Parallels and Time Machine Backup

Since I have plenty of external disk space I wanted to see if Time Machine would back it up so I removed Parallels from the Time Machine Backup Exclusion list. It appears to back it up but when I go to the actual Time Machine Backup and go down the Users/{username}/documents/parallels path the virtual machine file (.pvm) which is supposed to contain the hard drive image (.hdd) as I understand it.

Though I do not see it down that path in the Time Machine Backup I can see it down that path when I close Time Machine and just look at the Mac HD. FYI: I believe in earlier versions the .hdd file was down the /Library path.

Trying to decide if I am looking in the wrong place, looking for the wrong thing, doing something wrong or maybe Time Machine just will not back up the actual Windows guest machine?

Anyone have any suggestions or ideas? BTW I am on Parallels 6. All input will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Configure ---> Options ---> Backup

Be sure that Time Machine Do not back up virtual machine IS NOT CHECKED.

Smartguard Optimize for Time Machine option is selected.

 

I used to run Parallels 6.
I would just compress the .pvm file, then uncheck "Do not back up with Time Machine",
then run a Time Machine backup manually.
After completion, I would go back and recheck that option.
I always kept the SmartGuard option disabled.
Now I run Parallels 7.
The "do not back up with time machine" option is broken.
You cannot uncheck it.
So far, Parallels has not responded to all the complaints.
I have to manually copy/paste the .pvm file to the external backup drive.

 

If Smartguard Optimize for Time Machine option is selected, PD creates snaphots and Time Machine backes up only the changed parts of the VM, not all of it every time. It's true that the "do not back up with time machine" option is broken in PD7, I have managed to uncheck it after several tries and left it unchecked.

 

I understand the snapshots. But, can you RESTORE a corrupted .pvm file using snapshots? I had one corrupted .pvm file a while ago, and there was nothing I could do but copy over the backup .pvm file. I lost a week's worth of work.

 

If you set and use Smartguard Optimize for Time Machine option and let PD to create snapshot whenever it needed and let Time Machine to backup them, you can get the last status of Time Machine backed up. As I noticed, PD and Time Machine work well in coordination.

 

Thanks, thiis is very helpful, I really appreciate the input. Great product and great forum. Sorry to hear that PD 7 has some glitches and that they may not be responding too quickly. I was wondering about whether to upgrade to 7 just yet. Sounds like I neeed to hold off awhile.

My sense of the forums is that the user to user dialogue is really helpful. The Parallels support team seems to be trying but I often see them taking a user through 10 or more days of "try this, try that" and then not really having a solution perhaps because they keep the really high level guys working on the coding and away from the forums.

 

I like the idea of capturing the .pvm file as its own special backup, good idea. Any thoughts on the virutes of doing this with just the .hdd file as opposed to the .pvm.

I'm thinking the tradeoff is that the .pvm would be bigger, take a little more time, but the restore is pretty much self contained, where as the .hdd would be a bit smaller, a bit quicker, but the restore would require building a new VM and pointing it at the backed up .hdd after it was restored. Do I have it about rigght or am I missing anything?

Thanks.

 

The biggest part of .pvm is .hdd. .pvm also includes some additional data (e.g. configuration data) but they're so small compared to .hdd part. You can see the sizes with right-clicking .pvm and select Show package Contents. If you prefer to backup manually, it would be better to copy the whole .pvm.