Windows 8 metro not working on MacBook Air 2013

I installed Windows 8 under the latest version of Parallels 8 on the just released MacBook Air 13" 2013 model. Everything metro (start menu, modern-style apps) looks like complete garbage. For examples, there are some kind of tiles in the Start menu, but they are cut in two in trianges, and there is no text or "live icons" showing up on them. I checked the following knowledge base article: http://kb.parallels.com/en/113222 . The article suggests three possible reasons/solutions for metro not working under parallels. The third one is "Old Hardware (Intel GMA950, X3100, ATI X1600) / Mac OS(10.5.8)." Obviously, the hardware in this MacBook Air is brand new; probably so new that Parallels doesn't yet properly support Intel HD5000 (Haswell's integrated graphics). So I followed the solution suggested in the KB and disabled the Parallels Graphics adapter in Device Manager. It works, but that's not what I subscribed to -- the VM became noticeably less snappy.

Parallels, is this is a known issue (Windows 8 Metro + MacBook Air mid-2013) and when are you planning to address it? Anybody else experiencing the same problem?

 

I'm having the exact same problem with my brand new MacBook Air 2013. I changed the settings to Direct X 9 instead of Direct X 10 and now have Windows 8 metro in black and white, not color.

 

GregoryG, that did the trick for me. Metro start screen is in full color, and metro apps work as well. The only tile that looks weird is the desktop one -- it is always monochrome (black or gray). Anyways, it's much better than before -- now I can run Win8 in coherence mode (which I prefer).

 

Sorry can you explain more specifically how you disabled the Parallels Graphics adapter in Device Manager. I've not been able to find a Device Manager anywhere.

Thanks!

 

Inside windows 8. Open explorer, right click "computer", choose "properties,. On the top left you'll see some links, among them device manager. Or just type in the search device manager. Or you can get there through the control panel.

 

Parallels Desktop 8.0.18494 is out, it addresses Mid 2013 MBA graphics issues.

 

The detailed information about the build improvements and instructions on how to update are available at http://kb.parallels.com/116290

 

any chance parallels 7.0.15104 will work with macbook air 11 haswell cpus?

 

For Parallels Desktop 7 you can try this workaround:

1. Shutdown Windows (but do not quit Parallels Desktop)
2. Access VM Configuration: http://kb.parallels.com/en/115563
3. Go to Hardware > Video and disable 3D Acceleration
4. Start VM

Hope this helps.