Copy-Paste Suddenly doesn't Work

Having the same clipboard issue

I'm having the same issue with the clipboard. I can only copy plain text between the guest and host O/S. I've tried all the steps listed here:

1. Installed Parallels 3.0 build 5584
2. Removed and re-installed parallels tool center on guest O/S
3. Installed MacFUSE-Core-10.5-1.3.1.dmg

I am running OS X 10.5.2 as the host O/S and Windows XP Pro SP2 as the guest O/S. I've attached the screenshots and log file that Xenos requested. I'd really like to get the clipboard to sync properly so that I can copy and paste images and rich text between the systems (i.e. Safari to Word 2007, Word 2007 to iWeb, etc.). Please advise.

Regards,
Mark

 

Xenos,

For unconnected reasons I did a Registry repair and then found that cut-n-paste seemed to work - for a short while! It's more likely, however, to have been the fact that a full reboot of the VM took place and the various bits of software I was working with at the time all had a fresh start.

However, perhaps of interest to you: when I was stuck in the condition of 'clipboard busy', I found that if (while using MS Publisher within the VM) I went Edit-Clipboard, the 'cut' was present in the clipboard drop down, and could be pasted from there. So I remain thoroughly mystified as to why I couldn't paste in the normal way as before.

Any helpful thoughts?

 

Hello,

Mark, thank you for the screenshots and for the log. Parallels Tools are working OK. However you can not copy files, images and rich text through clipboard - it can hold 1 MB only. Such is a current design limitation. You can use drag-and-drop for files and images.

Nmilmine, clipboard seems to be overloaded by MS Publisher and that's why you get it "busy". When you restart VM, Tool Center restarts as well. But you can restart the Tool Center only with the same result.

To restart Parallels Tools Center: right click the yellow icon in the system tray and choose Exit. Then open C:\Program Files\Parallels\Parallels Tools and double click the Tools Center icon.

Best regards,
Xenos

 

Hi Xenos,

Thanks for your further efforts to help me. I have re-started the Tools Centre, as instructed, and, on opening it have in the left pane all the various synchronisation tools ticked as enabled; on the right, in the options pane, status ticks as enabled, and the window on clipboard content shows the latest text to have been copied (regardless of whether from a program in VM or Host).

However, what happens on pasting is that the previous copy rather than current copy is pasted. To paste the correct text I have to print the clipboard up in the VM and then select from the various copied entries the last one to have been copied.

It's as if paste is one step behind copy for some reason. Help ...!

 

Correction - my rotten typing again! Second para in last post:

However, what happens on pasting is that the previous copy rather than current copy is pasted. To paste the correct text I have to bring the clipboard up in the VM and then select from the various copied entries the last one to have been copied.

 

Just a bit more from me to cast further light (or is it darkness) on my problem ...

If I clear the VM clipboard and then copy some text in the Host, I have just found that the VM clipboard remains empty, but the Tool Centre shows the correct text waiting to be pasted.

The problem seems to be that the Tools Centre is not immediately passing on its content to the VM clipboard.

I hope this helps, Xenos! Any further ideas - please?

 

Hi Xenos,

Nearly a month and not a single posting! Things have gone very quiet, but sadly my problems remain - and are as confusing as ever: sometimes working, then part working, then not working at all! Am I the only one for whom this unfortunate chapter of events remains unresolved?

I would dealt love to get it sorted once and for all. It slows down working terribly and bumps up the frustration and the blood pressure.

Is there anything else I can try - or anything I can send you to help you resolve this matter?

 

Some observations:

* Happens almost every time I put the MacBook to sleep
* Logging out of Windows does not fix the problem
* Restarting Windows does fix the problem
* You do not need to restart Parallels, just Windows
* Freezing/unfreezing the Windows image does not affect the problem

Based on this, I would venture to guess that this is a problem with a low-level Parallels Tools service running on Windows. Is there any kind of service that continues running when all users are logged out? The problem most likely resides in that service. It somehow loses is connection to the Mac host, especially when the Mac is put to sleep.

One possible tactic toward a solution is to implement a 'heart beat' carrier in the Parallels Tools service. If the Mac Parallels host detects a loss in heart beat, it could present the user with an Alert box. That would quite reliably pinpoint the events leading up to this bug.

 

Situation is a bit different, this situation when Mac is putting to sleep, and back again was specially tested as we guessed this would be the most occurred behavior model
The problem is that some third party drivers or their combination prevent Parallels Desktop to communicate with service in VM,
The most probably it is any PowerPC drivers or application which operates on kernel level

 

Just joined to add my points about Cut & Paste...

• OS X 10.5.4 on a MacBook Pro
• Parallels Build 5608
• Windows XP SP 3
  
  
• C&P seemingly randomly goes away. I understand that it's probably not "random" but I haven't been able to correlate anything I'm doing with the failure.
  
• No sleep or hibernation - virtual or otherwise- is involved here. This machine is my dev box that needs to be up 24/7. The only thing that happens is the screen saver kicking then the monitor kicking out. The loss of C&P is _not_ related to those events.
  
• Restarting the Windows VM _does_ bring back C&P.
  
• Other folks here in the office are running similar (but not the same) configuration are also seeing the problem.

I'm happy to try anything to help find the issue.

Fingers crossed for a fix or workaround or any hope!

 

As you mentioned , screensaver, so probably you need to start from that point:
-Disable screensaver in Windows, and Mac OS

 

Yeup, understood, but as I said above..

The loss of C&P is _not_ related to those events.

I'll test it again to be sure, but I don't think that's it...

 

Yes, it is not directly related, but after some times when probably memory leak occurs this may happen

 

Ahh, ok.

Are you thinking this is something leaking in Parallels or on one of the platforms?

I'll play with it more today.


Thanks for the quick replies John!

 

I am not exactly sure, it depends from software,and screensaver running

 

I have the same problem ( lost ability to copy and paste from mac to pc)and it just started friday. I have been using the application for six months, Also, I suddenly lost my ability use use shared applications. The windows VPC no longer sees my mac applications and it is missing from the windows start menu.

 

So... I've had the screensaver disabled on Mac & Windows since I last posted, and the problem cropped up again yesterday.

Any other ideas?

 

The next step is to lower screen resolution on Mac OS to 1024x768

 

Hmm.. not really practical for me to do for a week or more.

I take it you guys don't see this happening yourselves?

 

We see it with some Windows software running and Mac drivers , those causes memory leak, and break Parallels Toos
Also try to reinstall Parallels Tools