Sorry: another bootcamp question

Hi,

I have searched around the forums but haven't found the answer.

Bootcamp runs Vista successfully. Version 4 of parallels was just installed, and the virtual machine install is now running.

I was expecting that I could use the same Vista install with either bootcamp or with Parallels. Is this not the case?
Despite seeing several posts here about selecting the bootcamp partition when creating the virtual machine, that option has never presented itself. The only available disk source for the guest OS has been the dvd drive. I still think it can be done, because the parallels manual talks about some limitations of doing so. (For example, no screen snapshots.)

So, being stuck, I'm going ahead with creating a parallels virtual machine for vista. That is running now, and it seems that an entirely new install of vista is taking place. That sure seems wasteful, but I guess I'm stuck with that.

Am I totally wrong in anything I've written above?

I'd like to access the same data in Vista, regardless of whether I use vista with bootcamp or with parallels. Is this possible?

Thanks,
Steve

 

If you have a Windows Vista installed on a bootcamp partition you should be able to create a virtual machine in Parallels based on that partition for sure.

However, the choice whether the VM would be based on an image file or a bootcamp partition is made before you make a choice for the source of a guest OS. So, first of all, let us try to make it clear:

1. You need to create a new virtual machine in a Custom Installation mode. Follow this guide:
http://download.parallels.com/desktop/v4/docs/en/Parallels_Desktop_Users_Guide/22437.htm

2. On a step 7, In the Hard Disk Options window, the option for Boot Camp Partition should not be greyed out.

Can you check this?

 

I am so sorry it has taken me so long to get back to this. Had some personal issues.

Yes, the option was not greyed out. I continued with the creating a virtual machine per the instructions in your link. I got all the way to the point at which I was told to install the Parallels Tools. It took a loooooong time to for the progress bar to reach the end, and now that it has the install seems to have stalled at this point. It's been about 45 minutes now.

Suggestions?

Steve

 

Still stuck at end of step 4 of 4. Going on 2 hours. :-( Help?

 

As I understood, you have created a virtual machine based on the boot camp partition, but Parallels Tools installation has hanged.
In this case, do you have any kind of anti-virus installed? It might be interferring with the installation. You can try canselling the tools installation, disable (better - uninstall) anti-virus and try again.

 

Hi,

Yes, you are right in describing the situation. No, no antivirus installed at all. (New machine.) I couldn't cancel the tools installation. Anything I tried to do to cancel it or quit parallels resulted in a scolding that an installation was taking place and I had to wait until it was complete. It just never completed.

I finally just had to move on, so I used the Mac OS's Force Quit tool to quit the install.

Vista is so far running well in that virtual machine, at least with the relatively simple tasks I've given it so far. If there is a resultant problem from the tools install hanging, I haven't yet encountered it. For now I'll cross my fingers.

Thanks.

Steve