Help! Windows XP won't boot in parallels

In my haste to get help I posted this in the wrong spot, so I'll try again.
I have a new macbook and just installed parallels and Windows xp. All I get when I open the parallels is a black screen with memory info in white and it says "boot from hard drive...". I have read and tried everything in the manual but cannot get it to work. It says it is "running" in in the pull down tool, so I can stop it from there, but I do not have a Windows XP open window. I am on a short time schedule to get this thing running because I need to install software in the Windows system ASAP. Thanks for any help, Mary Jane

 

>>> Message has been deleted by the user <<<

 

In my experience (of 25 years in IT) when a company does not quickly respond to a major problem it means they are either close to being bought out of business or close to going out of business.

Something is up. I'm sure of it.

Al

 

Hi MaryJane,

Did you do a Typical installation or a Custom Installation?
kat

 

I used the "express" as it was recommended. I went back and tried to re install using the "typical", hoping I could then throw out the first attempt, but it wouldn't even recognize the cd in the drive. It just kept telling me to insert the cd.

 

Please chech to make sure that you have checked install from the cd first.(Humor me ) If It is checked then you may need to make an iso image of the cd you are using, and install as a .iso image. I found a link for you: http://kb.parallels.com/entry/30/490/

kat

PS Are you using a copy of xp that came with another computer?

 

Thanks for you response. I have no problem humoring anyone, I'm wandering in the dark here!
I tried a "typical"installation again to see if I was missing something like an "install". This time the CD was recognized and accessable. The only command on that window after putting the CD in the drive is "finish". Nothing else is available from drop down tools etc. So I clicked the finish and it whirred and churned for a good while. (I was hopeful) Finally a 1 or 2 sec. flash that had a full page of words and the only thing I caught was "failed". Then it also returned to the screen with the info and "boot from hard drive"
The Windows XP is a brand new purchased "Windows XP home edition". Purchased from MacMall along with Parallels.

 

ok. Please make sure your copy of windows xp is a full os not just the update to sp2.

 

Ok I read everything again in the guide and it has "new installation" choice when "your computer does not have an operating system"
It cost enough so it better be and I'm sure it is not just an upgrade......

(and what is an ISO copy?)

 

Same Issue

I just bought a brand new MacBook Pro, I have installed the latest (3.0 build 4128) version of Parallels and bought a brand new version of Windows XP Professional (not the upgrade, but an original installation pack). Parallels and XP together were not cheap, and I need them to work.

I have the same issue as everyone else. At launch I see Parallels looking to "boot from hard drive...", then nothing. It's like it can't find Windows.

I've tried changing the boot up sequence to tell it to boot from the CD, but still nothing.

HELP!!!!

 

Once upon a time I had Parellels successfully installed on my MBP and loved it.

Then, for no apparent reason, I started getting connection probms (had to keep changing my network choice from shared to host and back again), so then I tried to reinstall Parallel Tools (uninstalled and reinstalled) and thats when Parallels kept crashing, shortly after the Windows startup icon showed up at startup.

So I uninstalled Parallels completely and haven't been able to reinstall at all since, getting the same issue Mary Jane is citing here. I've posted multiple times with no response.
I spent too much $$ to have to pay for tech support, too.

Is this area completely without tech monitoring? Is there a forum area on the site where tech support is available?

 

Ugh!!!

I just went through the labored process of deleting files and using the Disk Utility that was recommended on the Parallels Knowledge base site. No luck. Same issue with the blue screen of death.

What a colossal waste of money this product is!

Is anyone from SWSoft and Parallels listening? You guys are going to get flamed on the web! Help us - please.

 

hi MaryJane

Just want to make sure we are on the same page. This is for a regular install of Parallels not bootcamp. Have you tried to make a .iso copy of your xp os, and doing the install from an iso image? When you uninstalled the machine that didn't work you deleted all the associated with it?

kat

 

knowledge base, this might help

Problems When Installing or Running Parallels Desktop
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Problem Description:

Errors occur when you try to install or update Parallels Desktop, create or open virtual machines, load the required drivers to the guest OS Guest operating system (guest OS) designates an operating system that runs under virtual machine control. One primary OS and multiple guest OSes can run at the same time on a single computer..

Symptoms:

The symptoms may vary from Parallels Desktop installation/update failure to problems during its operation, like inability to load required drivers, create VM, etc.

Cause:

Mac OS system failure or incorrect software update may result in inabilty to install Parallels Desktop or load system files properly. Working in Mac OS for long periods of time without restart may lead to some minor glitches to appear in the system as a whole.

Solution:

To resolve these issues, do the following:

1. Reboot your Mac.

2. Browse the Applications folder. Open Utilities and launch Disk Utility.

3. Select Macintosh HD on the left tab and click the Repair Disk Permissions button.

4. Launch the Uninstall Parallels Desktop application (you can find it on the Parallels Desktop CD or in the downloaded Parallels Desktop DMG package) and follow the on-screen instructions. Please note that Parallels Uninstaller does not remove virtual machines from your Macintosh hard disk. It is important to use the Uninstaller of the Parallels Desktop version currently installed or newer.

5. Delete these folders, if they can be found in your system:

/Library/StartupItems/Parallels/Applications/Parallels 6. You may also need to delete the following files (it is recommended to restart your Macintosh computer before deleting them):



/System/Library/Extensions/vmmain.kext/System/Library/Extensions/hypervisor.kext/System/Library/Extensions/Pvsvnic.kext/System/Library/Extensions/ConnectUSB.kext/System/Library/Extensions/Pvsnet.kext7. Repeat steps 2-3.


8. Restart your computer again and install Parallels Desktop for Mac.



Related to products:

Parallels Desktop 2.x
Parallels Desktop 3.x
Others in this Category related to this Product:

Launching Parallels Desktop after the Upgrade
How to Check the Version Number of Parallels Desktop
Upgrading to Parallels Desktop 3.0
Upgrading to Localized Parallels Desktop 3.0
Problems with Installing Parallels Software in Windows OS
How to Install Windows Vista Upgrade Version

 

I went through all of this and it still didn't work. How do you make an .iso image?

 

how to create iso

To make an ISO image of the CD-ROM using Disk Utility:
In the Finder open Macintosh HD - Applications - Utilities - Disk Utility.
Insert the source CD-ROM (the image of which you want to create) into the CD/DVD-ROM drive of Macintosh computer.
Select the CD/DVD-ROM drive from the Disk Utility device list.
Click the New Image button on the top of the Disk Utility window.
Choose the name and location for the image (you can leave the default settings).
Set Image Format to read-only.
Click Save and wait till the image creation process is complete.
Locate the created image, open its pop-up menu (by Ctrl-clicking the file) and select Get Info from the pop-up menu.
Expand Name & Extension section and change the file's extension from .dmg to .iso.
Now you can connect this image to the virtual machine’s CD/DVD-ROM drive: launch Parallels Desktop, click the CD/DVD-ROM icon in the main configuration window to open the CD/DVD-ROM drive’s settings, select the Use image file option, and click the Browse button to locate the ISO image file.
You can use a successfully created image file as a bootable media for the guest OS installation instead of a real CD.
If during the image creation I/O errors occurred, this may indicate that there is either a problem with your disc, or your Mac’s CD/DVD-ROM drive doesn’t function properly. Please consult your local Apple Center for solving this problem.

 

got help

My virtual machine and Windows XP are finally up and running. I got big time help from an IT and he got it to work using the method described (.ISO) Thanks for that suggestions. I would not have had clue how to do what he did. (and would not have purchased the MacBook had I known I needed professional help) Now I'm struggling to add software and get programs and shared files going - Nothing works according to the little "User Manual"
I am so dissapointed and angry with this entire process and products. No support from Parallels or Mac. I bought this Mac with the assurance that I could just load it all in and enjoy! I have registered in so many places, asked and posted questions and have yet to get help from any of them. I have called Apple tech support only to be told they don't deal with any of this as it isn't their software. THEN WHY do they SELL a MacBook on the basis that it will run both systems when they don't support it. They are making claims they don't back up. I could not have got this going without professional tech assistance. And he took a few hours himself to figure it out and I needed a PC to make the ISO copy so the Mac would read it. The IT said his colleague had to use 3 Windows XP prof. before he found one the Mac would read. (I was not going to purchase 3 to see if that would work!) This is way different thant the "oh it will run everything" claim they assured me when I purchased the computer. Apple and Parallels and anyone else connected to this mess are engaging in fraud. They really need to be called on this!
I need the Windows system to run a variety of fiber art software and now I will see if it actually will do that.

 

MaryJane

I find the best way too install software in xp is to use the add remove option from the control panel. I am glad that the .iso information helped you.

kat

 

When you don't understand something , why aren't going back to the schop you bought the mac and parallels. It's there responsebility. When i bought an iMac they preinstalled everything. Don't blame parallels or apple.

And send an e-mail to windows for there awsome software called "windows"

 

MaryJane

I agree with jackybe67. The store should have helped you with your install. The user forum is mostly users helping each other. Unfortunately we cannot look at your machine to see what the issue is, but we do try and help.

kat