Warning --- don't install 4.0 yet!

I'm not a rabid Parallels-basher.

I'm simply reporting that I installed v4 and hours later decided to roll back to v3.

If your config and needs are like mine, I definitely recommend waiting to upgrade.

Here are the problems that made me roll back:

1. v4 is much slower than v3 --- booting my VM is about 25% slower. See below for details of my configuration.

2. v4 introduces a horrible thick toolbar that runs across the top of the VM's window. Most screens are wider than they are tall, so the real estate that's most expensive is anything that takes VERTICAL space. Translation: horizontal toolbars are bad, vertical toolbars (like in v3) are good. And yes, my dock is on the left edge of my screen for this reason.

The new v4 toolbar can be made less tall by turning off all icons, and using text-only "buttons". Which is much less handy than having nice clear icons like v3 does. This is especially true because v4 introduces a few new commands like "suspend" which are visually indistinct from "pause" and "stop". If you're a little unsure about the differences between these, join the club.

3. The fatal flaw for me is that v4 no longer allows the the most popular VM screen resolution of 1280x1040 on my system. Time to tell you my config:

Intel dual core MacBook Pro 17" screen whose native max resolution is 1680x1050. I don't use an external monitor. I run MacOS 10.5.5

I don't need Windows very often. When I do, it's to run Excel 2003 macros and a few other essential things like that. I don't run Windows games.

So my main VM is configured with a 20gig drive, 512 meg RAM, and runs Win XP Pro SP3 with all updates.

Under v3, I can set my VM screen resolution to 1280 x 1024 --- a very common setting, and everything fits on my Mac screen in all view modes, just fine.

Under v4 the closest I can get without encountering scrollbars is 1500 x 963 --- losing 61 very valuable pixel rows. I cannot get my vertical pixel count above 963 no matter what I do. This really sucks.

I've spent a lot of time on this post, trying to help other users, and also telling Parallels about some real bad design mistakes. I hope somebody listens.

CB

 

I should add that my MB Pro has 2 gig of real RAM.

 

A) Reboot your Mac.
B) Then make sure the parallels tools are installed or better trigger their re-installation from the Virtual Machine menu.

When you are in window display mode, there are no limits to the screen dimensions of your Windows virtual machine. Just resizing the window must resize Windows inside the window (sic!).

 

I am experiencing the same problem. I have 4.0 but its quite slow. i tried rebooting the windows on my parallel because the windows i had from v3.0 didn't work properly. But i can not afford to reboot my os x. I am a film student working with programs and my mac is full of them... transferring them will take too long...... can u advice me on little tweaks i can make to make it run faster...... and another problem..... i tried installing direct x 9.0 capable games but i have a problem with documents and settings..... The game can not be installed because of different errors including not finding documents and settings....... Can u give me some advice or tell me som1 who can help....... Thank-you.... This is my first time using forums so please excuse my long message

 

*applause* Dock on the left side *applause*.. that's where the dock should be.

I don't agree with the bar on top either, but you can turn it off and access it's functions from the menu.

 

Oliver:

I certainly did reboot, and I certainly did carefully install Parallels Virtual Tools.
I could get (nearly) any size if I were willing to put up with scrollbars on my VM window in Window mode. I'm not.
Are you suggesting that a correctly operating v4 will let me display 1280x1024 on a 1680x1050 MB Pro with no scrollbars?

 

If you press the pill shaped button on the top right side you'll make the top bar collapse like in this screenshot: http://www.parallels.com/files/img/pdfm40/screenshots/parallels_internet_security.png

 

Update was published , which is right now available at http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=31764
The most of problem were fixed.
Please navigate to that link, and download build 3540
In post there are various instructions, how to fix problems.

 

I take exception to your negative comments about Parallels 3.0

1. While I don't never "timed' how fast Parallels 3.0 loaded, it's my impression that 4.0 load at least 50% faster on my system.

2. Sure there is a big bar at the top of the screen WHEN using "Windows" mode. If you don't like the bar (and for the most part I would agree with you on that), you can select "Full Screen" mode and the bar disappears. In the full screen mode, you can quickly bring the top tile bar back with "Alt-Ctrl" to change views. Personally, I like to run in Coherence mode the best.

3. As to the screen resolution, mine default setup is 1280 x 800 which is the same as my MacBook. I'm using 1024MB of memory and Vista Home Premium which seems to run great with 4.0.

I couldn't be happier with Parallels 4.0. I thought the previous version was sluggish to the point where I almost never used it except for Excel. I was just about ready to pull the plug and dump 3.0 for the new Fusion. At $40 for the upgrade, I would highly recommend getting 4.0 which seems to make my MB "shine".

My version is 3522.

 

Macaby

You are one really lucky bunny - and good luck to you.

My experience with PD4 is such that I am now back on PD3 which works as it's supposed to. I have had a horrendous time trying PD4.

I updated to the latest build, I tried all the helpful suggestions both from Parallels and respondents - to no avail. I am most aggrieved that software that is this variable is out there. On Macs we tend to pride ourselves on being so much 'cooler' than the Windows mainstream.

This particular set of problems (sorry, most of which are NOT sorted) smacks of the early releases of XP and Vista.

So rather than castigate CBinParadise for his view of what HE (or SHE) has been through, I'd just be grateful - but there again, in fairness, I'm NOT you and you are entitled to stick up for YOUR experience.

I wish I had your installation rather than mine.