Problem with more than one virtual processor...
I've had this same problem now and in the past, and it ALWAYS happened when I made a particular change: from (1) virtual processor to (2) virtual processors. First, here's the system I'm running on:
MacBook Pro 5,2 (Early 2009)
2.66GHz Core 2 Duo
8Gb RAM
200Gb OCZ Vertex 2 SSD
OS X 10.7.2
Parallels 7 (latest build) and the virtual machine reside on the SSD.
Virtual Machine specifications:
Windows 7
64Gb Hard Drive (default settings)
Isolated from Mac OS
1 processor, 4Gb RAM
VM is set to default to full-screen at startup at full resolution (1920x1200).
This setup yields me absolutely no problems, Windows runs like a champ. (There is no Applications folder on my dock because the VM is "isolated" from the Mac OS.) THE MOMENT I CHANGE the VM configuration (while shutdown) from 1 processor to 2 processors, it SLOWS TO A CRAWL on the subsequent startup and stays that way, no matter what I try.
Looking at the Windows Resource Monitor, only the CPU is affected, memory usage is normal. The top culprits are:
System (described as NT Kernel & System)
System Interrupts
csrss.exe
dwm.exe
What I've tried so far:
1. Shutting the VM back down and changing processor setting back to 1 core, then restarting (no change, still slow).
2. Reinstalling Parallels Tools (no change, still slow).
3. Moving the VM to secondary HDD (in case the SSD is causing the problem) (no change, still slow).
4. Calling Indian tech support (what a joke) and run through a ridiculous amount of unnecessary steps that never once address the actual problem (no change, still slow).
What I've determined to be the only true solution: buy VMWare Fusion 4 and never buy another Parallels product again.