Display Issues on Win XP Guest on Parallels 9

T

TobyT

Hunter
After updating to Maverick OS, my guest desktop is unusable. I upgraded to the most recent version of 9 to be able to open the vm. I've NO intention of upgrading the Apple OS to Yosemite., getting Maverick usable has taken all afternoon. I've repeatedly accessed the Win XP Pro Control Panel/Display to change Settings DOWN from 1828 by 943 to a lower resolution to try to increase the icon/font sizes to be readable. Despite Applying/OK, Parallels refuses to accept it; it reverts to 1828 x 943 every time. I loathe the tiny icons/fonts. What can I do to permanently increase the size?
 
1. I've already re-installed Parallels Tools.
2. I do NOT HAVE the same options displayed in the KB article which I've ready read and tried. XP Pro does NOT work as Win 7 and 8 do. And, I have no intention of EVER upgrading another Windows OS.
3. There has GOT to be another solution. I have a vision issue and my vm desktop is close to unusable.
 
I paid the fee and within 30 minutes had a Parallels tech on the phone. The issue was that I needed to go to Display/Advanced/ and do a custom setting of the CPI. At 135%, I could read the screen without disturbing my primary guest program which is tetchy about font points. I'd completely forgotten about this setting because I'd never needed to use it before in Windows XP.
 
Well, this didn't solve the problem inside my key Windows program. I can no longer read the drop-down menus. Everything was fine before I upgraded from Snow Leopard to Mavericks (which I absolutely loathe).
 
Do you have Retina resolution check box in VM Configuration > Hardware > Video? Try un-checking it.
If you don't have this setting, with your VM on screen submit a problem report via Parallels Help menu and post report ID here.
 
Thank you SO much for replying. No, the vm's monitor is a Dell S2240 M. The only options I have are video memory (set at 256 MB) and 3D accelerations which I've disabled. The box "enable vertical synchronization" is also checked. I'm to the point of wondering if I should buy a unix computer, run Parallels for that with two vms: one for Snow Leopard and one for Windows XP! That's how desperate I am.
I already submitted a problem report AND paid $19.95 for tech support. They only increased the DPI % . . . .I've since moved it to 150% which doesn't help with some of the menus. Nothing seems to help the intermittent black screen (5 with a 3.5 hour period) OR the fact that drop-down menus from each system appear on the OTHER monitor. Whereas this may seem minor to many, I can get severe migraines from any kind of flashing (the black screens) and find having menus pop up in unexpected places, infuriating.
 
I've tried repeated to lower the resolution on the Dell S2240M HD monitor to try to force my programs to display fonts I can read. Parallels will NOT permit this. When I go to Control Panel/Display/Settings, I see both monitors. There are two default monitor on parallels video adapter. But, Parallels identifies BOTH monitors as #1! This may be why I cannot lower the resolution on the vm's monitor. Am I going to have to pay another $19.95 to resolve this?
 
This forum is a free community service, independent of an official support channel. You don't pay for getting answers here, but no one is obliged to respond either.
What I was asking for is a Problem report (see here for details http://kb.parallels.com/en/9058) which contains diagnostic information for a VM. Without the report it's difficult to figure all the details that may help in understanding the problem and suggesting a solution.

You have two full HD displays, that's fine. Running XP is OK, too. My previous suggestion about retina support doesn't apply then.
Windows resolution of 1828 by 943 pixels seem correct if your VM window is large enough, should fit 1920x1080 display.
Windows text/icons seem too small? The standard approach to make fonts larger in Windows is to increase DPI percentage. Unfortunately, many older (and even newer) Windows applications don't support scaling well. This is particularly the case with XP itself, 7 and 8 scale better. But this isn't Parallels problem.
You want to change Windows resolution via display settings and it doesn't work? This is because in windowed mode Parallels Desktop normally tries to keep Windows resolution match pixel for pixel with VM window size, keep image sharp. Otherwise scaling will cause blurring, something most people don't want. If that's what you want to do, you have two options:
- Use Modality view mode, resizing VM window will not change Windows resolution, will scale the image instead.
- Use Full screen mode and set VM Configuration > Options > Full screen > Scale to fit screen option to Keep ratio.
 
If I make the change in Full Screen mode, can I revert back to Modality? I do not like Full Screen mode when I'm working.

I should add that I'm paying big bucks for an Apple/Parallels tech to come see if he can fix my other display issues, one of which is when I try to identify both displays in Parallels, Parallels appears to see BOTH displays as #1. This was NOT the case before the upgrade. Therefore, the problem seems to be significant enough for me to call in outside help. As it is now, my vm display issues are so irritating that if we cannot fix them, I will revert the entire system back to Snow Leopard and reinstall all my programs to see if that rectifies the situation. Trust me, my vm is fairly close to unusable for me (granted, part of this is caused by an eye condition which has worsened significantly the past 6 days because of the eyestrain caused by trying to fix the vm's display issues (+ black screens, drop-down menus/Dock jumping, etc.). You see, this is NOT just an annoyance; it is causing me to have significant vision problems as well.
 
Windowed, Modality, Full screen and Coherence are display modes that you can switch at any time via View menu. If you don't like full screen, just use modality. What change you want to persist when switching modes?
The thing about Parallels seeing both displays as #1 doesn't make any sense to me. If the VM is not in full screen or coherence, Windows will see only one display. In full screen mode, an option "Use all displays in full screen" controls the behavior. Coherence always uses all displays. Where does Parallels or Windows shows both of your displays as #1? Post a picture, if possible.

Once again, for any problem with the VM I suggest you submit a problem report.
 
I've already submitted a problem report and spent money on Parallels tech support. In addition, I've reported these problems on my open ticket; no answer.

I went into Full Screen Control Panel/Display/Settings and asked to identify the monitors. The screen STILL reports BOTH monitors as #1. Obviously, there is a major problem somewhere. I've done this a long time ago (several years) and the monitors WERE correctly identified. This is why I'm paying an expert to come see if he can find what's gone so terribly wrong.
 
To make matters worse, there was NO way to change the viewing mode after the above Full Screen change. Why? Because the Parallels tool bar no longer displays on the mac side; only on the Windows side which is completely blocked by Full Screen. In the past, when I had the vm open, the menu displayed on the mac side. No longer the case. I had to shut down the machine and can only hope to be able to switch back out of the hated Full Screen. And, before you post, NO there are no Parallels iconic at the top of the mac side OR any tool bar. I do NOT like using the shortcuts which don't often work for me.
 
When in Full screen you should still be able to access the menu bar: move mouse pointer to very top of the screen and wait a few seconds, the menu bar will slide down. If it doesn't, switch to some other app via Cmd-Tab then back to VM and try again. And yes, there's a short cut to toggle Full screen: Ctrl-Cmd-F (if not redefined or disabled via Preferences).
One reason I can think of that you are seeing two big white 1s when identifying displays is that display mirroring is on. When in full screen, switch to Mac desktop, open System preferences > Displays and check Mirroring settings.
If the mirroring is on, it may be due to Presentation mode of the VM. Open Parallels Desktop Preferences (not the VM configuration) > Advanced, then Hidden messages: Reset (near the bottom). That will re-enable Presentation mode prompt if it was disabled before. When and if it appears -- click No.
You still don't want to understand that I don't work for support, I have no means to find you support ticket or report without knowing the ID. At the same time, without the report I have basically no diagnostic information to look into. From now on I will stop playing the guessing game.
 
I appreciate your help and have always realized you do not work for support. I've received another email from Parallels with respect to my problem report/ticket number. It only pointed me to a kb article which was not relevant (as is often the case). I'd tried hovering to bring down the Parallels menu, but this did not work. However, I did find that if I click on the P icon in the Dock, I got the menu. The shortcut was disabled (?), but I enabled it so now can switch. I also, once again, reinstalled Parallels Tools. No joy from that either.
The hidden messages screen (under P Preferences/Advanced), after clicking Reset, never gave me an option to click No.
$120/hour tech arrives shortly. We'll see what he can make of all this!
 
After three hours of working with a certified Apple/Parallels tech, the resolution problem cannot be fixed. As he said, I'd already done everything he knew to try. But, we continued to fiddle with settings which did resolve my other issues (we think in the case of the flashing black screen). Several configuration setting on both mac and vm sides had inexplicably changed. All have been corrected. We believe the most serious problem (resolution) has to do with Mavericks’ change in methodology of how it handles multiple monitors. There is no setting on the Windows side, the Apple side OR in Parallels 9.0.24251 which fixes my inability to lower the resolution on the second monitor so that I can read the text in drop-down menus in my key program. At present, we have the DPI set at 130% and are using Extra Large Fonts on the XP Pro guest. We tried every iteration of DPI and Font Size possible, even going up to 200% DPI (menus overran boxes) in our attempts at making menus/text readable.

What is required is the ability to lower the resolution from the Dell monitor to something which would make programs/icons/menus readable without sacrificing too much “clearness” in overall visibility Unless Parallels can find a way to force this change (which it cannot in my version), I’m faced with either la vm key program much of which is close to unreadable OR reverting the iMac back to Snow Leopard. The reason my husband isn't experiencing the same thing is that he's using an really old Dell monitor, not a wide-screen, HD one.

I’m going to try to use the vm as it’s now configured for several days and see if I can work on it. I think the odds are that I’m going to have to revert the Mac side to Snow Leopard and treat both Apple and Windows sides as “legacy” systems. This is extremely frustrating and, honestly, I'm surprised more people haven't experienced this problem.
Thank for trying to help this unresolvable issue,
TobyT
 
There's no way I can work with Mavericks. The new way it handles multiple monitors is a disaster for those of us who prefer to work in Modality. Using either Full Screen OR Coherence for my particular work is not feasible. Whereas I'm told Yosemite now offers a ratio setting for displays, I'm not feeling as if I can trust Apple to fix this. Reversion seems to be the only way I can get back to work.
TobyT
 
Another Parallels tech called today and after another on-line session solved the problem. I'm posting only in cases someone else has this problem. What finally fixed the problem is 1. take a SnapShot of your system; 2. uninstall anti-virus/anti-malware software; 3. go to the Windows Temp Directory , usually C:\Document~1\Admin\Local Settings\Temp\PrlToolsPackages\setup.exe to run Parallels Tools (remember, I'd reinstalled a total of three times without fixing the issues); 4. When you execute P Tools setup via this method, it invokes the choice to REPAIR P Tools. Click on this. Keep in mind that Parallels has kept my $19.95 ticket open during all this effort of fixing my system. Their support is a bargain compared to the about $300 spent on an Apple-certified tech.

It took doing this TWICE to fix what apparently was some sort of pixel translation problem. Once we'd done that, checked that the program's menus were now readable. He clicked to install the SnapShot over the temporary desktop and the program's menus are readable.
Still no joy on the menus opening on the wrong screens, but Parallels says that is an Apple problem (not that their techs could resolve it).
TobyT
 
The flashing black screen issue cannot be resolved. I waited on two separate mornings (3 hours each) for a second-level Russian tech to phone for an on-line session. They never responded. I've officially had it; I'm reverting the system back to Snow Leopard despite the difficulty. Yes, the font resolution is more-or-less fixed, but I cannot work with a guest vm screen that goes black at random intervals. I wish I'd never heard of Mavericks . . . apparently the resolution, etc. issues with a second monitor are KNOWN issues which Apple has never fixed and never will fix. I have no plans whatsoever to try Yosemite. I hate too much about Mavericks to risk another Apple OS again!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top