Parallels 7 and Aero in Coherence mode

B

Bruce Brown

Junior Member
I like to run my Windows task bar in Coherence mode and keep my Mac dock separate.

After upgrading to version 7 the Aero feature in Coherence no longer works and my Windows task bar as well as my Google desktop look really bad. I found that if I turned Mac Look on and then off again it works, but after a re-boot it goes away again.

The check box to disable Aero in Coherence mode is not checked.

Is there a setting I can tweak or is this a bug in the new version?
 
Last edited:
Agreed

While I rarely use Coherence, I find the same thing. Once I turn on an Aero theme, Coherence seems to be disabled in the View menu. I know that it was working earlier since I tried it out just after upgrading to PD7 and getting Aero to work. To be frank, I haven't gone back to disable Aero and reboot the VM to see if Coherence comes back; but for now, I agree with the observation that it's become inaccessible after I turned an Aero theme on. This is in a Win7 guest OS.
 
I think Parallels 7 is much more agressive in making Windows 7 perform. Maybe going to some modes may force Aero off to help performance? I have experienced the same thing going to full screen mode. In fact the initial Windows 7 Machine install it started out with Aero turned off. My problem is I only have 2GB RAM and if I was running Windows 7 native with only 512Mb dedicated to it and 128Mb to graphics it would not allow Aero.
 
There are many more problems with PD7 than just this. It's a resource hog, takes forever to start or stop Windows, can't set my old default Windows printer as the default any longer, got one program which flickers like crazy when launched but nothing else does, you can't launch Mac apps if in Windows full screen mode without kicking back to the Mac environment so forget dragging and dropping from the desktop to an open program now.

Two days ago Windows decided not to boot at all so I paid $19.95 to support to be told after several hours to backup to the previous day from my Time Machine. That has me working again....for now. It sure doesn't get to the root of the issues though.

Very buggy first release.
 
Agreed their are issues

I agree their are issues with version 7 that were not there in previous versions. I will say that I believe Virtual software of itself is a mixed bag of success and failures. I have tried every option I think from Parallels to Crossover to other VM software. In the end you can go to any of the forums and find complaints about similar issues. Nothing totoally works right with this setup. I have certainly found many programs to work well but have had other simply not work. I have had versions of Parallels work and then break something in the next update or upgrade. Many times I wished I had my money back for believing the next version would be better and simply bought a PC laptop for the work I need to do in Windows. I know I would spend less time trying to fix something then I do now. To me its the curse of owning a Mac. Because even after all these years and all the success of Apple's Mac's since going to Intel CPU's. The end result is myself and many others still need programs like Parallels to run Windows. I do not know what else to do but to give praise when things work and critical of things that do not.
 
This problem still hasn't gone away and P7 has been updated a few times. I've attached a couple of screenshots that show the problem. Every time I re-boot the computer my Windows task bar and Google side bar aren't transparent and appear gray when running Coherence.

If I change the view to MacLook and then change it back the task bar and sidebar become transparent like they should. This has not been a problem for me in previous versions of Parallels.
 

Attachments

  • before maclook.jpg
    before maclook.jpg
    269.4 KB · Views: 37
  • after maclook.jpg
    after maclook.jpg
    269.9 KB · Views: 35
Any word on this has been fixed yet? Its really annoying to me that this has not yet been resolved. May soon ask for a refund if this is not addressed by the Parallels team.

Windows Aero on Windows 7 is a major feature of the operating system. Parallels CLAIMS to support it 100% on all modes: Coherence, Full Screen, and Windowed. It clearly DOES NOT support it on Coherence. That is false advertising.
 
Same problem here.

Since everything worked flawlessly in PDv6 and since it is possible to "force" the aero-theme in coherence (by selecting it again in the systems preferences after having switched to coherence) I would agree with Johnnythegeek: It seems Parallels is deactivating this on purpose to gain ... something from it. Speed it might be.

I just wish they had gives us the option to decide for ourselves. Maybe in a future release... :(
 
I am having the exact same problem still!

Windows 7 Ultimate 32Bit

Every time i enter Coherence it turns my task bar and windows flat gray.
I have to go into display preferences and double click my aero theme.
Then the pretty aero theme comes back on and the machine runs just fine.

Aero theme stays on without issue when using standard window mode, not sure about full screen.

When will this be fixed?
Or is it a setting somewhere???
 
Well almost a year later since I last posted and no one at Parallels support decided to provide any assistance or feedback.. I figured i'd come back and share how I finally solved this problem in case anyone else has the similar issue... Nothing more frustrating than people who seek help in forums and don't post their findings right :)

I can only confirm this works on Parallels Desktop 8 running Win 8 VM under Mac...

If you wish to change the theme or turn on your aero glass theme and have it stick and not return to the default gray or blue theme every time
you switch in or out of coherence view mode do the following...

Switch to ful screen mode first (this seems to be the key.. no idea why)
Change the theme to whatever you desire.
Save the theme with a name after you set it the way you want (not sure this is important)
Then log off windows account (to ensure settings are persisted.. again not sure if this is required but better safe than sorry, I actually even restarted the vm)
Log back in.. switch to coherence mode.
Your theme should stay as is.

Again this was on PD8 and Windows 8 as it's almost a year later lol.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top