Mac With Parallels Update Lost Win7

TheBearAk - That lost the original link to Win 7 and created a Win 7 (1). The selection area at the bottom then had 2 things in Parallels to choose but the original Win7 showed an error that it was not there. Now I can get it from both location but it comes up as Win 7 (1).

TheBearAK wrote:
Which Mac OS were you upgrading from? 10.5 - 10.7.x is a major leap and may have broken certain things. Simply reinstalling Parallels should have solved it. No need to reinstall Windows.

10.6 to 10.7.x should also be a quick and easy upgrade, but again, re-installing Parallels could be needed. The reason is that Parallels puts in hooks to certain drivers, when Apple update comes along, the links are broken.

10.8, 10.9, and 10.10 all require updated Parallels.

Coherence mode is just a mode that Parallels can go into to that makes the Windows within a Window disappear and adds a Windows Start button to the dock. Windows applications launch will then look like any other app launched.

For those not familiar with Parallels. It is a Virtual Machine application. Like VMware or Windows Virtual PC. It allows a Mac to run other OS's on top of the Mac OS. Unlike Boot Camp, which is a duel boot system, you don't have to reboot the Macintosh to go from one OS to another. You can also have multiple OS's running at the same time.


For those familiar with Parallels. The speed difference between version 7&8 vs versions 9&10 is amazing. Under Parallels 9 or 10, you can play first person shooter games very well (as an example).


Parallels made no format changes to the .pvm file (hard drive file) from version 5 through 10.

What may have happened is the Parallels.plist file got screwed up. This file is in your /Users//Library/Preferences/

If it is working and you want your link on your desktop to launch it again, throw away the one you have on the desktop and navigate to:

/Users//Documents/Parallels/

and single-click on the .pvm file, go to the File menu and select "Make Alias" (or hit Command-L). Drag the file it makes out to your desktop.

Thanx for that explanation of the shortcut.I was going to live without it.
That is certainly so much easier than right click and Create Desktop Shortcut.:)
Apple :S

Which Mac OS were you upgrading from? 10.5 - 10.7.x is a major leap and may have broken certain things. Simply reinstalling Parallels should have solved it. No need to reinstall Windows.

10.6 to 10.7.x should also be a quick and easy upgrade, but again, re-installing Parallels could be needed. The reason is that Parallels puts in hooks to certain drivers, when Apple update comes along, the links are broken.

10.8, 10.9, and 10.10 all require updated Parallels.

Coherence mode is just a mode that Parallels can go into to that makes the Windows within a Window disappear and adds a Windows Start button to the dock. Windows applications launch will then look like any other app launched.

For those not familiar with Parallels. It is a Virtual Machine application. Like VMware or Windows Virtual PC. It allows a Mac to run other OS's on top of the Mac OS. Unlike Boot Camp, which is a duel boot system, you don't have to reboot the Macintosh to go from one OS to another. You can also have multiple OS's running at the same time.


For those familiar with Parallels. The speed difference between version 7&8 vs versions 9&10 is amazing. Under Parallels 9 or 10, you can play first person shooter games very well (as an example).


Parallels made no format changes to the .pvm file (hard drive file) from version 5 through 10.

What may have happened is the Parallels.plist file got screwed up. This file is in your /Users//Library/Preferences/

If it is working and you want your link on your desktop to launch it again, throw away the one you have on the desktop and navigate to:

/Users//Documents/Parallels/

and single-click on the .pvm file, go to the File menu and select "Make Alias" (or hit Command-L). Drag the file it makes out to your desktop.

1492 wrote:

Did you check with Parallels maker on the procedures prior to upgrading OS X?

No. Never gave it a thought. It said update recommended. I should have never touched it as every time I do, something bad seems to happen. I don't use it enough to learn the odd, backwards,confusing ways of the Mac OS.:)
The only thing the wife uses it for is web browsing with FF because of quicker startup and better battery life.

Don't know specifically about Parallels, but using Apple's built-in Bootcamp generally involves reinstalling Windows 7. Had to do so when upgrading MacBook from Snow Leopard to Mavericks, and now recently to Yosemite. Couldn't locate the WIN 7 key, so need to check if one can still be generated from a TechNet subscription?

Did you check with Parallels maker on the procedures prior to upgrading OS X?

I found something in Parallels at the top of the screen that looked different. In the drop down tab there was an item "EXIT COHERENCE". With nothing to lose I clicked it. Now Win 7 opens via the bottom Parallels link. The desktop shortcut still does not work but I can get into Win 7 now.

Some of the articles I read said that the Lion update changed the naming of the partition that Win 7 was in.

Sounds like it's corrupted, check with Parallels support...

Found it,then what. Tried double click. That just open a Parallels Logo to the right.

Navigate to Documents\Parallels using finder, then open the appropriate .pvm VM file.