Can't upgrade to v4

T

tblack

Member
each time I try to upgrade my version 3 virtual machine to version 4, the upgrade procedure freezes about half way through and after about 20 minutes I get a dialog box saying that the upgrade can't be completed. That's it. There is a link. It is entirely unhelpful, it is just a web page where it tells you not to respond to Windows prompts during the upgrade process etc - but nothing about a message that says the upgrade cannot be completed. I know that Parallels will take days to come back to me, they helpfully say so on their site because they are responding to so many queries.

Why was I stupid enough to do this when everything was working so well? If anyone else has had this problem, I would be grateful for the fix.

Tom
 
What do you see on the VM screen after this "upgrade setup cannot be completed" message? A screenshot will help a lot to pick a correct advice for you.

Thank you in advance
 
I can't even get THAT far

All I'm getting is my Activation code is invalid. I copied and pasted it from the damned Invoice - how can it be invalid??
 
Probably you are trying to activate English version of Parallels Desktop with German key or vice versa. Please send my your key in private messages, I'll check it.
 
Activation code in error

Due to sTim's timely intervention, he pointed out that I had in fact received TWO codes, printed on two separate lines.

I had copied and pasted both together to make one long code.

I got a PM from sTim telling me 'both' codes were for PD4 - which gave me the clue.

I am now able to, and have activated my copy.

That said, I am now looking at a lovely new desktop with nothing on it as the whole PD interface seems frozen and my XP.hdd has been changed (as expected) to the new format. That said, I thought it was supposed to work.

I am now trying the Transporter work-around on my back up copy of my original HDD file.
 
brianwmay,
What is happening with your virtual machine now?
Are you able to operate with it?
If there are still some troubles, please, describe - we need details to seek for solution
 
Right, I've finally managed to get it running - but it is not yet fully functional as I am having a go at installing Parallels Tools for about the 5th time.

What happens is the VM opens (now correctly) and I've got the desktop very much as I had it when using PD3 (because that's what suits me - in XP I turn all the bells and whistles off and select Performance rather than looks).

When I select Install Parallels Tools, the machine 'downloads', 'opens' but then it seems to hang - I'm not sure it IS hanging as there's a fair amount of disc activity going on - which seems odd as it's a Virtual Machine - unless it's accessing the disk for the software tools it's trying to install.

I must say, I always had a problem when selecting Full Screen on PD3 as the screen resolution dropped back to 800x600 and I had to manually reset it up to 1400x900 - that has gone and it works a treat.

I have also had issues with trying to get control of the mouse/trackpad (MacBook Pro). It's possible that is me and a fair dose of incompetence.

I must say, my feelings echo those of others who are saying this upgrade is difficult - it has been for me, although I did get help pretty quickly (in fact almost instantaneously from Parallels - for which I thank them).

My 'gut' feeling IS that this release will be brilliant once any bugs or setup problems are resolved. I suspect that I must take some responsibility, but it isn't all me.

On the initial running, it spent about 15 minutes 'converting' my VM XP.hdd file, only to turn around and say it couldn't. It then shows a link to Parallels that is supposed to help, but it didn't help ME much as I didn't know WHY it wouldn't convert (it doesn't tell you).

That happened on several occasions and so I used the Parallels Transporter method and selected my backup hdd file (which I copied and pasted back into where it came from). PLEASE DON'T TRY AN INSTALL WITHOUT BACKING UP FIRST. I copy my whole VM onto an external hard drive once a month anyway.

NO, Parallels tools have failed to install again. Not sure what to do about that one.

Watch this space . . .
 
Okay, I tried the old Windows favourite CTRL-ALT-DEL and looked to see what happened with the Parallels Tools installation - it was not responding.

That said, as I was about to stop it, it suddenly burst into life (this seems familiar) and within 5 seconds gave me 'Installation succeeded'.

It seems you have to 'creep up' on this upgrade - one could argue, look at all this entertainment, but it's really not very funny. I've been 'messing' with computers (mainly of the DOS and Windows persuasion) for the best part of 25+ years and I've found this quite taxing - no wonder there's a discount for Upgraders.

Given that last night, I had a perfectly functioning copy of PD3, I think on balance I would have left it alone until this is sorted out (if that happens).

On a personal level, having DONE it, I think it will be worth it however I think you have to have some savvy to achieve a successful upgrade - if my experience is anything to go by, it's not yet for the faint-hearted.
 
The next day . . .

Restarted a 'suspended XP' and instead of restarting in 15 seconds (PD3), it took over a minute and was incredibly sluggish in operation.

Task Manager shows 100% CPU usage with the culprit being 'prl_cc.exe', if I am not wrong that's a Parallels executable.

There is a real issue here. I have practically nothing running on XP (by design) so am NOT asking a lot of XP or Parallels, but at the moment I rue changing at all.

By the way, I have allocated Parallels 1.5Gb RAM in order to give it 'elbow room' but that doesn't appear to have helped at all.
 
On the above post, I monitored the CPU activity in XP and it was locked on 100%. I have just come from breakfast determined to uninstall PD4 and reinstate PD3.

I thought I would reboot and look one last time at the CPU usage, and now, once the OS stabilised, it's averaging somewhere between 5 and 15% - as you know XP is always doing 'something'.

So I shall live with it a bit longer - it must be said I am eyeing all my backups with deep gratitude - including the PD3 installation stuff.
 
I upgraded to 4.0 and encountered similar problems. I contacted them and told them abut the unclear manner of them sending 2 (two) activation codes because like others I pasted both and got the incorrect code message. They have since changed the email format, at least when I activated my other machine a Mac lapp the message was different in that it only contained one activation code. As to the sluggish conversion, mine stopped as well and I retired, and failed. So, I just downloaded the 3540 version and everything went well. I think there must have been a problem with the 3522 build and hence the reason for the 3540. Did other find this as well?

Patrick
Charlottesville, VA
 
Thanks for the response, having only installed a day or so ago, I didn't realise I didn't have the latest build. It's downloading as I type.

We shall see . . .

Thanks for the feedback - there's a perverse comfort in not suffering alone ;o)
 
Please keep us posted of your daunting adventure! I'm back on version 3 for now and hoping that my money spent was not a total waste.

Scott
 
not a *total* waste. once P4 is stabilized you can upgrade to it, of course by then P5 will be released and you'll have to pay for that upgrade.
 
Well I've installed the latest build. I took 3 attempts to get Parallels Tools to install. Then it offered me the Internet Security by Kaspersky and I said YES and . . . . well nothing.

It's just sitting doing nothing. I've seen the Kaspersky selection page about 3 times, but nothing actually happens. YES I've looked behind the open window to see if there is a pop up and there isn't.

I must admit to being a tad frustrated by this ****** 'upgrade' and am wishing I hadn't bothered, but when you see the video advertising and the journalist reports it looks great.

If I could get a refund, I would. I wish I had stuck with PD3. A certain amount of fiddling around is inevitable and quite enjoyable BUT I bought a Mac AND I bought Parallels the same day because I just wanted to run one or two applications that don't port to Mac.

Sorry Parallels, but I must join the ranks of the disillusioned . . . unless of course it 'bursts into life again', but I'm not holding my breath.
 
The whole VM froze and I am seconds away from uninstalling PD4 and either trying again or putting PD3 back on - which (for me) was stable.

I am deeply ****** off with this. I'm not an idiot and I can't get this to work.

Caveat emptor (buyer beware).
 
PD3 is back.

Rather says it all doesn't it.

Item Closed.

Unless you're VERY confident, I wouldn't buy this upgrade yet. I consider my $39.99 wasted.
 
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