Does PGP WDE slow down Parallels

Discussion in 'Installation and Configuration of Parallels Desktop' started by htmanning, Feb 12, 2010.

  1. htmanning

    htmanning Member

    Messages:
    29
    I have Parallels running XP on my MBP 2.6 GHz with 4GB or RAM. Previously I had it working well, reading my Bootcamp partition, and switching between Mac and Windows was fast and flawless. I upgraded my HD and instead of Bootcamp just went with a straight Parallels install. This time switching between Mac and Windows is sluggish...jerky. And, running in Windows is slow. The only thing I can figure out is that I now use PGP whole disk encryption. It shouldn't make a difference, but is there evidence that PGP WDE slows Parallels down?
     
  2. Jim Blake

    Jim Blake Junior Member

    Messages:
    11
    PGP WDE seems to slow down Parallels 5

    I'm trying the same thing. I find that it takes 1:21 to resume my Windows 7 VM from an encrypted drive vs only 0:29 from a unencrypted drive. After it's resumed it takes 0:27 to open Windows Explorer vs only 0:03 when the VM is on a unencrypted drive. Oddly, PGP WDE doesn't seem to effect other Mac programs.

    I ran Xbench both with PGP WDE and without. I think the Disk test tells the tale - disk i/o is considerably slower and I suspect that Parallels make heavier use of the disk than most Mac programs.

    Without WDE:
    Disk Test 48.38
    Sequential 72.90
    Uncached Write 105.94 65.04 MB/sec [4K blocks]
    Uncached Write 80.44 45.51 MB/sec [256K blocks]
    Uncached Read 38.26 11.20 MB/sec [4K blocks]
    Uncached Read 145.76 73.26 MB/sec [256K blocks]
    Random 36.21
    Uncached Write 13.42 1.42 MB/sec [4K blocks]
    Uncached Write 80.88 25.89 MB/sec [256K blocks]
    Uncached Read 66.03 0.47 MB/sec [4K blocks]
    Uncached Read 118.45 21.98 MB/sec [256K blocks]

    With WDE:
    Disk Test 19.88
    Sequential 21.42
    Uncached Write 49.85 30.61 MB/sec [4K blocks]
    Uncached Write 21.68 12.27 MB/sec [256K blocks]
    Uncached Read 11.30 3.31 MB/sec [4K blocks]
    Uncached Read 31.17 15.66 MB/sec [256K blocks]
    Random 18.54
    Uncached Write 8.65 0.92 MB/sec [4K blocks]
    Uncached Write 25.86 8.28 MB/sec [256K blocks]
    Uncached Read 24.69 0.17 MB/sec [4K blocks]
    Uncached Read 47.86 8.88 MB/sec [256K blocks]

    The test system is a 13" MacBook Pro with 4G memory and a stock 250G drive.
    Snow Leopard 10.6.3 and Parallels build 5.0.9344.
     

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