[BUG] Virtual machine forked during migration

Build 5.0.9344

This is to document a bug / procedural error


[import method 1]

1. Install Parallels Desktop
2. Copy PVM file from another machine to the Parallels virtual machines folder
3. Click on PVM file

The virtual machine starts & appears in the virtual machines list. Everything works correctly.


[import method 2]

1. Install Parallels Desktop
2. Copy PVM file from another machine to the Parallels virtual machines folder
3. Click on File | New | skip detection | Custom | existing image file
4. Choose PVM file in the virtual machines folder (from #2 above)
5. You are forced to choose a different name for the virtual machine; a second [new] PVM file is created
6. Browse for the virtual hard drive image (inside the original PVM package)

Only the new virtual machine name appears in the virtual machines list. When the new virtual machine is started, Parallels uses this machine for dynamic disk cache... but it boots from the original PVM file. Both PVM files are required to start the virtual machine which appears in the virtual machines list. Moving the original PVM file to another folder sometimes causes Parallels to crash or makes the Parallels menu & window controls non-responsive.
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Suggestions:

1. Parallels Desktop should warn the user not to create a new virtual machine just to import an existing PVM file... it should describe the correct procedure in some kind of pop-up window, balloon tool-tip, et cetera.

2. When you choose "Import" from the Parallels Desktop menu, Parallels Transporter is launched. Transporter should then allow the user to correctly import a PVM file (not just virtual machines from other vendors). This will help to avoid confusion & errors. Of the 3 apparent methods for importing virtual machines, it is not immediately obvious to the end user that the [drag / drop + double click] method is the only correct method for importing a Parallels virtual machine [PVM file].