Parallels TOTAL removal and reinstallation?

S

snsokstan

Member
I am trying to fix Parallels Tools in an installation running the VM off of Boot Camp. I can't seem to get to a completely clean, virgin reinstallation.

This started when somehow Parallels Tools got uninstalled. I could not get it installed again despite cleaning the windows registry and about 5 reinstallation attempts.

I tried removing Parallels, fixing hard drive permissions, deleting my VM configuration files, and removing all Parallels folders as well as the folders in Library\Startupitems, Applications\Parallels plus all the extensions in the Extensions folder as specified in the Knowledge Base.

The problem is that at every reinstallation, Parallels is finding, or recreating, a My Boot Camp Virtual Machine. After each "clean" reinstall, I go through the process of specifying the parameters of my new VM, and when I get to the screen asking my to name it, I try naming it "My Boot Camp" and then it tells me I already have a VM by that name.

On each of the reinstallations, I never get to the point of reentering a password.

Can anyone help me totally and completely remove Parallels so that it doesn't find or recreate a My Boot Camp VM?

Stan
 
Backing up Stan on this request as I am looking for a way to remove the Parallels tools completely. For some reasons, it screwed up the file associations in a way that even an Office reinstallation is not restoring them for Office file formats.
 
Hello Stan and Johnch,

I am sorry for not answering in time.
Please delete Parallels Tools manually:

1. Boot Windows in Safe Mode. Go to C:\Program Files\Parallels and delete the "Parallels Tools" folder.
2. Click the Windows "Start" menu -> "Run" and type regedit. Hit OK.
3. In Registry Editor, go to "My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Parallels" and delete the "Parallels Tools" entry.
4. Reboot Windows

You will find some useful tips on Parallels - Boot Camp settings in this article.

Best regards,
Xenos
 
Xenos,

Thanks.

I am trying to completely remove every trace of Parallels and do a completely fresh install. I have never been able to get to that. I want to get back to the point that I have to even reenter my serial number.

Also, when I boot up in SAFE mode in Boot Camp, my Mac Pro keyboard stops working. I can't even enter my password. I tried doing that registry edit booted up normally as I couldn't get past the log in for Safe mode.

Stan
 
Stan, you can run these commands in Terminal for the full uninstall:

• sudo rm /System/Library/Extensions/vmmain.kext
• sudo rm /System/Library/Extensions/hypervisor.kext
• sudo rm /System/Library/Extensions/Pvsvnic.kext
• sudo rm /System/Library/Extensions/ConnectUSB.kext
• sudo rm /System/Library/Extensions/Pvsnet.kext
• sudo rm -rf /Library/Parallels/
• sudo rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.parallels.*

Before you run these commands, please make sure that your VM hdd and pvs files are NOT stored in ~/Library/Parallels.

After you have executed the commands reboot your Mac and reinstall Parallels.

Best regards,
Xenos
 
Xenos,

OK, I have done that. Here's where I am:

I followed all your instructions. I did go into Windows via Boot Camp, and in safe mode, and assured that I did not have a \Program Files\Parallels folder at all--no Tools folder either.

I removed the Parallels registry key under My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Parallels" because the Parallels Tool key was already not there.

I rebooted in Mac OS X and reinstalled Parallels. Yes, it did ask me for a serial number this time. However, it immediately found a Microsoft XP Virtual Machine. In other words, I was not asked to create the virtual machine, but it was created as I installed Parallels.

I then Deleted that virtual machine. Parallels then prompted me to create a new one which I did as "Custom" machine. Two screens later, I did select Boot Camp as the source and it recreated a new Virtual Machine.

However, it still did not installed Parallels Tools when Windows first came up. In fact, there was no Parallels folder in my Windows menus. The Parallels key is present in the Registry Editor but all I see is a "default" entry. There is nothing for Parallels Tools.

I tried clicking on "Install Parallels Tools" in the Parallels Desktop Actions, but after that, nothing happened.

I tried pointing the CD/DVD drive to the image vmtools.iso but that didn't work either. When I click on the CD drive in Windows, it just tells me to insert a disk.

Also, in Windows, I don't see the shared mac drive (I think it would be drive Z:).

I am frustrated because I did have this working nicely and then one day, Parallels told me it couldn't find Boot Camp. Since then, I ahve not been able to get Tools installed again.

Stan
 
Hello Stan,

Try the following to install Parallels Tools:

- In Windows guest OS open Start menu, click "Run" and type cmd. Hit OK.
- In the command prompt, type the following command:

del /q /f "%ProgramFiles%\InstallShield Installation Information\{B730E908-1FD5-4170-A0FE-B6AB874344F0}\setup.ilg"

- Hit Enter. Close the command promt.
- Restart Windows guest OS. Try to install Parallels Tools again.

To share your Mac folders to Windows, open Shared Folders section in Configuration Editor and enable the option "all Mac disks" or use "User-defined folders" to choose the disk you wish to share.

Please have a look at this article to avoid possible troubles between Parallels and Boot Camp.

Best regards,
Xenos
 
Last edited:
That didn't work. That particular installshield folder just doesn't exist on my system. I have 6 installshield folders but not one by that name. None of them have anything about Parallels in their .ini files.

I have once again uninstalled Parallels, and gone through the various file removals using the sudo rm commands below. I used Spotlight to find any folders named Parallels and removed them.

I also read through that other article and did use Disk Utility to remove references to Parallels in my Boot Camp partition.

I even downloaded another copy of build 5584 dmg disk image just to be sure.

After doing all this, and reinstalling, I do get asked for my password but then Parallels just goes ahead and creates the same old .pvs file. I try deleting that and starting over and still wind up in the same place. I can use parallels but parallels tools won't install.

as I mentioned in a previous post, I also can't point my CD/DVD drive to the vmtools.iso file. I specify that in Parallels and then click on drive D:, but all it does is ask me to insert a disk.

I sincerely hope you can help me with this.
 
OK, I got it fixed.

From Mac OS, I simply copied the individual files in vmtools.iso to a USB thumb drive. I then started Parallels and ran those files from the thumb drive from within Windows/Parallels.

That installed Parallels tools and it seems to be working OK now.
 
This worked for me too

Good solution. I too had a broken Parallels tools (no coherence). Tried un/reinstall but it repeatedly crashed Windows. This workaround successfully reinstalled PT and all now well again. Good work!
 
Unable to TOTALLY remove Parallels.

God this is the buggiest piece of software I have EVER used. Looks like the ONLY solution is to blast your whole machine and start over.
 
...which is what I have done finally. Got rid of the Boot Camp partition, created a new one with a clean Vista install and decided to never use it a virtual machine.
 
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