backing up my VM before a 3.0 upgrade - how to?

I have just received the installation disk for Parallels 3.0. Especially as I have read about the problems that many have experienced with the installation, I want to heed the "warning" in the printed manual:

Warming: If you want to use any existing virtual machines with Parallels Desktop 2.5 or earlier, back up those virtual machines before running them in Parallels Desktop 3.0. For general information on backups refer to the Cloning a Virtual Machine in Chapter 7.

The instructions for Cloning in the 2.5 manual refer to a "Clone VM" command in the "VM" menu. For the life of me, I do not see any such menu or command in the Parallels Desktop application.

(1) Can anyone tell me what they're talking about and how to do it?

and some more philosophical questions...

(2) Is the enhanced coherence in 3.0 worth the hassle of the upgrade?

(3) Is my safest bet to spend $30 and have tech support walk me through the upgrade?

 

Shut down your guest computer, then in Parallels Desktop go to File> Clone.

You should also have at least one external FireWire drive (and preferably two or more) so you can use SuperDuper <http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html> to make a backup clone of your entire Mac drive.

David

 

Thank you!