Panda AntiVirus crashes explorer.exe when in Coherence or Crystal mode.

I am able to re-create a problem with my Windows 7 guest OS. Explorer.exe gets stuck in a crash cycle whenever the following things are true:

• Panda Anti-Virus 2010 is installed.
• Parallels is set to display Windows 7 in Coherence or Crystal mode.

Here are the "Problem Details" that Windows 7 shows:
Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: Explorer.EXE
Application Version: 6.1.7600.16450
Application Timestamp: 4aebab8d
Fault Module Name: USER32.dll
Fault Module Version: 6.1.7600.16385
Fault Module Timestamp: 4a5be088
Exception Code: 80000003
Exception Offset: 00000000000192db
OS Version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033

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If I un-install Panda, Coherence and Crystal modes work fine with no problems, but that's the Anti-Virus program we all use at our organization. I've tried turning Aero off, and it doesn't matter if it's on or off. Has anyone else run into anything else like this?

 

Yes. Any Solution?

 

None yet. I email Panda about this in July corresponded once again in August, and I haven't heard back yet. Your message reminded me to check in with Panda again to see if they have any insight.

 

Nothing yet. I emailed Panda support again today to see if they can help. I already emailed them once in July and again in August.

 

Panda's Response

I finally got a reply from Panda. I will be using Parallels Security Tools from now on. Here is my correspondence with them with the most recent at the top:

Dear Client,

We have received word back from our developers on this issue. Unfortunately, Panda is currently not certified for use in virtual environments, and the retail products are not currently compatible with Parallels. Development is currently underway to add additional compatibility for Parallels to our corporate products (such as AdminSecure), and compatibility may be added to the retail products at a later date, but it is not on the development roadmap for the immediate future.

Sincerely,
Corporate Support
Panda Security USA

--------------- Original Message ---------------
From: Graden Hudson [###########]
Sent: 11/29/2010 12:58 PM
To: corporatesupport@us.pandasecurity.com
Subject: Re: Panda Antivirus Pro 2010 in Parallels on Windows XP/Windows 7

Okay. I went through all these steps. However, I couldn't complete step 4 because I was never able to find the Memory Dump file. Hopefully, this other stuff will be helpful, though.

Attached is a ZIP file with the other two files you needed.

By the way, the correct email address is ###########. We tried to correct this with CDW at the time of order confirmation, but I guess it was never corrected. Please update your records. Thank you.
--
Graden Hudson




On 11/24/10 12:39 PM, "Tech Support - Corporate"
<corporatesupport@us.pandasecurity.com> wrote:

Dear Client,

We have sent emails to the primary contact on the account, ###########. Since those emails do not seem to have reached you, I am also sending this directly to the email address listed below, ###########.

The Panda Antivirus Pro 2010 program is designed to work on Windows XP/Windows 7. It was not intended to be run on a Mac system. A Windows VM running on a Mac platform should let it run properly, and as you yourself has observed it does so under normal operation. However, when you are switching to Coherence and Crystal view modes, you are not running a true 'clean' Windows VM anymore. That said, we would like to assist you to use the Panda product if at all possible, so we are requesting some information to try to troubleshoot this issue:

1) You are receiving the crash whenever you try to access Coherence or Crystal view mode. Please try turning off sections of the antivirus, then switching to Coherence or Crystal view mode and see if the error persists. Try turning off the firewall, the protection against unknown threats, and the protection against known threats, in that order, testing the switch in view mode after reach. Finally, please try right-clicking on the Panda icon in the system tray and selecting Close Automatic Protection, then test the view mode switch.

2) While running the VM normally (not in Coherence or Crystal view mode), please run the PSINFO20_Vista.exe utility per these instructions: http://support.us.pandasecurity.com/retail/Templates/psinfo.htm . Once you have done so, please reply to this email and attach the PSINFO output file. You may zip this file to reduce file size.

3) While running the VM normally (not in Coherence or Crystal view mode), please click on Start, then Run, then type MSINFO32 and hit Enter. In the window that appears, please click on File, then Export. Please save the file (you can name it MSINFO32.TXT). Please attach this MSINFO32.TXT file when you reply to this email.

4) While running the VM normally (not in Coherence or Crystal view mode), please right-click on My Computer (or "Computer" in the Start Menu) and click on Properties -> Advanced -> Settings -> Start-up and Recovery -> Settings -> Write Debugging Information. Please select Complete Memory Dump, and note the name and location of the dump file to be generated. Then switch to Crystal or Coherence view mode to cause the crash. After doing so, please attach the dump file when you reply to this email. You may zip this file to reduce file size. If the dump file is still very large (ie. too large to be sent comfortably via email), please let us know.

Sincerely,
Corporate Support
Panda Security USA

--------------- Original Message ---------------
From: Graden Hudson [###########]
Sent: 11/18/2010 9:28 AM
To: support@us.pandasecurity.com
Subject: Panda Antivirus Pro 2010 in Parallels on Windows XP/Windows 7

Hello, Panda Security.

This is the fourth time I have attempted to get in contact with Panda Support about this issue.

I emailed Panda support about this issue in July. I was asked by support to provide my activation code for my account which I provided in August, and I have not heard back from you. Can you help me, please?

I have had a problem with running Panda Antivirus Pro 2010 in Parallels on Windows XP and Windows 7 systems.

I run a Mac OS X 10.6.5 machine. I run Windows 7 and Windows XP via Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac. Install runs fine, but when I switch to Parallels' Crystal or Coherence mode, I get stuck in an Explorer.exe crash cycle. Removing Panda Antivirus Pro 2010 fixes the problem. This issue can be recreated every time on my machine and my colleague's machine (also Mac OS X 10.6.5).

Attached is a screen shot of the error message in Windows 7.

I want to use Panda's software as my antivirus solution, but unless this issue is helped, I won't be able to. The Coherence and Crystal view modes are vital to our workflow.

Here is the activation code for our account:
############

Thanks for any help you can provide.
-- Graden

 

Truly a sign of the times. An anti-virus software that can't handle virtualization of any sort, coherence or otherwise. Hey Panda, ya might as well just close shop and throw the key away. Glad the software running in the cockpit was written a couple of decades ago.

Pass the pizza.