Downsizing Parallels HDD size - How?

I am not going to be using Parallels too much as I'm getting a Windows laptop from work, so I want to know how to downsize the HDD (which is set at 40GB right now) down to 5GB just to keep Parallels on the Mac.

Also, if and when I want to stop using it altogether, how do I reclaim all of the partitioned HDD space?

Cheers,

Simon

 

Also, if I want to reload the VM (and present contents) at some later date, do I do it via the snapshot command?

 

Assuming your VM is an "expanding" type, which is the default installation, then 40Gb is the MAX the VM can be. The actual size of the VM as seen from the Mac will depend on how much data you have in the VM. You can get the VM file size down to it's minimum by running compressor from the Parallels menu while the VM is running.

So unless your 40Gb is a fixed size during the creation, there is probably no need to bother changing it.

To reclaim the space just delete the VM folder.

Just noticed you mentioned partitioned HDD space. Have you created a separate partition of 40Gb? If so you will need to use something like iPartition to resize the partitions, or backup, format, restore.

 

Not sure quite what you mean here. The VM can exist anywhere (external, etc) and is transportable, and can exist without Parallels app being installed. So if you uninstall Parallels and archive the VM somewhere, then at a later date you could reinstall Parallels, and restore the VM, and launch it by double clicking the .pvs file in the VM folder.

Hope this answers your question.

 

Mike,

Thanks for your replies. How can I check to see if the HDD is set up as the default "expanding type" Vs plain? I'm pretty sure I fixed it at 40 GB some time ago. I do remember running compressor and it took hours and hours before it finally finished. The Config Editor shows Virtual Disk Size: 40000 MB and the Advanced - Optimization shows 18461 MB actual size. If it is plain, can I change it back to expanding, and how?

When I decide to off-load Parallels, should I just clone the VM and then if I need to I can reinstall Parallels and get it back again?

Thanks for your help,

Simon

 

You can see what type it is and change types by running the Parallels Image Tool application which you will find in the Parallels folder in Applications. This is version 3 ver 5160. The ability to change types came in quite recently I think.

Yes compressing does take a good while!

Yes, when you decide to off load Parallels you can copy the VM anywhere you want and bring it back and re-install Parallels later.

 

that last tip doesn't really show you what your VM file type is. it just offers you the option to convert from one to the other depending on what you have installed right now but for some reason it offers only to convert mine TO plain instead of the other way around and I have PLAIN already.

must be some bug again.

 

looks like it worked now. i think when i upgraded to 5160 i was supposed to reinstall parallels tools.