Issues with resuming suspended virtual machine

T

thegreatcurve

Bit poster
I'm running XP Pro in a virtual machine. I'm able to resume the virtual machine fine by opening its .pvs file, or by launching actual Parallels application and selecting the virtual machine. When I'm done, I just have to go Command-Q and the virtual machine suspends, as I've set it to do in Preferences.

However, if I open a document in Finder that's set to open in Windows using SmartSelect, it's different. Parallels opens, resumes the VM and Windows loads the document as you'd expect. But the OS X menubar only displays a "Parallels Desktop" menu, with none of the other menus (File, Edit, View etc) that it's supposed to. More annoyingly, if I quit Parallels in this state, it stops the VM cold instead of suspending it like it's supposed to.

I'm running OS X 10.5.2 with Parallels Desktop build 5584.
 
I should add that the same problem also occurs when launching the VM via a Windows Application placed in the dock.

It also seems to make Coherence unstable; clicking Windows apps in the dock doesn't bring them to the front, for example. And frequently the "application is running" indicator below the dock icon disappears, despite the fact that the windows application is, in fact, still open.

Basically, I'm finding that the only way to reliably resume a suspended virtual machine is to open its .pvs file, or launch Parallels Desktop and select the virtual machine I want. Any other way is horribly unstable, and this is very disappointing given that Parallel's marketing touts Coherence and SmartSelect as key reasons to buy the product in the first place.
 
Hello,

is Coherence a default mode for your VM?

Please, try to reinstall Parallels Tools and check if the issue still persists.
 
Yes, Coherence is the default mode.

I tried reinstalling Parallels tools, and for a while I thought it had fixed the problem for the most part. I did run into a few Coherence bugs like I described – clicking on Dock icons for Windows apps won't always bring them to the front, and sometimes the dock indicator light for the app disappears.

Unfortunately, the problem with the menubar is also reoccurring intermittently as shown in this screenshot.
 
basically a Windows VM needs the same housekeeping as any other MS machine
and I only ever suspend by accident:-)

I use two screens and run the VM most of the time
(we staretd with a nine inch B/W screen so a secoind screen with 256 clors was a must have)

If you don't stop and start Windows normally registery errors will build up
the MSN toolbar has a good freebie button PC health

< Check your PC health for free
Welcome to the Windows Live OneCare safety scanner. It’s a free service designed to help ensure the health of your PC.


Check for and remove viruses and spyware
Improve your PC's performance
Get rid of junk on your hard disk
Use the full service scan to check everything or customize your scan to meet your specific needs. <<
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-gb/toolbar/default.htm?s_cid=ToolbarScan
or
http://onecare.live.com/
use it about once a week
and when done make a new clone as a back up VM

I regard coherence as a neat gimmick but KISS
keep it Simple

Hugh W
 
With regards to the disappearing menubar problem, I've found that when it occurs you can fix it by option-clicking on the Parallels dock icon and clicking preferences. As if by magic, the other menus reappear, and quitting Parallels then suspends the virtual machine, as it should.

Hugh, I think it's nonsensical to suggest that the issues with coherence/resuming are expected behaviour, and should be in any way tolerated.
 
keeping it simple means I don't get any of the problems you guys get

Bootcamp is best avoided too
unleed you have to save peowr on a notebook
There are so many cries of pain caused by bootcamp on these forums

Bootcamp was in beta and unsupported by Apple when Parallels was launched so I chose never to use it
I use WinXP as a sand box and it makes sense not to muddy the clear wat4rs of the Apple desktop

Of course hobbyists and children love al the bells and whistles
but I like to work using my machines as tools - which i keep razor sharp

Hugh W
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top