Bootcamp Problems

[ericmason]

Parallels was having issues after updating to 3150, it kept hanging and crashing. I had to force quit the program a few times. I had Parallels set to use my Bootcamp partition - during these hard shutdowns of Parallels I corrupted the config.sys file in Windows. I booted for my XP disc and used the repair function to fix the MBR after which everything was fine...for a while. I now have a new problem that seems to have come out of nowhere... I quit Parallels, when to start it back up and got this error:

More than one Windows partitions are found. This is not a standard Boot Camp configuration. Please refer to the Parallels Desktop for Mac User Guide, Using Boot Camp Windows XP Installation chapter for instructions on how to configure Parallels virtual machine in case of a non-standard Boot Camp configuration on your Macintosh computer.

I have looked at what to do and don't really understand... I used the Terminal "Mount" command to view the disc address, entered it behind bootcamp in the line within the .PVS file but had no luck whatsoever... I am posting the disc section of the .PVS file below so anyone with any knowhow can assist me in getting my Bootcamp partition recognized again.

[IDE devices]
Disk 0:0 enabled = 0
Disk 0:0 = 0
Disk 0:1 enabled = 1
Disk 0:1 = 2
Disk 0:1 media = 1
Disk 0:1 connected = 1
Disk 0:1 image = Default CD/DVD-ROM
Disk 1:0 enabled = 0
Disk 1:0 = 0
Disk 1:1 enabled = 1
Disk 1:1 = 1
Disk 1:1 media = 1
Disk 1:1 connected = 1
Disk 1:1 image = Boot Camp
Disk 1:1 cylinders = 0
Disk 1:1 heads = 0
Disk 1:1 sectors = 0

 

[profmich]

I have the same problem as well.

When I tried rebooting using the windows CD, I have no keyboard control at all. Hence, I couldn't even boot from the CD and it just returned an error screen saying that I'm missing the config file and asking me to repair it.

Help!!

 

[PeterH]

I have explained elsewhere what an utter mess Parallels made of my Boot Camp installation of WXPSP2. There was no response from the Parallels team, either on this forum or to my private email address (I reported to beta@parallels.com). In short, Parallels messes with c:\boot.ini, crashes on the first boot when trying to install Parallels Tools (on the screen where password-protected users are identified with no mouse and keyboard control!). Later reboots of Boot Camp inside Parallels or on its own further corrupt the NTFS structure and render parts of Windows inoperable. Luckily in my case, I had made a full backup of my system with Acronis True Image before messing with Parallels 3150 and I simply restored the whole thing. I won't try using Parallels again on Boot Camp until the next RC or final product, if there is one, and provided the Parallels Team respond one way or another.

I'm very disappointed they didn't live up to the high expectations of an otherwise excellent product.

I think your best chance might be a Repair Install from the original CD or Windows XP, but be mindful that if you have installed IE7 or WMP11, you'll lose those and all patches since SP2 by doing the repair install.

On the other hand, If your system boots up on its own, at least to safe mode, open a command window go to the root of C: (c:\) and enter
attrib -h-s boot.ini

Then enter noteapad boot.ini and get rid of all the failed magic introduced by Parallels. If your setup was standard, the file should probably be left as follows:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Save and close Notepad.
In your command window, enter
attrib +h+s boot.ini

Reboot into Windows and see if it works. If it does, make a full backup of your Windows partition as soon as possible.

Good luck!

 

[ericmason]

Windows Partition

I can boot into Windows using Bootcamp fine, the problem is somewhere in Parallels. It gives me the error previously stated about multiple partitions - which I have only one... it doesn't make sense. I would think it might have something to do with repairing the MBR, but why did it work for a while and then stop working? I have sent this issue to Parallels Support... let's see if I get any support at all...

 

[macsurferuk]

Me too
This hasn't happened on my MBP C2D with 3150, but has on my imac C2D!!
Unfortunately all the Windows stuff above is a bit beyond me!
Like eric I can boot OK using Bootcamp.

 

[Atomic_Fusion]

Error: More than one Windows partitions are found - My solution!

ericmason wrote: I quit Parallels, when to start it back up and got this error:

More than one Windows partitions are found. This is not a standard Boot Camp configuration. Please refer to the Parallels Desktop for Mac User Guide, Using Boot Camp Windows XP Installation chapter for instructions on how to configure Parallels virtual machine in case of a non-standard Boot Camp configuration on your Macintosh computer."
===

This error came up for me, and I tried a couple things, and then thought about unplugging the USB cable that runs my external USB devices via a 7-port hub. One of the devices on it is a hard drive.

Anyway, when I have the USB cable plugged in before starting my VM, I will get this message. So I unplug it, start the VM, and plug the cable back in as Windows boots up. All works fine after that.

 

[ericmason]

Support?

I have contacted Parallels multiple times regarding this issue - which is still present, and have received no reply... I don't have any external devices plugged in so I don't know what is causing this... please, if someone has a solution or understands the babble Parrallels put on their site regarding this, please put it in layman's terms for me... Thanks.

 

[Khoji]

PeterH,

3150 also completely trashed my XP Boot Camp installation on my Mac Pro -- it was completely impossible to boot into Boot Camp after Parallels had tried to access it. Unfortunately, the installation was quite new and I hadn't made an image of it. This is particularly annoying since that installation was the last license available from my old MSDN subscription -- I can only hope that when I reinstall Windows is smart enough to realize that it is a repeat and not a new install when I reinstall...

In part it may be my own fault: The last time I tried to install a Parallels VM that would access Boot Camp it didn't work at all and instead of making a new VM for Boot Camp for 3150 I just tried the same one again. And I should have made an image, of course.

My suspicion as to why it didn't work the first time: It may have had something to do with the slipstream XP install disk I made. I wasn't sure whether the current version of Boot Camp includes the Intel SATA drivers for the Mac Pro and so I slipstreamed them into the disk. It's also possible that that's a bad idea....

 

[orbitalcomp]

Fixed!

ericmason wrote: I quit Parallels, when to start it back up and got this error:

More than one Windows partitions are found. This is not a standard Boot Camp configuration. Please refer to the Parallels Desktop for Mac User Guide, Using Boot Camp Windows XP Installation chapter for instructions on how to configure Parallels virtual machine in case of a non-standard Boot Camp configuration on your Macintosh computer."
===

This error came up for me, and I tried a couple things, and then thought about unplugging the USB cable that runs my external USB devices via a 7-port hub. One of the devices on it is a hard drive.

Anyway, when I have the USB cable plugged in before starting my VM, I will get this message. So I unplug it, start the VM, and plug the cable back in as Windows boots up. All works fine after that.

Atomic_Fusion -

Thanks for the tip, that solved my problem perfectly! The earlier builds did not have this problem that I remember, but I was having the same error as everyone else in this thread, but I could do a native boot into Boot Camp without a problem...

Turns out I had a thumbdrive plugged in, that was the problem...

Anyone else, it could be something as simple as *any* mass storage device that you have plugged in (thumbdrive, smartphone, PDA, etc.)

BTW - I'm yet another Parallels fan! Great product, keep up the great work Parallels team...can't wait to see the final version...

 

[drval]

Atomic_Fusion -

Thanks for the tip, that solved my problem perfectly! The earlier builds did not have this problem that I remember, but I was having the same error as everyone else in this thread, but I could do a native boot into Boot Camp without a problem...

Turns out I had a thumbdrive plugged in, that was the problem...

Anyone else, it could be something as simple as *any* mass storage device that you have plugged in (thumbdrive, smartphone, PDA, etc.)

BTW - I'm yet another Parallels fan! Great product, keep up the great work Parallels team...can't wait to see the final version...

It might be useful for you to post this in the "How To" forum.

 

[Atomic_Fusion]

drval wrote: "It might be useful for you to post this in the "How To" forum."
===

And help justify the efforts of the trolls, who keep insisting it's a place people are never going to make it??? Shyah right...

 

[drval]

drval wrote: "It might be useful for you to post this in the "How To" forum."
===

And help justify the efforts of the trolls, who keep insisting it's a place people are never going to make it??? Shyah right...

I guess I'm not understanding what you're saying here. My understanding was that someone FOUND A SOLUTION and I suggested that solution be posted in the "How To". So, something to the effect of, if you're having THIS trouble when starting up with the beta/RC versions perhaps it's because you've got removable media plugged in and there's some confusion for the OS. Unplug them and see if you can boot then...

What am I missing?

 

[tpp]

3150 boot camp & USB

I am now running parallels utilizing my boot camp setup. Only problem is I can not get it to recognize the usb drive I plug (of course I plug them in after I start). Is this a known bug?
thanks
tom

 

[joem]

USB support is still incomplete. Some devices work and some don't. It keeps getting better but it isn't done.

 

[drval]

I am now running parallels utilizing my boot camp setup. Only problem is I can not get it to recognize the usb drive I plug (of course I plug them in after I start). Is this a known bug?
thanks
tom

Do you have Autoconnect on or off?

 

[Atomic_Fusion]

tpp wrote: "I am now running parallels utilizing my boot camp setup. Only problem is I can not get it to recognize the usb drive I plug (of course I plug them in after I start). Is this a known bug?"
===

Tom,

Plugging the cable in is only half of the job. You also need to click on the USB icon (lower right corner of the Parallels window) and select the device you want to connect to. (unless you have autoconnect on, which a previous response addressed).

If you are plugged into the OS X prior to running Parallels, it also doesn't hurt (and might be a good idea) to eject the device from OS X before running Windows. I get a "Unsafe ejected device" OS X warning often because I forget to eject the USB disks I have mounted on the Finder. Sometimes it gives the system trouble mounting the drives again, after that happens.

 

[Stuart.]

I've been having the same problem, and thought that 3150 would be the solution - sadly no.

So to summarise my version:

1. I have to disconnect all external storage media before running the Windows VM, otherwise I get the "you have more than one Windows Partition, and therefore it is not a standard Bootcamp install so I won't run, read the manual for an answer which isn't there" (Well it says something like that)

2. Simply dragging the drives to eject them in OSX isn't sufficient - they have to be physically unplugged, or the power switched off.

3. My external drives (and I have tried just one at a time) consist of Maxtor OneTouch IIs and NexStar 2.5" enclosures. I would have thought the Maxtor was sufficiently common to work.

4. I then get the VM up and running, and plug in the external drive (autoconnect is off fwiw) I then (well this is what I was trying today) drag the icon in OSX to eject the drive, then click the icon lower right in Parallels (and I have also tried the Parallels menu just in case) to "connect" the drive to the VM. This works to all appearances - the drive is listed, it becomes ticked, the OS responds to seeing the new device, and it appears in the list of USB devices connected.

5. Except, the external drive isn't accessible, or even visible to explorer, so it is ?connected but isn't connected? Disk manager cannot see it, but the device manager can.

The previous version of the RC (3130?) at least didn't require me to physically unplug my external drives before firing up Windows, so "upgrading" to 3150 has actually made things worse than before.

Any suggestions appreciated, but I think that I may just have to wait for yet another RC to come out, and cross my fingers.

 

[macsurferuk]

I too had the message:
"More than one Windows partitions are found. This is not a standard Boot Camp configuration"

After reading all the scary window dabblings I decided to unplug all peripherals (except kb & m)
and it was fine after. I don't know which peripherals, but I don't care...it works as expected now!

 

[Atomic_Fusion]

Stuart. wrote: "5. Except, the external drive isn't accessible, or even visible to explorer, so it is ?connected but isn't connected? Disk manager cannot see it, but the device manager can."
===

Sometimes it's just a matter of time. Try waiting for 5 minutes before giving up on the device. Often, for my own drive, (that is one drive, 3 partitions), one partition will pop up in the Explorer window before another. Sometimes the last one takes quite a while, but since the activity light on the drive is red instead of green, I figure it's doing something to "initialize it" for use.

 

[drval]

I've been having the same problem, and thought that 3150 would be the solution - sadly no.

So to summarise my version:

1. I have to disconnect all external storage media before running the Windows VM, otherwise I get the "you have more than one Windows Partition, and therefore it is not a standard Bootcamp install so I won't run, read the manual for an answer which isn't there" (Well it says something like that)

Do you have autoconnect set to be ON or OFF? And what is your Boot Sequence, as set in Parallels Preferences (I beieve)?