Newbie- not sure whether Windows 7 installed

Hello: Trying to do this on my own. I"ve installed Parallels and inserted the Windows 7 disc. I can click the control panel but can't see the windows desktop. It says Parallels tools isn't installed but not sure how to do that- or if I need to. Then there is the black screen that says no boot disc- not sure why that is coming up. But the disc is in the machine.

Actually, I don't understand the concept here. Do I get to Windows by clicking on Parallels? So does it work through parallels? Or is parallels invisible in the background? Any ideas for me?

Thanks

 

Not quite clear what the state of your machine is, but to answer a few basics:

After installing Windows via Parallels Desktop you do not need to have the disk in the machine. The installation process put all the Windows stuff in a Virtual Machine, which is just a large file in your mac which Parallels can open. Take the windows disk out after installation.

You run Windows by launching the Parallels application in your mac. With Parallels running you should be able to see your VM in the Virtual Machines list in Parallels Desktop/Menu/Window at the top. From their you can start Windows. (there are options for how Windows actually starts once Parallels is running, and I am not sure what the default is but it should be fairly obvious).

I think the default way of viewing Windows after a new install is "coherence" which from your description you might be in. To see the normal Windows desktop, change the view option to "full screen" or "window" in the Parallels/menu/view dropdown. I suggest "window" while learning because you can still see the Parallels menu option.

Once Windows is running, you must get Parallels Tools installed. Nothing will work properly without Parallels Tools installed. Normally this happens automatically on the first run if they have not been previously installed. You can leave it a few minutes and see if it happens by itself, or you can go to the Parallels/Menu/Virtual Machine/install Parallels Tools. If they are already installed it will say "reinstall Parallels tools". Either way I would click it.

Installing takes a few minutes and requires a reboot.

If you are still in a mess post back with more specific info.

 

Going around in circles

Ok. This is helpful. When I click on Parallels/Tools I get the black screen that says No boot device is available, click enter and then end up in a loop with the same message. IF I click to open Windows 7 (the disc I installed it says this:

There is no operating system installed in this virtual machine. Please insert an operating system installation CD into the optical drive of your Mac and restart the virtual machine.

Although I did put in the Windows 7 CD and it seems to install, I get this. However, if I click Windows XP, then it takes me to a black screen that says Windows failed to start then asks me if I want a normal start up or Launch start up repair. If I do nothing, then Windows XP starts to load through Start up Repair. It then tells me to install the CD which I do -again. Tells me it has successfully installed.

I start the whole process again. When I click on Parallels to open, it gives me an option to watch a tutorial or open. I click open and it takes me to a finder window where I have the choice to open Windows 7 or XP. I choose windows 7 and open. I click to start and then the black screen appears. Seems to be trying to boot. Then I get a dialogue box that says no boot device available. Then another dialogue box that says There is no operating system installed....

And so the whole process starts again. What am I doing wrong? Any idea?

 

It sounds like XP installed in a VM, but has problems, and that Windows 7 never installed.

It is very difficult to know what is wrong, but I would advise deleting your VMs, uninstalling Parallels and starting completely over. Make sure you are using the latest version of Parallels. Just concentrate on either Window 7 or XP at first. Look at the tutorials, google for walk throughs.

Here is one I found very quickly, but have a look at some others:

http://www.simplehelp.net/2009/02/0...ing-parallels-desktop-a-complete-walkthrough/

Good luck and sorry I can't solve your problem.

 

Thanks- that is good advice

I will look into it first, google the info and try again. Thanks