macOS Big Sur and Parallels Desktop

Guys, also please check and subscribe on this KB article for more information about the known issues with macOS 11 Big Sur and Parallels Desktop for Mac

 

Hi, I got past all the issues and successfully installed Big Sur. However, now I can't log in. I submitted technical report # 343624381, which includes screenshots and videos of the issue. Thank you!

 

What is the best way to get issues added to that? I have reported on this forum (https://forum.parallels.com/threads/macos-big-sur-and-parallels-desktop.350219/page-7#post-868888) missing menubar items and crashes whenever trying to click in the area where menubar items _should_ be...and it has been verified by others as well. (https://forum.parallels.com/threads/macos-big-sur-and-parallels-desktop.350219/page-7#post-868895, https://forum.parallels.com/threads/macos-big-sur-and-parallels-desktop.350219/page-7#post-868899).

I just don't want the issue to be lost as well.

 

I tried this a number of times. These are my observations.
First time I tried to install this on top of a newly created macos 10.15.5 VM with Parallels Tools installed. When i went to install the Big Sur Beta I received a message 'BitErrorDomain Error 3". I found this article which got me past that: https://www.wikigain.com/fix-the-operation-couldnt-be-completed-bierrordomain-error-3/. Once I appied those boot flags i and tried again, i received a message that the disk didn't have enough storage. I resized the hard drive allocated to the VM to 128g and resized the partition inside the macos 10.15.5 VM. I was then able to run the Big Sur installation. In the end, that install rebooted and never fully achieved a running state. I don't know what was going on behind the scenes inside of Big Sur or Parallels.
The second time I tried this, i did so on top of another newly created maos 10.15.5 VM. I did NOT install Parallels Tools. I went through the steps to add the boot flags as before and resize the hard drive allocation to 128g. Then i created a snapshot so I woudn't have to do that again. This time when I loaded Big Sur, it got completely through the install and i was presented with a login screen that kept repeating endlessly despite having entered the correct password. I have seen other posts to this on this forum.
My guess is that this isn't going to work in Parallels until it's updated for compatibiity with Big Sur.
Is there a Parallels Beta program I could subscribe to to help test this out going forward?

 

It will work if you follow the steps I outlined in my post on page 8 of this thread.

As long as you don't need Parallels Tools for now, you can get it working fine

 

I was able to successfully install the Big Sur beta, and on first boot was able to look around a bit. On subsequent access, each time I log into my account, within a minute or two I'm kicked back out to the login screen. Any ideas on what is causing that? I didn't install anything, including Parallel Tools. Just set up the account.

 

Hi, could you please clarify, did you login into Windows account or into Windows VM?

 

Hello, is it possible to reproduce the issue and generate the tech report right after that?
Please post the report's ID here.
Looking forward to your reply.

 

Hi, did you try to reset your VM after Parallels Tools installation?

 

Hello,
Could you please collect tech report right after the Parallels Tools installation and then after the VM restart?
Looking forward to your reply.

 

Hello, thank you for the provided info. We've involved Parallels Engineering Team in this case for the further issue investigation

 

not so much luck yet

 

Hi Maria, I did generate a report on this issue
Parallels report ID 343370092

 

Hi Parallels team, This is the issue of endless login loop :
Parallels report ID 343370092

 

Thanks a lot we've provided Parallels Engineering Team with this info.
Also please provide us with the following info:
Please collect crash logs from inside guest. If you cannot boot, try recovery mode or mount disks to another macOS guest and try there.

 

Hi, we got update from the Parallels Engineering Team:
Please collect crash logs from inside guest. If you cannot boot, try recovery mode or mount disks to another macOS guest and try there.

 

Same issue here... the "t" and "y" and "1" and "2" keys don't work in lowercase, but do work in uppercase. It makes Parallels completely unusable with Windows.

 

Use the virtual keyboard, but still... ugh. Control-Command-O I think.

 

I followed all the suggestions everyone posted and I was able to do a clean install on a new VM but like many have reported, I experienced the constant restart unable to do anything. I tried one last time but this time I didn't log in to my Apple ID. I then created a snapshot of the VM and as soon as I logged in with my Apple ID for iCloud, the restart started again. I reverted back to the previous snapshot and I tried again logging in with my Apple ID to iCloud able to recreate the constant restart. Anyone tried not log in to the iCloud under System Preferences to see if the restarts stop?

 

To help all of you poor souls. I upgraded my Mac to Big Sur and at first Parallels was working fine or so it seemed or so I thought. Anyway all of a sudden while using the latest Parallels Desktop Pro version I could no longer open my Win7 32-bit VM which I needed to use urgently. As soon as I would click on the user to login to windows it would crash. This same issue is happening with other OS's here, i.e. Windows 10. Anyway after reading all the useless information in this thread I found a solution myself. First step allow the VM to load and crash, it will force a check disk then you should see a boot menu, choose safe mode. Safe mode should load normally and not crash but of course you can't do much under safe mode. Follow steps 1 and 2 on the below page. You do not need to reboot afterwards! Now go into control panel programs and features aka add/remove programs and do yourself a favor and remove the parallel tools. Reboot your VM and you now have a working VM again!

https://www.mstechpages.com/2016/10/03/uninstall-programs-in-safemode/

You will still have the issue where your keyboard won't register certain keys like t, y, etc. I believe a fix is here somewhere on this messy thread. Or simply press fn plus the key as a temporary work around, example fn t will type t.

I'm a bit concerned about the development of parallels, I left VMware fusion because it was clearly an Indian ran operation with very poor development and lack of frequent updates. I hope the same isn't happening with Parallels, not impressed judging by this thread. Perhaps Parallels can hire me as a paid consultant so I can help them find temporary solutions to the chaos.

-Mike