backing up Windows using a Windows Backup utility as it is attached to the New Windows server for it and other windows machines I have. But not sure how I'd restore it if I can't get Windows going?

Any suggestions?

 

Hello Kevin,

This seems to me Microsoft issue. Please have a look at this article.

Anyway, all your Guest OS information is stored on the virtual hard drive - .hdd file. You can restore the system information either from the .hdd package (use .hds file) or you can create a new VM with the existing .hdd (if the virtual hard disk is not corrupted).

Best regards,
Xenos

 

Xenos

Can you send me a link on how to restore from the .hds file? Looks like the way to go.

 

Hello Kevin,

You can try the solution from this article. Good luck!

Best regards,
Xenos

 

I have the exact same STOP error now that I upgraded to Parallels 4.0 from 3.0 (since first start after 4.0 conversion). But it can't be the stack overflow they mention in the Windows article as my guest OS is WinXP, not Windows 2000. I am on a BootCamp partiition, so no hdd file. And I couldn't back up because Parallels said it couldn't back up a BootCamp partition.

What now? Do I have to reinstall Windows? Has anyone else ever had this problem with 4.0? Under 3.0 everything was perfect.

 

cjago,

I suppose you are running build 3522 now. The problem was fixed in latest update build 3540. Please

1. Start Parallels Desktop.
2. Go to Help->Check for Updates
3. An update will be found, download and install it.
4. Open your Boot Camp VM, but don't start it yet.
5. Open VM Configuration, find the HDD, remove it and add again.
6. In Boot Order, move the HDD to the top.

The problem will be solved after that.

 

Hello Tim,

Many thanks for the quick reaction - Parallels support team is really good!
The update certainly helped the STOP error, but then it got into some "upgrading process" under Windows that always had the bar restarting on the left as soon as it was finished on the right - said it would "reboot a couple of times" but never did - I let it run for 8 hours, then after no change finally restarted manually.
The next time it started the conversion again, then said "you need to continue manually", had some drivers it did not find, and now all I get is a blank screen after Windows starts, no Explorer, nothing.
When I boot directly from the BootCamp partition, it doesn't even get there, it hangs while still showing the Windows boot screen.

If I had known that this 3.0 -> 4.0 upgrade is such an intense process, I would have stayed with 3.0, had no real problems with it... never change a running system!

Christian