Parallels Tools Update has been impossible since 4128

I have been unable to update Parallels 3 since build 4128.
Builds 4560, 5060, 5144, and now 5120 have all failed on my machine, with identical or very similar symptoms. Parallels crashes either during Parallels Tools install, or after the Windows shutdown and restart. I have had partial success with 4560 by doing first a custom install, in which I would uncheck Shared Applications, and then install these in a second step. But workaround has not worked with the later builds.
I have been reading around in this forum, and have tried to take all precautions when updating, i.e. I have been uninstalling the old version of Parallels Tools from VM, shutting down the VM properly, repairing the Mac disk permissions, uninstalling the old PD version and restarting the Mac before update.
I am very disappointed. I love Parallels for its SmartSelect and Coherence feature, which are in my view better implemented than Fusion's Unity (no Taskbar?????, crappy integration with Expose). However, if I can't install the latest versions, then I will one day switch to Fusion, nilly willy.
Running an ordinary MacBook Core Duo, no fancy software installed, 2 GB RAM, WinXP SP2.

Robert

Robert

 

I have had a similar experience. I'm using the Bootcamp partition to work with Parallels. (An 80 GB hard drive, after all.) First of all, I've had seemingly endless problems with Windows authentication. I've probably phoned India 10 times by now. Right now, I authenticated over the phone on Bootcamp, and it worked. When I opened Parallels, it gave me the three-day warning on authentication. I was working out how to make the shift to a pure VM file, when I booted up and the "Genuine Advantage" badge disappeared, and I was okay again. Why? I don't know.

And meanwhile, I have not been able to install Parallels Tools for quite a while. In desperation, I uninstalled all Parallels software from Bootcamp -- it's a new option in the latest build -- and guess what? The previous authentication, from 15 minutes before, was voided. ARRGH!

 

drop bootcamp if you can
it is in Beta unsupported by Apple

rkowal
I have not seen any of those probeloems

please define machine and system
versions with all the usual numbers

a guess would be to get a firewire hard disk and move stuff there to create 30 to 50 gb empty space on Macintosh HD

Hugh W

 

Version 5158 is the first version of Parallels NOT to crash on me after rebooting the VM from the Parallels tool update.

I do have to add that even though Parallels DID crash on most recent releases during the VM reboot, if I just restarted the VM it would eventually start up and stay working.

But it was a troubling time.

Try 5158 it may be the answer for you.

Robin