The dreaded "A disk read error occurred"

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dreadthenight

Bit poster
Hello all,

I have a MacBook Pro which was running Windows XP in Parallels 3.0. For some unknown reason Parallels would no longer boot Windows and the error given was "A disk read error occurred." I upgraded Parallels to 7.0 hoping that would provide some kind of solution, but it did not.

After reading some of the posts in this forum, I realize I need to go into the Windows Recovery Console to try and fix the master boot record. Here's the problem - when I start Windows now, I get a Parallels message which says "You need to log in to Windows to complete upgrading your virtual machine." Obviously, I can't do that!

Is there any way I can get into the Windows Recovery Console to try and fix the disk read error issue? Do I need to downgrade to Parallels 3.0 to somehow do this?

Thanks for the advice!
 
The Parallels message is just telling you that you need to install Parallels tools in the VM. It can be safely ignored for now. The VM should continue to boot fine without installing tools. Press command+option to release the mouse and be able to switch back and forth between the VM and your Mac until you've fixed things and can install Parallels tools.

Steve
 
Unfortunately it doesn't seem like I can do much of anything... very soon after booting the VM I get the "A disk read error occurred" error and I don't think I can send any commands to the VM at that point? Is there some special way to get into the Windows recovery console so I can try and fix the MBR?
 
Hi
This can be caused by improper shut down of the virtual machine, system crash or unstable power supply. File system or any other system file may have become corrupted.

Make a backup of the virtual machine, even though it does not start. Copy the .PVM file (/User/Documents/Parallels/VM_NAME.pvm) to the external drive or other safe location.

These articles may help you:
receive "Disk Read error" message http://kb.parallels.com/en/112869
"Unable to connect to Hard Disk" error http://kb.parallels.com/en/7096 , http://kb.parallels.com/5734

you can Report a Problem to Parallels Technical Support
"Help menu - Report a Problem - Send Report". Wait till the Problem Report is sent, remember the problem ID and send it or call to support team.
 
I get a "You can't see internal articles" error when I try to view two of the articles you mentioned. I think I found some posts which contain the solution in these forums (basically fixing the MBR in the Windows Recovery Console), but my problem is I can't seem to get into the Recovery Console!

Anyone have ideas? As soon as the VM starts I get the disk error and am prompted to ctrl-alt-del... I don't see a way to get into the Windows Recovery Console.
 
dreadthenight, did you mean "Windows Recovery Console" from windows installation CD/DVD media?

In this case you should change boot order at VM Configuration
"Hardware" tab -> "Boot order" to get CD/DVD boot first. Or just check "Select Boot Device" on startup.
You you will not able to find that settings, check smth like "Show Advanced..." on the left bottom corner
of VM configuration window.

You've upgraded to PD7 with already corrupted disk. So, it's better to rollback to PD3 an try to repair
MBR from WIndows installation media. In case of success you may try to upgrade to PD7.
 
I haven't tried downgrading yet, but I did put the Windows XP disc in the drive and changed the boot order so my VM would boot to the CD/DVD first. After beginning to boot from the Windows XP disc and something about inspecting my configuration, the screen turns black and nothing else happens. Looks like I still can't get to the Recovery Console? Argh! It may be time to just create a new VM, but I hate to lose all the documents in the old one.
 
You can try to save your docs.
Do not remove the original VM.
Install new VM with Windows.
After successful installation, shutdown the new VM.
Go to new VM preferences and add a new virtual hard disk
to configuration. On new hard disk setup page, choose "use existing image",
or smth like this and point to hdd image file from original VM.
Start the new VM, after second disk will be found, choose "disk checking" for new disk. I expect that it will be disk "E:". Just go to "My Computer", right click on disk "E:" and choose "Check" on one of the available appeared tabs.
You will get access to all files on that disk in case of its filesystem isn't completely corrupted.
If original hard disk image contained a corrupted data probably you couldn't repair it.
with windows repair disk. It's a generic solution suitable for any version of PD.
 
Awesome... your suggestion worked! I set the damaged VM up as a second hard drive and Windows made thousands (maybe tens of thousands) of repairs to the file system. When the repairs were done, I was able to browse through the file structure fine and rescue my files. Thanks for your help!
 
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