How can I abandon version 4 and reinstall 3.0?

Version 4 won't communicate with our USB devices. Is there a link to a procedure to acquire a full install of the most recent version 3 and restore my archived version 3 projects?

 

You can create ticket in support for troubleshooting USB situation,
just in case link to version 3 http://kb.parallels.com/en/5802

 

This sounds bad - I've just bought Version 4

Dear Support and All,


This thread is rather worrying as I have just purchased Version 4 and by the sounds of things it is a good job I've not upgraded to it yet. Should I consider delaying my upgrade ? Are there some know upgrade issues? I really do not need downtime and would sooner know if I should delay until any Version 4 fixes are released.

Your thoughts would be appreciated

Regards
kevin

 

we cannot give you 100% guarantee that upgrade will go smoothly.
We recommend you to perform backup before upgrade (you will have reserve copy of virtual machine - simply copy VM folder )
Also please remove Parallels Tools inside VM -> Start -> Control Panel -> Add or remove programs -> Remove Parallels Tools and all anti-virus software

After that please remove Parallels Desktop 3.0 according the article: http://kb.parallels.com/en/4790
And download and install PD4

 

Many thanks for your reply and advice.

The upgrade process does seem somewhat messy. To be honest this as well as the articles on v3 to v4 experience does not instill a lot of confidence. Are you investigating all these issues and likely to releases fixes for the whole upgrade process?

Regards
kevin

 

We are constantly working to improve product, and always are listening our customers, if you have troubles, I suggest you to create ticket in support and let me know ticket ID

 

Hi John,

Thanks for your email. One last question on this subject from me. Is their a upgrade document I can refer to for the upgrade process.

Thanks and regards
Kevin

 

The upgrade to version 4 has not been smooth for me. I only did it because they kept sending me emails to get me to upgrade and I figured future support would be for version 4, not version 3. But I had no other reason for making a change. Another unmentioned result, by the way ... if you're not yet running Leopard, every time you launch Parallels 4 it warns you that, if you continue, your Macintosh will become unstable. This, even though the web site says 10.5 is not required for Parallels 4. So now my $40 upgrade to Parallels has required me to upgrade my entire system to System 10.5 and, as you may imagine, that's not a simple project. If I had it to do over again, I would not upgrade Parallels if I had no compelling reason to.

That being said, I am now running Parallels 4 and my problem with the USB device (which is the whole reason I run Parallels) was working yesterday. I hope it will keep working, but it's too soon to know. It's been a whole lot of work for a $40 upgrade I bought just to "be thorough".

 

I hope this is good starting step
http://www.parallels.com/support/desktop/troubleshooter/

 

Hi BDM,

It seems more complicated than it should be. I'm in production with mine and cannot afford problems like the many documented. We are on Leopard in our network, hopefully this will help rather than hinder. Just so I know what were/are the USB problems you experienced? Did you USB devices simly not work?

Merry Christmas to all
kevin

 

I am sensitive to USB problems because that was our original problem with Parallels. It took them a while to get thorough USB support in the beginning. My USB device is a chip programmer and the manifestation with 4.0 was that the Windows program said "No ports were found", though the USB tool in the tray showed the programmer with a check mark. Enabling and disabling the programmer (or plugging / unplugging) produced no sound effect to indicate Windows knew the driver was loading or unloading. Reloading Parallels and restarting Windows XP had no effect. Finally I re-installed the programmer driver into Windows and it started working.

This morning it says "Unable to communicate. Check USB cable". So I quit the programmer and relaunched. It says "Unable to access any ports" .... back where I started. Enabling and disabling the programmer (or plugging / unplugging) produces no sound effect to indicate Windows knows the device is there or not, even though the check mark in the USB menu changes. So I'm screwed again with no USB support for the device we bought Parallels to use.

 

I posted a new thread with my USB problems, and in the process found more clues and a workaround. Here's the USB workaround:

I ran the Add Hardware Wizard and heard the chirp for a USB device being loaded. Now the programmer works and I can load or unload it from the tool tray.

I suspended the VM and then restarted it. The USB device is gone.

I run the Add Hardware Wizard and hear the chirp for a USB device being loaded, and the programmer works.

I do not complete the Wizard. I only click the first "Next" button.