New Release: Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac Build 11822 is available!

Dear Users,

Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac Build 11822 is available for download:
http://www.parallels.com/download/desktop/

You can learn more about Parallels Desktop 6 features here:
http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/


Parallels Desktop (build 6.0.11822) includes the following new features and enhancements:

STABILITY AND PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENTS

Performance
- Improved overall performance.
- Reduced CPU usage and improved battery life.
- 64-bit virtual machine process for improved performance of virtual machines, especially of those with more than 1 GB of memory.
- Improved 3D performance - up to 80% faster than in Parallels Desktop 5.
- Improved disk I/O performance - up to 35% faster Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP virtual machines than in Parallels Desktop 5.
- Shared Folders perform two times faster.
- Faster Windows startup and shutdown.
- Reduced time for resuming paused and suspended virtual machines on Macs with powerful configurations.
- Extended support for new Macs with Intel i5 and i7 CPUs.
- Better performance of Linux in virtual machines.
- Faster Parallels Tools installation.

Virtual Devices
- Support for IPv6, the next-generation version of the Internet Protocol, in shared, bridged and host-only networking.
- Support for the Intel Pro/1000 (e1000) network interface for faster network performance and compatibility.
- Intel AES-NI support for virtual machines running on Macs with Intel Core i5 and i7 processors.
- Virtual SATA interface support for hard disk drives of newly created virtual machines.
- Virtual SATA interface support for CD/DVD drives of virtual machines.
- Using SATA emulation for hard drive connectivity in Boot Camp virtual machines instead of changing a SATA drive to an IDE drive.
- Virtual USB mouse for smooth transition between Mac and the virtual machine even when Parallels Tools are not installed.
- Better handling of keyboard indicator lights when working in Mac OS and the virtual machine.
- Improved handling of keyboard modifiers and system shortcuts when working in Mac OS and the virtual machine.

Security
- Dual antivirus protection included: complimentary antivirus software subscription is now available for both Windows and Mac.
- Virtual machine encryption using the AES algorithm for better security of your data (empowered by Intel AES-NI hardware support on i5 and i7 CPUs).
- Virtual CPU now supports NX bit (No eXecute), which allows enabling Data Execution Prevention (DEP) in Windows.
- Mac OS Parental Controls are automatically applied to the virtual machine for managing children’s computer usage. Any restrictions set for Mac OS will be also enforced in the virtual machine as well.

New Guest Operating Systems
- Ubuntu 10.04
- Fedora 13
- Open SUSE 11.3
- Windows Server 2008 R2 Core
- Windows Server 2008 Core

IMMERSIVE GAMING AND GRAPHICS

Video
- 80% faster 3D graphics in the Coherence, Full Screen, and Window modes.
- Enhanced DirectX 9 support for better gaming experience.
- Support for OpenGL extensions available in Mac OS X v10.6.4 Snow Leopard.
- Support for Xorg 1.8 in Linux virtual machines, including Fedora 13 and Open SUSE 11.3.
- Fixed OpenGL support in Ubuntu 10.04 virtual machines.

Sound
- Immerse yourself in games, movies, and music with surround sound 5.1 support for Windows 7, Windows XP, and Windows Vista: use any external surround sound 5.1 USB or FireWire devices simultaneously in your Mac and the virtual machine.

SIMPLE, SMART, AND SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE

Enhanced Appearance
- Improved user interface and new look and feel.
- Preferences dialog has been simplified and now fully conforms to the Mac OS style: no OK or Cancel buttons - all changes are applied on the fly.
- Virtual machine configuration dialog has been simplified and redesigned according to the Mac OS Preferences style.
- New Virtual Machine assistant is now easier to use.
- Redesigned USB connection dialog makes connecting USB devices simpler than ever.
- Improved animation when switching between the Coherence, Full Screen, and Window modes.
- Refined user interface with Quartz animation disabled.
- Enhanced Activation and Registration dialogs.

Enhanced Logic
- Boot Camp virtual machines can now be suspended and then resumed.
- SmartGuard now has a backup mode that optimizes the virtual machine for Time Machine backups.
- Import of third-party virtual machines has been integrated into the main application: now it’s available through the File > Open menu.
- Parallels Image Tool has been integrated into the main application: now all its functions are available in the Virtual Machine Configuration dialog.
- Parallels Transporter is now accessible through the "Import Virtual Machines" option on the Welcome Screen or the File > Import menu.
- Choose the level of integration between Windows and Mac by choosing the "Like a Mac" or "Like a PC" option when creating a new Windows virtual machine.
- Open your Windows applications without seeing Parallels Desktop interface elements even when your virtual machine is powered off.
- Shut down Windows and its applications in Coherence without seeing Parallels Desktop interface elements.
- Automatic generation of support code for easier access to Parallels Support.
- Keyboard shortcut (F6 or Fn + F6) for hiding/showing Parallels Desktop and all its windows.
- Improved support for Boot Camp partitions using multiple disks.
- Automatic SmartGuard snapshots taken after a timeout if the user does not respond to the prompts.
- Improved active screen corners behavior in Full Screen mode.
- Scaling of the virtual machine screen when its window is resized, if Parallels Tools are not installed or inactive.
- Windows applications can be set as the default applications for handling CDs and DVDs inserted into the Mac.
- The Num Lock key was added to the Send Keys menu.

Enhanced Windows Applications Handling
- Access to Windows applications from anywhere in the world with the help of Parallels Mobile for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.
- Windows Applications folders in the Dock now contain “My computerâ€, “Control Panel†and other useful shortcuts that are usually present in the Windows Start menu.
- Applications icons in the Windows Applications folders are no longer marked with black arrows.
- Windows Applications folders don't reappear in the Dock after you remove them manually.
- Spotlight search support for Windows applications.
- Progress for downloads and other operations is now displayed on the Windows 7 applications icons in the Dock.
- Windows 7 Jump Lists are supported for Windows applications in the Dock: view your recent documents by right-clicking the application icon in the Dock.
- Grouping of all windows of a single Windows application under the same application icon in the Dock.
- Windows applications icons can be configured not to appear in the Dock using the "Show icons in Dock" option in the virtual machine configuration.

Enhanced Coherence
- Improved graphics performance in Coherence and enhanced compatibility with 3D applications.
- Improved logic of Crystal and Coherence view modes. Now Crystal mode is an extension for Coherence.
- Arrow icon in the Mac menu bar for customizing Windows tray icons in Coherence.
- Mac OS shortcuts (Cmd+W, Cmd+Q, Cmd+~, Cmd+M, Cmd+H, Cmd +Alt+H) can be used to manage Windows applications when using Coherence with enabled Crystal mode.
- "Formatted text" and "Shared Clipboard" options can now be disabled via the Virtual Machine Configuration dialog.

SWITCHER FOCUSED FEATURES

- Simplified and improved Parallels Transporter user interface.
- “Like a Mac†migration option that allows you to transfer your documents, photos, and music from PC to the corresponding folders on your Mac.
- Migration of the Internet bookmarks and settings from Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Chrome on PC to the default browser on the Mac.
- Supports import of Boot Camp partition into a Parallels virtual machine.
- Windows automatic login support for enhanced switcher experience.
- Automatic firewall detection during the migration from PC to Mac.
- Supports import of Virtual Box 3.1.2 and 3.1.4 virtual machines.
- Faster and smoother import of VMware, Virtual PC, and VirtualBox virtual machines.

 

This list of new features enhancements seems to detail the differences between Desktop 6 and 5.
I just installed build 11820. What has changed in build 11822 that will convince me to go through the work of installing again?

 

What's new in build 6.0.11822

Cockeyed,

WHAT'S NEW IN BUILD 6.0.11822

Parallels Desktop (build 6.0.11822) includes the following fixes and improvements:

- Resolves a problem with incorrectly enabled parental controls that prevented users from switching to Bridged networking mode.
- Fixes an issue that caused the spinning wheel to appear next to the Logoff button in Preferences > Mobile when the connection with the Parallels Mobile server could not be established.
- Addresses sound artifacts that may occur when using 5.1 Surround Sound.
- Fixes an accidental crash that could occur in Windows 7 running on a SATA virtual disk.
- Fixes an accidental crash that could occur when resuming virtual machines that were suspended in Parallels Desktop 5.
- Resolves a problem with opening Parallels Desktop after allowing it to access the keychain containing the proxy access information.
- Fixes an issue that prevented users from saving files in Shared Folders with names containing special characters.
- Fixes an issue that caused the Num Lock key to have no effect in the virtual machine.

 

I can't find any mention of it anywhere in your notes to the new release, but users should be aware that if they use the encryption facility that they will no longer be able to use Parallels Mounter to view content in the virtual machine. As the ability to view my files from the Mac side without having to boot Windows is a very useful function of Parallels, I'll be turning off the encryption. Will Parallels Mounter be upgraded to accept a password or is that not technically possible?

 

Is it just me or is the DMG corrupted that's posted online? I keep getting an invalid checksum everytime I try to use it.

 

Yesterday, I downloaded the trial version from the Italian download page, but it still gives the US English version of Parallels 6.

Probably it is still too early to have all the localized versions ready, but anyway Parallels 6 could have been a good opportunity to finally make a single installer package with all the supported languages included, in the preferred Mac OS X way (as in Fusion and VirtualBox, for example).

Well, maybe in Parallels 7, who knows...

Edit (2010-09-18): now the download works correctly.

 

Upgrade Price???

I just purchased Parallels 5 on July 15. It comes with a 90 Day money back guarantee. To get this software to work worth a crap on my 6 month old MacBook with 2gb of memory, I had to upgrade to 4gb of memory ($180), and I installed a faster hard drive ($90 for 500gb 7200rpm). It can still be painfully slow and will slow my mac to a crawl when using it. I have been through every configuration setting imaginable. I was seriously considering returning it, and today I get an email that version 6 is out, and it's faster. Yet the free upgrade is only available if you bought it after August 15th. Can someone explain to me WHY the free upgrade is only for people that bought the software after Aug 15th? If it's got a 90 day warranty, shouldn't anyone within 90 days get it for free? Being that I can't get anyone on the phone, and I have been number one in line for online chat for over 30 minutes now, I am guessing my only option is to return this and then repurchase.

O, and when I called the number that is included on the email, I get told they are only a reseller and not the company. So thanks Nova for selling my email address to a reseller.

 

Can someone please tell me if it's possible to upgrade from Parallels Desktop 5 SWITCH TO MAC EDITION to Parallels Desktop 6? I don't see any version 6 of Switch to Mac edition available. I don't really see the difference (other than the transporter software and the supplied USB transfer cable) but I would like some confirmation before I shell out £35 for the upgrade!

Thanks

 

Does that build address any of those issues?

Hi,

are any of these issues addressed by the new build? They are all happening running in fullscreen mode / no Parallels tools (which is a required setup). Filed a PR last week: 6611359

1. Standard application keyboard shortcuts leave the VM. So e.g. pressing CMD+Q closes Parallels. Same for all the other shortcuts like CMD+H, CMD+W etc. Since I use those keys in the VM I'm about to quit Parallels by accident all the time.

2. When using spaces, changing to a fullscreen Parallels sessions grabs the focus immediately, resulting in the MacOS spaces indicator to stay on top (disappears when you change spaces again using the mouse).

3. The application switcher shows up when doing the 4 finger swipe left/right, but Parallels reclaims the focus immediately, so the application switcher stays there, but cannot be used (which used to be my way of switching to another application fast)

4. In general Parallels reclaims the focus a lot, so e.g. if you run in fullscreen mode, take the focus and go to Parallels very own Preferences menu, every time you're changing a tab in there the focus for keyboard and mouse returns to Parallels. Very irritating.

thanks
Michael

 

Not any update since 15 days with all the recuring problems mentioned here on the forum, the parallels support is ligther than their upgrade price and policy...

 

I have a valid key to download the update but I am not receiving the download link via email. Is there any other way to download the latest build?

 

usually I use ActyMAc DutyWatch ( www.actymac.com ) for parental control. anybody heard about it?

 

Transitions missing?

I've been looking everyone, but can't find any mention of the Appearance tab being removed from version 5. Has the transition effects to full screen been removed?

 

It is advertised that the new version offers AES encryption. What type of AES is provided? 128-bit, 256-bit?

I would like to use the encryption, but without further information it makes it difficult to try to get this approved for work.

Thanks in advance.

 

Hi.

We use 128 bit AES encryption.