Updating from Parallels v 9 to 12 & Mountain Lion to El Capitan

I am finally having to update from Mountain Lion to El Capitan and will thus need to upgrade Parallels from 9 to 12. I understand I must purchase this again, but am unsure about what happens when I install.

I assume I must first make a back up of my Windows7.pvm (which I have), but then if my searching here is correct, I must first upgrade my OS to El Capitan and THEN launch the new Parallels 12 software. Yes?

My question is, once I do this, if I then open my saved Windows7.pvm from within the new Parallels 12, will all my settings be there? or am I having to start all over from scratch? It took me a few weeks to set everything up to work the first time, so I am really hesitant to do all this as I honestly can't remember everything that had to be done to make Quickbooks, printing and connectivity work (so I'm scared!) LOL!

Any advice of info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

Hi EdgemontF,
If you are planning to upgrade Parallels Desktop. I suggest you upgrade your Mac first then purchase Parallels Desktop 12 full version install it. If you plan to use the same VM just launch it with Parallels Desktop 12 there is no need for you to start from scratch.

 

Thanks for your quick reply. I have another question further to this. I have a desktop .dmg of Parallels 11. Would I be correct that if I launch that I could upgrade my PD 9 and use my existing Product Key? - or does it still do a completely new installation? I am hoping I could update from my Version 9 and keep all the setting I had in that current version of Parallels, rather than installing something new and having to remember all the settings and use my existing Product Key. Or are Versions 10, 11 and 12 all require a new installation? Thank you

 

Hi EdgemontF,
You cannot use the key of Parallels Desktop 9 for activating Parallels Desktop 11. Parallels Desktop 11 is not sold in our website anymore and upgrading to version 12 is not possible. You have to buy a full version of Parallels Desktop 12 or use this page to get it at a discounted price. Even if you install a full version of Parallels Desktop 12 you can use the existing VM without any issues.

 

What I was saying is that I already have a .dmg of PD 11. I had downloaded it and just had never done the upgrade. Is it not possible for me to double click that .dmg of PD 11 and upgrade what I currently have? I understand that launching the existing VM would open and work the data I have it in, but when I first started with Parallels a couple of years ago, there were settings that had to be made and done in Parallels that I can't recall, that took days of going back and forth with Parallels support tech-help team having to trouble shoot and set up for me, and I can't recall now what those settings were.

If you are saying that my existing VM will already have all those saved settings that will launch and be there if I update to a fresh new install of PD12, then hooray! I will be thrilled to do that. But if I will have to reset all those settings to make everything in my existing VM work correctly (as we had to before), then I was assuming that if I just updated to PD11 (which I supposedly can from PD9) wouldn't those settings already be there? Or would I have the same issue?

Sorry for the complication. I wish I had done the update when I downloaded the PD11 .dmg - I didn't realize PD would offer another upgrade version I couldn't update to without starting all over from scratch. Thank you!

 

Hi EdgemontF,
I understand you have Parallels Desktop 11.dmg file but do you have Parallels Desktop 11 key to activate it. If you don't have Parallels Desktop 11 key then there is no meaning of installing it. If you are upgrading to any versions of Parallels Desktop 10/11/12 you will need a key for that version [ at least Parallels Desktop 10/11 Upgrade key or Parallels Desktop 12 Full key ]. If you install any versions, VM setting will not get changed.

 

Okay perfect - thanks for explaining. I didn't realize it was also a new key! Wish me luck! Have a great weekend

 

Hi EdgemontF,
Feel free reach us anytime.