upgrade from osx 10.8.5 and parallels 7 problem

I can't seem to find an answer to this particular problem:

I have: OS X 10.8.5 and Parallels 7

As far as I understand it, before I can update OSX, I need to first upgrade Parallels.
Parallels itself has warned me repeatedly over the last year "do not update OS X until
you've first upgraded to the latest Parallels".

But I can't install the Parallels 7 to 11 upgrade because the installer itself says it requires
OS X 10.9 or later. (Won't let me install).

Can someone please advise? The only option seems to be to update OSX to the latest
version (preferably before the 30th), then try to update Parallels. Will this work?
Will this destroy my Windows 7 install, or the Parallels VM?

If I do this, will I then find I can't upgrade the existing Parallels anyway? Or is there
another option.

Thank you- need to update OSX for some software I use daily. Please advise as to a
solution, and any implications or badness that may or may not happen as a result.

 

Bump I also have this issue Is there any advice on how to move forward
TIA

 

First, back up, use Time Machine or something else, but back up and make sure you have backed up your VMs (.pvm extension).

Secondly, upgrading, downgrading, uninstalling Parallels does not mess with your VMs, it's like saying that if you uninstall MS Office you lose all your word documents and excel sheets, crazy right?

My recommendation, after backing everything up, so you can roll back if something goes wrong, is uninstalling Parallels 7 (keep the settings), it won't delete your VMs, upgrade OS X, then install Parallels 11, then go to where your .pvms are and double click on each one so it re-registers them if they don't appear.

The reason for uninstalling Parallels is that OSX 11 will likely consider it to be incompatible.

Alternatively, you can upgrade to OSX 9 first, upgrade Parallels to 11 and then upgrade OS X to 11. This is the safest but longer procedure.

Caveat, I never tried any of these solutions myself.

 

Thanks Specimen

I am going with the upgrade to OSX 9 first, upgrade Parallels to 11 and then upgrade OS X to 11
It make sense to do it this way but its a shame I cant upgrade from Parallels & have to buy Parallels all over again . I must say with this pricing policy it will be the last time I use Parallels.
Any problems and I will post them here.