Using Microsoft IE6/7/8 virtual machines in Parallels

Hello:

Microsoft offers stripped-down virtual machines which include IE6, IE7 and IE8 for web developer testing purposes. Each contains Windows XP SP3, and each is designed to run within Virtual PC.

I managed to download the files and Parallels has no trouble recognizing the disks and concerting them into its own format. However, at installation it asks for a Windows XP SP3 installation disk which I do not have. I presume such a thing is not necessary on Virtual PC, and there have been reports of people converting the image to a VMWare Fusion format and running it in Fusion without requiring an installation disk. I haven't seen much discussion of this issue here, so I thought I would ask now -- is it possible to convert and use the Microsoft IE6/7/8 VM images with Parallels without needing a Windows XP SP3 installation disk? Thanks.

- geoff

 

Geoffrey Green,

Yes, just click on Skip Detection when prompted, set up the OS type manually and use a Custom Windows installation. This should do the trick.

 

That did the trick; I'm getting a BSOD at startup, but that's a known problem which I'll look into fixing. Thanks!

 

Pardon me for jumping onto this thread with a noob question, but I could use some help connecting the dots.

Is this answer given in the context of Parallels Transporter or is there some other way to convert the Microsoft VPC image files into working Parallels virtual machines?

If in fact I'm supposed to use Parallels Transporter, then I don't see a place to Skip Detection or bypass providing the OS disk.

Here's what I tried:

1. Downloaded IE6-XPSP3.exe onto my Mac from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...90-958f-4b64-b5f1-73d0a413c8ef&displaylang=en
2. Used Stuffit Expander to uncompress IE6-XPSP3.exe, resulting in the file "XP SP3 with IE6 2009-Apr.vhd"
3. Ran Parallels Transporter (in /Applications/Parallels)
4. Chose Migration Mode: Advanced mode
5. Chose Migration Source Type: Virtual machine
6. Chose Migration Object: Virtual disk. (I tried to specify "Entire virtual machine" but Parallels Transporter wouldn't recognize the .vhd file as a virtual machine.)
7. Specified an external drive as my Destination Folder, clicked "Migrate"
8. Waited through the "Migration in Progress/Preparing data" step
9. Chose Hard Disk Role: Bootable disk
10. For Operating System Configuration, chose the one item offered, "Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600)." The fact that this specific version was offered tells me that Parallels Transporter successfully recognized an OS in the VPC image, right?
11. Was prompted to insert a Windows XP CD or DVD. Under More options, was given the chance to choose another location, but Parallels Transporter wouldn't let me select the .vhd file or anything else.

So... what am I missing? Thanks.

 

I have the same issue as riddle...

I'm being prompted for the installation disks or path at the end of the migration progress while still at the Parallels Transporter. I can only cancel or go back to select a Data virtual disk instead of Bootable virtual disk.

 

Same issue of Geoffrey Green also for me.
I skipped the installation CD request, Tansporter creates a hdd file anyway.
I then created a VM with Parallels Desktop with this file, but I always get a BSOD at startup.

Looking on the forum it seems that in order to solve the boot problem you need to have the installation CD...

Any suggestion?

Roberto

 

Same issue as Riddle. I didn't see anywhere to SKIP DETECTION. Where is that? I even tried going through the process twice - the first time to create a data disk through the Migration process that I could mount when Transporter asked me for the install CD/DVD. But Transporter couldn't find the files on that mounted disk. I even tried making a Toast disk image and mounting that, so my guess is the VHD from MS doesn't actually have the files that Transporter is looking for.

In the Windows world, these VHDs from MS are entirely self-contained (and usable by VirtualPC). Seems strange that there's quite a lot in the Parallels' documentation about support for VHD, but that an actual CD/DVD is still required...

Any help?

 

Any updates on this 'CD/DVD needed' issue?

 

Disk image

I'm also trying to use the Microsoft IE6 XP SP3 test image in parallels.

I've tried downloading the xp sp3 disc image from microsoft.

The help for Parallels Transporter says: "If you want to use the image of the installation disc, click More Options and specify the path to the installation disc image file in the This location field. You may use the Choose button to locate the file. When finished, click Continue."

... but when I try to select the location of the disc image (or when I mount the disc image and choose the volume), Transporter just says: "Unable to find the operating system installation files".

Anyone get any further?

 

RicR - The link you downloaded from is the wrong one (I think it is *just* SP3). You need to get it from here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...90-958f-4b64-b5f1-73d0a413c8ef&displaylang=en
(as noted by riddle above)

HOWEVER, something very important has come up that most likely affects Parallels as well: MS has apparently changed their EULA on these such that it's only valid to run them in VirtualPC under Windows, not any other virtualization engine. And when you try, they tell you that the hardware has changed and you need to activate with Microsoft (which you can't b/c you don't have/need a product key). See full details here:

http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=21712&sid=52f15ad9870ab020115644b9f9873baf

 

Thanks Kevin, but I already have the full Microsoft image. My problem is that during conversion to a Parallels VM, Transporter asks for the XP SP3 disc (as described by other people in this thread).