Parallels Support - is it really that bad?

Discussion in 'Parallels Compressor' started by bgraff, Dec 12, 2006.

  1. bgraff

    bgraff Junior Member

    Messages:
    12
    Is customer support from Parallels really as bad as what I am experiencing? I recently purchased Parallels Desktop for Mac and Compressor, have had issues with both, attempted to make contact with Parallels three times, and have heard nothing from them. I have been able to sort out most of the problems with the Desktop for Mac application, but Compressor has not run from day one. Has anyone had the same problem with support from Parallels as me, or can someone who has successfully made contact give me some pointers?

    If my peers on the Parallels forum can not help, maybe I can start putting posts like this on all the Mac forums, would be great for Parallels’ business.


    Thank you and kind regards,



    Brandon
    :confused:
     
  2. constant

    constant Forum Maven

    Messages:
    1,010
    .
    By the sound of it, you ran to support at the first sign of something you didn't recognise. Since then, you have actually taken the time to better understand the product, and as a result, you have solved most of your problems, by yourself.

    Plenty of other people have made compressor work, and you should be able to as well.
    .
     
  3. bgraff

    bgraff Junior Member

    Messages:
    12
    In one instance, I did jump the gun in contacting support, and was able to sort out a problem via the forums, but two other questions, which, I can not find answered on the forums, have not been addressed. I can not figure out why compressor will not run. I am running what I would call a very common installation, which means there are no unusual programs running on my machine. The forums are great, and there are a lot of knowledgeable people online. But I do marketing for a large technology company, and we too have forums. Forums are a tool for customers to interact with other customers, they are not meant to be a means to relieve the company of their responsibility to support customers. Customers pay for these products, and they deserve a response from support if that is what they want. My VM continues to get larger and large, especially when I try to run Compressor and it does not work, and eventually, I am going to run out of hard drive space. In the grand scheme of Parallels, seems to be an important issue. Many companies have created wonderful products and failed because they did not support customers, and many companies have created crap products and succeeded because they did support customers. Just my feeling on the topic.
     
  4. Hugh Watkins

    Hugh Watkins Forum Maven

    Messages:
    943
    where have you posted the facts?

    if you are running hthe beta then report it as a bug

    on the mac the compressor is automatic
    i use a fixed size 7 gb had disk 3 gb empty

    Hugh W
     
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2006
  5. bgraff

    bgraff Junior Member

    Messages:
    12
    The facts regarding my Compressors issues have been emailed directly to Parallels support, I stop posting questions to the forums after the first two went unanswered. Everything I read on the forums indicates that compression is not automatic, and there are a number of other users have issues similar to mine. In addition, if compression is automatic, why is Parallels selling a compression program for the Mac? The instructions that accompany the software specifically say to run the compression software periodically, so I am not getting how this can be automatic, what am I missing?
     
  6. Hugh Watkins

    Hugh Watkins Forum Maven

    Messages:
    943

    read the specifications of the Mac package

    and of the compressor

    preferably before you buy

    Hugh W
     
  7. bgraff

    bgraff Junior Member

    Messages:
    12
    So, you are suggesting that the Compressor product for Mac that Parallels is selling is really not necissary because the process is embedded in the Mac system?
     
  8. Olivier

    Olivier Forum Maven

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    610
    Quoting Parallels website about Parallels Compressor Workstation:

    Optimized for desktop versions of Windows
    Parallels Compressor is specifically designed to work with desktop versions of Windows, including Windows XP Professional and Home Editions SP2, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition SP1 and Windows 2000 Professional

    Where did you find a Parallels Compressor product for Mac?
    There is one version for Windows and one for Linux.
    I see no Mac version.
     
  9. Hugh Watkins

    Hugh Watkins Forum Maven

    Messages:
    943
    in Parallels desktop for Mac
    menu >> Actions >> Run Parallels Compressor

    and in help
    Hugh W

    Requirements for the Guest Operating System

    To run Parallels Compressor your virtual machine should have one of the following guest operating systems installed:

    * Windows Vista
    * Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition SP0, SP1
    * Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition SP0, SP1
    * Windows Server 2003 Web Edition SP0, SP1
    * Windows Server 2003 Small Business Edition SP0, SP1
    * Windows XP Professional Edition SP2
    * Windows XP Home Edition SP2
    * Windows 2000 Professional SP4
    * Windows 2000 Server SP4
    * Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP4

    In other guest operating systems we recommend using the Disk Compacting Tool.
    file:///Library/Parallels/Help/13577.htm
     
  10. asglass

    asglass Bit poster

    Messages:
    6
    POOR customer service

    i started a month ago sending emails requesting help, after 7 emails and no response, i figured i'd drop the $28 bucks to talk with someone in person. no luck there either.

    it's been a week, 6 phone messages, no return call or return email, and no live voices, only an automated system that allows me to leave yet another message...

    has anyone been able to get support from this group?

    bye the way, regardless of how easy the fix may be, it's no excuse for not responding to customers. especially if (as in my case) i dropped the extra cash for the live voice.

    frustrated,
    asg
     
  11. bgraff

    bgraff Junior Member

    Messages:
    12
    I purchased Parallels Compressor right off the home page when I purchased Parallels desktop for Mac. The home page says, "Parallels Compressor is a robust virtual hard disk management tool that helps users to significantly reduce the virtual disk size of any Windows 2000, 2003 or XP virtual machine!" I keyed on the word, "any," which if the description was accurate, would include Macs. I am a novice to the Mac and VM world, and I assummed that the Compressor ran inside the Windows VM.

    Given the other responses I have seen from users, and the complete lack of response from Parallels, this looks more like a hobby than a production product.
     
  12. DaveB

    DaveB Member

    Messages:
    33
    Brandon-

    Uh, maybe you could have read this thread-

    http://forum.parallels.com/thread2980.html

    It appeared in June. Your thread is 6 months later. Also, in the initial Desktop program startup, check out-

    Parallels Desktop -> Help -> Parallels Desktop Help -> Using Parallels Compressor

    Some good clues there too.

    Might want to give the folks at Parallels some slack for being on the cutting edge OR use Virtual PC for real satisfaction.

    DaveB
     
  13. DaveB

    DaveB Member

    Messages:
    33
    Version 3106 b3

    FYI
    Compressor works in new Beta 3 using instructions listed above!
     

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