where are my C: drive files from Mac OS?

Discussion in 'Windows Virtual Machine' started by maxF, Sep 16, 2010.

  1. maxF

    maxF Bit poster

    Messages:
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    Where in the hell are the C:\ drive files in the Mac OS finder? I need to be able to access them from Mac OS as well but can't seem to find them.
     
  2. byteybird

    byteybird Bit poster

    Messages:
    1
    In a hard to find location

    From the Finder:

    Select UserName -> Documents -> Parallels

    Right click on Windows XP.pvm

    Select "Show Package Contents"

    Then select Windows Disks

    My C: drive is located here
     
  3. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

    Messages:
    1,229
    The C drive is mounted when you log into Windows. You need to make sure Parallels Tools is installed. Also select "Mount virtual disks to Mac desktop" in Virtual Machine -> Configure -> Options -> Sharing
     
  4. RossW

    RossW Bit poster

    Messages:
    7
    I have both 'Access Windows folders from Mac' and 'Mount virtual disks to Mac desktop' checked under Options > Sharing, and Parallel Tools is installed, but I don't see anything from my Windows XP VM C: drive - if I search for a file I know is on the C: drive in Mac Spotlight, it can't find it and I don't see anything on my desktop when the VM is up and running.
     
  5. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

    Messages:
    1,229
    In the Sharing dialog, click the (?) button in the bottom right to see the Parallels Desktop Help for Sharing.

    It says:
    If the Windows disk icon doesn't appear on the Mac OS X desktop, from the Finder choose Finder > Preferences > General and make sure that Connected servers is selected.
     
  6. RossW

    RossW Bit poster

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    joevt - do you mean the Mac's System Preferences or Parallel Desktop's? I don't see that setting under Finder > System Preferences > General.
     
  7. RossW

    RossW Bit poster

    Messages:
    7
    Never mind - I found it. After I start up my VM I can see a "[C] Windows XP" drive icon on my desktop. I still can't search it, however, either in Spotlight or in the search window when I open the drive.
     
  8. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

    Messages:
    1,229
    The "[C] Windows XP" drive is considered by the Mac to be a remote volume. Spotlight does not normally index remote volumes. Maybe there's a way to make it work? You'll need to do some research.

    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2249482?start=0&tstart=0

    You could try different searching utilities on the Mac that don't use Spotlight indexes. Or use one of the search utilities in Windows, either Windows Search which also uses indexing technology, or the older Search Companion which doesn't use indexing.
     

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