As per title - what is the best way to shut down your Windows VM? I have pondered this question many times and it might be the case that it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever. So, is it best to use the traditional method for shutting down Windows i.e. from the start button, or should you use the option to shut down from the Parallels suspend/shut down menu?
Start > Shut Down You should look at Parallels as the Hardware of the Virtual Machine, the shut down functionality in Parallels is a kind to that of a Shut Down button on a real machine.
Thanks for that. I have always used the Windows start button but someone started me thinking a while ago by saying you should use the Parallels shutdown features.
I have Parallels (running 9 under Yosemite) set to Suspend the Windows 8.1 VM when I shut down Parallels. Have been doing this since I moved to an iMac back in 2011 (at that time running Lion and whatever version of Parallels was current and Windows XP) and have never had a problem. Then when I start Parallels, the Windows 8.1 VM just restarts.
