Using Internet Explorer cause a differnt VM to open on its own...?

Wierd one here, not sure when it started. Using Build 3170. I have three VMs installed: 1) WinXp, 2) Vista, 3) Ubuntu Linux.

When I start the WinXP VM, and then open Internet Explorer, IE will open in XP, but for some reason this activity also causes the VM for Vista to open automatically, even though I haven't selected it or started it at all.

Any ideas why, and more importantly, how to stop it from doing so?

 

which MS IE?

Hugh W

 

MS IE 6.0.2900.2180

It's really a trip. To check the version #, I opened Parallels, selected the XP vm, no problems. As soon as I click the icon to start IE, Parallels opens my Vista vm on its own, and then launches IE within Vista on its own.

It's almost like IE is associated with Vista and the system thinks clicking an IE link means I want to open and run Vista.

This is really annoying.

I just saw the email that there's a new release, but when I check for upgrades in Parallels, it tells me I am current version. I may try to manually download and upgrade to see if that fixes the problem.

 

I had this exact same problem. It is super annoying. I also have the solution. You need to put your VM's in separate folders on your Mac. If you put them all in the same folder you end up with only one 'Windows Applications' folder containing the aliases so the windows applications. This causes the wrong VM to open when you click on one of the aliases or launch an application from Windows.
So just put each of your VM's in their own folders and delete all the 'Windows Applications' folders so the aliases are recreated!

 

Thanks for the reply.

I had suspected it was some kind of alias confusion.

Ironically, I actually figured it out on my own last night when I was deleting the Vista VM from the Parallels applicaton menu and it put a check mark up to delete the Windows Applications folder.

Personally, I consider this a "bug" in Parallels, but I don't want to get into the bug vs feature debate. I'm sure there's someone out there who will argue it's a nice feature to be within an running VM, open a program, and then have your whole Mac system bog down while a new VM running Vista opens up. ;-) And no, it's not my Mac isn't up to the task, brand new Mac Pro with 2.66g proceseeors and 4gb memory.

No regrets deleting Vista. I was not impressed, Vista hogged a lot of my Mac's resources starting up, and mine was an evaluation copy giving me time to register nags...no way I am forking over for Vista. XP within Parallels meets what few needs I have left for Windows anyways (Quicken, Napster and the occasion IE-required website or WMP DRM'd file).