Hello I notice that when I start my Windows XP VM, it creates a red-colored drive icon on my Mac desktop that I can open and browse using Finder. Back in V4 of Parallels, there was an app called Parallels Explorer which is apparently no longer part of the Desktop 6 for Mac product that allowed finder-type browsing of the files on the VM. But this is no longer there. From what I have read, there is supposed to be a "Mounter" application included in Desktop 6 for Mac that replicates the function including the ability to browse (read only) a suspended VM. Where is it? I have searched my hard drive for anything named Mounter and it's not there. There does not seem to be any "install accessories" function in the Desktop 6 for Mac application and there is no apparent downloadable application on the Parallel's web site. Where is this Mounter application and how can I get it going?
Hi, Parallels Mounter is a built-in tool. For Finder-type browsing of the files on the VM, right click on the virtual machine file (.pvm) > Open With > Parallels Mounter
The problem is that there was no option to open with Parallels Mounter when "right clicking" on the .pvm file. Before posting my inquiry, I had tried using both Spotlight and Finder to locate any file with the word "Mounter" in it. I also re-installed Parallels completely from the Disc Image. No such luck. That is why I asked. However, while reading some other documentation about Parallels Transporter, I found there are two Library path specifications used by Parallels: [Macintosh HD]/Library/Parallels/ [Macintosh HD]/Users/{username}/Library/Parallels/ After discovering this, I found that the .pvm files are located in the second path, while Parallels Transporter.app, Parallels Service.app, and Parallels Mounter.app are located in the first. So then, armed with the knowledge of where they were, I was able to "right click" on the .pvm file and then use Finder to navigate to the [Macintosh HD]/Library/Parallels/ and mount the VM as desired (being careful not to select the "always open with this application" checkbox). After later "ejecting" the mounted VM, I went back to the .pvm file and "right clicked" on the .pvm file and, this time, Parallels Mounter.app showed up as an available tool. This, it appears that, after a normal install and even reinstall of Parallels, the system does not know that Parallels Mounter.app can be used to open a .pvm file (i.e. it is not really "built-in" as you indicated) but the system does knows show it as an available option to open a .pvm file after it is successfully opened using Parallels Mounter.app the first time. I hope this explanation helps someone else resolve this issue which appears to be some type of defect in the installation process that does not make the Parallels Mounter.app "built in." Also, it seems to me that I should be able to do two things that there is no apparent means to do so: 1. Use Parallels Mounter.app as a standalone application to navigate to and select and mount drives as desired (rather than needing to burrow into the User's library, find the .pvm file, and right click on the file, and; 2. Use some COMMAND LINE syntax during system startup that always mounts drives as selected so that they automatically appear in Finder when the system starts up. If anyone knows how to do these things, please advise.
