Windows XP steals CD drive...

[nabu]

Parallels 3/5608
MacBook 10.5.5, 4gb ram/320gb hd

All is working well, but when I launch WinXP, it steals the CD drive from the Mac! Even when something's playing in the drive on the Mac side such as a music cd.

Go over to Windows and the usual choice box is up when one inserts a CD in a Win system (asking user to select action to take on the newly noticed CD!).

How can I fix this?

Thx,
Gary

 

[John@Parallels]

From status bar in Parallels Desktop window, clicm cd icon and select disconnect before inserting CD on Mac OS side

 

[jbkendrick]

If you would like some other insights on using Parallels with OS X and Win XP, check out some posts at http://johnkendrick.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/which-is-the-better-windows-emulator-well-that-depends/

 

[nabu]

From status bar in Parallels Desktop window, clicm cd icon and select disconnect before inserting CD on Mac OS side

Thanks, but I was hoping there was a cure rather than an annoying, "hope I remember to turn off the cd" solution. Plus, I envision having to go back and forth between Mac and XP needing to use the CD in both environments.

Does this mean I simply have to "connect" the cd on the xp side when I need it there, and disconnect when I need it on the mac side?

Hope this is on the list of future fixes. But thanks for the tip.

Gary

 

[jbkendrick]

I don't really look at this as a bug. Only one operating system can control the hardware, in this case CD Drive, at a time. Since you are running two OS's you have to make a decision which OS to give it to, and when Parallels is running, it is simply clicking the CD icon and choosing connect or disconnect, whatever you desire. Hope this helps in understanding. John

 

[nabu]

Yea, I agree...but one doesn't have this issue with mouse, printer, hard drive (imagine what that would be like), etc...but I do see this with USB devices, so it's somewhat selective. I can live with the dropdown on/off solution. Thanks.

 

[John@Parallels]

Only Mouse and Keyboard are fully transparent , other devices are not, and mouse and keyboard are transparent with limited functionality, only basic ps/2 mouse and PC104 keyboard

 

[nabu]

I have had success with a USB trackball mouse and USB keyboard (the Apple extended keyboard) so far. Seems to work fined in XP, and I don't lose it on the Mac side. I flip back and forth between the two OSs constantly as well.