[Report ID: 797354] WinXP SP3, Bootcamp, slow startup under Parallels

ID: 797354
Windows XP SP3 (32 bit, Boot Camp) is taking too long to boot (about 5 minutes!) under Parallels, I see a lot of disk activity and it eventually boots, but takes too long (unlike before). I reinstalled Parallels Tools and it still the same. Boots normally (about a minute) when booting in Bootcamp.
I'm not sure, but I think this started happening since I ran Microsoft Update yesterday (Patch Tuesday) and installed the latest MS updates.

Update: While booting the disk is trashing constantly and prl_vm.app runs at 100%, even when it finally boots prl_vm.app keeps an intense activity although on the Windows side all processes are near zero activity.

 

Bump!

I don't think this issue is being given the proper attention, I didn't even receive an e-mail confirming my report.

 

Tried to run this command:

start /wait Rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks

Seems to make things better.

 

I am having the same problem (829186). PD loads instantly but XP SP3 takes a LONG time to start. Once started its fast. I have the same issue on two different macs, both running 10.6.2.

 

One for the first things I tried to do after installing Parallels on my Mac Pro 8 core with Windows XP SP2 was run Microsoft Internet Explorer and run Tools -> Windows Update. Parallels crashed. Since then, I haven't attempted to update to SP3.

 

JamesN, you should update Windows, you're at risk. If Paralles crashes it's another problem that should be fixed, but it isn't suppose to crash (it doesn't for me). Btw, my problem has nothing to do with SP3, I've had SP3 before PDM5.

 

Specimen

Thanks for info that XP SP3 isn't compatible with Parallels. And thank you for not charging me $9.95.

 

WHAT??
I didn't say XP SP3 isn't compatible with Parallels!!

Windows XP SP3 works flawlessly with Parallels Desktop for Mac 4 and 5.

If you're using PDM4 be sure you have the latest build, as the compatibility with SP3 was brought in July if I'm not mistaken.

 

OK. Thanks ! Still having problems. Stockfinder works with Macbook's duo core architecture however (flawlessly). So the problem is definitely with Parallels and how it handles 8-core processors.

 

JamesN: You should open another thread, this conversation is completely obscuring the problem stated in the first post.

 

Hi,

this issue (slow booting of XP) is true for me as well. I'm using PD5.0.9308 now, but it still takes 3:10 minutes on a 2GB MacMini with 1.83 GHz CoreDuo and 7.2k Seagate 160GB disk.

Booting XP natively (BootCamp) takes 50 seconds until the login screen appears.

Something is broken here - does someone know what?

Nonetheless a happy new year - Matthew

 

This issue seems to be solved with Build 5.0.9344, Revision 558741 of 05 Mar 2010.

Obviously it was a problem with the disk caching - at least that was a major point of fix for this build and it fixed my issues too. Took a long time but "Thanks!" nonetheless.