Decrease in graphics performance with latest upgrade

[AndresC]

I have a 2012 MacBook Air, Parallels 8 and Win 7 32 bit. Before the latest update, the Windows Experience Index gave gaming graphics a subscore of around 4 or 5 (can't remember exactly). In any event, with the latest update, the same score is only 2. Obviously the Windows Experience Index isn't exactly accurate, but it does seem strange that there is a sudden drop. I get the exact same score with a Win 8 64 bit on the same Macbook Air.

Anyone experience this? Is Parallels aware of this issue?

 

[serv]

Hmm... Reproduced that, will investigate. Thanks for the heads up.
BTW, reinstalling tools is not going to help.

 

[phillsm]

....And me

macbook air 2012 - suddenly gaming graphics score has decreased from 4.9 to 2.0. Please advise

 

[Jean5429]

I had the same problem in here! Macbook Air mids 2011.
I've been using Parallels Desktop 7 for those 10 days of testing, and everything worked surprisingly well! I installed Microsoft Visual Studio and also could install and play the game Ragnarok Online. Those two programs were all I need from Windows, so Parallels seemed to work perfectly. The Windows graphics score was about 4, if I remember. So I did buy it, but there were a new version, Parallels Desktop 8, so I thought it would be even better.

My mistake, it didn't work, and the scores dropped to 2! The windows installation went well, but I can't play Ragnarok Online, it keeps popping the setup screen, as if it couldn't define the game resolution? And I also couldn't open MS Visual Studio, it gives me a message that an error occurred and Windows is going to finish it.

I've tried Windows XP and 7 Professional, and also the costumers preview of Windows 8, none of them worked.

Any idea of what is happening?

 

[serv]

Graphics score of 2.0 is a problem with Windows performance test failing in a specific way. It shouldn't affect performance in general or Visual Studio in particular.

You can disable 3D acceleration for you VM to make sure it's not the reason. We'll need more details to figure why Visual Studio doesn't work for you. What version of VS are you running? What are the details of the error message? What happens if you try to repair VS installation?

 

[JeanCG]

Sorry, I had to change my account, couldn't log in the other one for some reason.
I was trying to install MS Visual Studio 2012, the error message was: Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 stopped Working. I tried to re-install it.

I just think that it should be a installation problem of Parallels, because I already had Parallels 7 installed, when I was installing Parallels 8 it said that it was going to remove the previous versions.

I tried to delete Parallels 7 content. Which are the folders of its installation ? How can I entirely remove it to do a fresh installation of Parallels 8 ?

Thank you for your help again!!

 

[serv]

Sorry, I had to change my account, couldn't log in the other one for some reason.
I was trying to install MS Visual Studio 2012, the error message was: Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 stopped Working. I tried to re-install it.

And that didn't help, right?
Can you open the details section of error message and paste the details here, namely the faulting module name and error code?

I just think that it should be a installation problem of Parallels, because I already had Parallels 7 installed, when I was installing Parallels 8 it said that it was going to remove the previous versions.

I tried to delete Parallels 7 content. Which are the folders of its installation ? How can I entirely remove it to do a fresh installation of Parallels 8 ?

Thank you for your help again!!

Parallels 7 to 8 upgrade works, that shouldn't be the problem. You don't need to clean up anything on Mac side.
Parallels Tools in Windows also upgrade itself automatically. Sometimes it does hiccup, you may try to uninstall Parallels Tools from Windows Control Panel and the re-install via Virtual Machine menu > Install Parallels Tools.
If you want to try a fresh Windows install, just create a new virtual machine.

 

[Isalsberg]

Same problem here. I have an Intel iMac with a graphic card ATI Radeon HD 4670, running parallels 8. The VM is Win 7 64 bits.

Before the upgrade from Parallels 7, the Experience Index for Gaming graphics was 5.5, now it has downgraded to a poor 2.

I tried reinstalling (uninstall/install) Parallel tools, but it did not help.

It was said that Parallels 8 improves 3D graphics performance, however it seems there is a problem.

Any suggestion?

 

[serv]

Graphics score of 2.0 is due to a problem with Windows performance test failing in a specific way. It shouldn't affect performance in applications. This will be fixed in an update.

 

[Isalsberg]

Ok.

Thanks.

 

[akkun]

With the last update is the same index ..Build 8.0.18314 (Révision 813278; Wed, 31 Oct 2012)..thanks for a fix and this great program

 

[LinoL]

Same here! MacBook Air 13" 2012, core i7, 8GB, 512GB SSD. After upgrading from Parallels 7 to 8 the graphics performance for games has dropped to only 2 in Windows 7.

Waiting for the fix... Thanx!

 

[guyo1968]

Have to chime in here too, with my MacBook Pro mid-2010 displaying the exact same issue immediately following the update (gaming graphics performance dropped to 2.0 from 4.5).

Also, there seems to be an issue with the updated Parallels Desktop 8 virtual machine's Internet connection. Despite Internet connectivity being available with no problem, the little connectivity notification area icon insists that Internet connectivity is unavailable, and presents the tell-tale yellow triangle with exclamation mark. Disabling and re-enabling the network adapter inside the virtual machine makes no difference.

Anxiously awaiting an update that will hopefully resolve the above two issues.

Thanks.

 

[LinoL]

@guyo1968: I have the yellow triangle too, although the internet connections works ok.

I noticed that this has to do with my antivirus (AVAST). If I desable it the yellow triangle desappears...

AVAST is somehow interfering with this...

Try to desable your antovirus and check if the yellow triangle will vanish too.

Cheers!

 

[guyo1968]

@LinoL: Yep, the Internet connection IS active just fine inside the virtual machine, but the yellow triangle is there nonetheless.

As for Avast, I actually do have it installed, both the Windows version in the virtual machine, and the Mac version. Seeing as I have it on "real" Windows PCs as well, and Avast has never caused this connectivity confusion on them, I attempted to disable the Mac version. I can't find a master switch, so I simply disabled all shields individually. However, the yellow triangle remains...

Does the Parallels staff care to chime in on this? This is a new phenomenon that's also come up only following the latest update.

Also, would be nice if we could have an ETA on an update that'll fix the bad Windows Experience rating.

Thanks!

 

[LinoL]

In fact I only have the Avast for windows version. And when I disable it the yellow triangle desappears!

I believe you left your Windows Avast running all times. Try to disable both of them, or at least the windows version.

Cheers!

Lino

 

[Tomas Truchly]

same problem on mbp 13 hd4000 2012

Hi. I am having the same problem.
I just bought parallels 8.

Gaming graphics ( 3D business and gaming graphics performance ): is 2.0 both in w7 64bit and also w8 64 bit.

I am glad I found this forum , cause I thought the reason was that....

I just upgraded from MBP13 2010 to MBP13 2012. In MBP 2010 I had Crucial SSD and I just moved it to MBP 2012 ( and sold MBP2010 with 500GB drive from 2012 ) ( are you already comfused ? ).

And it works. And I thought that was the problem. ( Cuz Fusion shouted on me some warning about graphics ( I also use fusion for some machines )

But I see this is a general problem. But there was really long time no post to this thread, so are you working on some update? Or?
I didn't really investigate or didn't try any other benchmark yet. But still, 2.0 is very sad performance.

 

[Isalsberg]

Good news!

Parallels just released upgrade Build 8.0.18345.
With this version, the 3D display issue was fixed.

Just install the new version, start your Windows VM, Update Parallel Tools, reboot the VM and Re Run the Experience Index. That will bring the old good index value.

Cheers

 

[AidelK]

nope.. doesnt fix anything..

Still.. with version 18354.. still... last time.. its a perfect 6.5.. now.. its 3.9 subscore..
most of my game..cant be play ... im seriously upset with the claim that say.. 30% better grafic... im 3 days without my online game..coz now the performance of the game is ridiculus.

work well before i upgrade to 8... i can play Skyrim withh good graphic setting.

now... event the simplest game will be jagged and lagged as if the grafic is less than 2 fps. (

 

[AidelK]

Parallels Tools May Kill your VM.

done this before.. my windows crash.. and all my stuff have to be refresh in windows 8..and i have to reinstall everything from scratch..especially download the games 2.gb++ files...