12.1 kills ram allocation >8gb for non PRO version?

I would like to know which AHOLE made the decision that I could no longer have more than 8GB of RAM allocated to my virtual machines just so then they could screw me for a few extra dollars every upgrade. Well I have learned my lesson with this mob and I will NEVER upgrade to a new version of their product until they return the functionality that I originally purchased with my previous licenses.
 
I have had a new problem show up in the most recent v12 update. I had a Windows VM that was set up for file comparisons and was allocated 13GB due to the size of that program and some others that have no Mac equivalent. The new update killed that VM, and would not allow it to start at all. The new update and all further updates of Parallels Standard will have a memory cap of 8GB per vm. It seems that they are killing off this product so that everyone has to use Pro. I think this is so because in many years of computer usage it seems that every program and every OS has increased the need for memory and that the machine sizes have always provided larger memory as products come out. My mac has 48GB of memory. But to place a cap on memory size in such a world of change implies that they at Parallels believe in tricking their users and also that they are building in obsolescence to increase their cost to users. I think their line of "@ParallelsCares" is not really true. Is this the beginning of something bad because of the breakdown in US-Russia relationships -- Parallels is a Russian company I believe. Not so great for the US Mac users, or anyone else that they are pushing away.

Has anyone had any luck with Parallels to get this fixed?

Here is what they told me. I don't want to get bumped up to Pro to run what I was running last week in Standard, but that is what they offer, with a trial period.



-----------------------------------------------
Thank you for contacting Parallels Support.

I understand that you are unable to start Virtual Machine getting the following error message "This virtual machine has more than 4 CPU and 8 GB assigned and cannot be started".

We're really sorry that you experienced the licensing glitch that we did correct in our latest patch. The functionality you saw is unique to Parallels Desktop Pro. We value you for your feedback, your experience, and we don't want to keep you hanging.

We'd like to give you a free year of Parallels Desktop Pro Edition key, but you did not agree with us.

Should you decide to keep using it later, you will need to upgrade to Parallels Desktop Pro after the current license expires. This edition of Parallels Desktop includes all the features you love and has advanced functionality: http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/#anchor-compare

However if you change your mind, please reply us back and we will provide you free year of Parallels Desktop Pro Edition key.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

We appreciate your time and consideration.



Thanks,
--
VasanthKumar Ilangovan
Customer Support
||Parallels

Knowledge base: http://kb.parallels.com
Follow us on Twitter: @ParallelsCares
 
DennisA2 said:
Has anyone had any luck with Parallels to get this fixed?
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It isn't a glitch; it was done deliberately with virtually no warning. The only notice was in obscure regions of the documentation and unless one went digging one would never have found it.

There is even a large thread on the uproar and the handling by Parallels moderators has pushed many, including myself, to VMware fusion.
https://forum.parallels.com/threads/12-1-kills-ram-allocation-8gb-for-non-pro-version.338853/

The desktop edition of Parallels used to be great but now the company has knee-capped it in hopes of moving customers to their subscription based solution which many do not need nor even want.

Coupled with the removal of other features and it just doesn't seem as optimal as it used to be, give VMware fusion a try. Can't post the link here as the mods will remove it but if you have a valid Parallels key you can get a discount. Best of all, the one license of VMware Fusion can be installed on three machines and doesn't have the 8GB, 4 core limit.
 
How can I get the last non-bait and switch version back?

Has anyone received that from Parallels.

This is only one of the threads regarding this issue, and none is any better at geting anything done. I hope all of the bloggers beside myself have mentioned this. I have sent it to, afaik, about 700 users, so there are many many unhappy individuals. I am going to really consider not using this anymore. I have 3 other VM systems, so the issue is not as burdensome, but this is really stupid of Parallels. It is just a way to kill off the standard edition, and there will be no good starter version after the memory requirements of Windoz grow as anticipated.

Not good.
 
DennisA2 said:
How can I get the last non-bait and switch version back?
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Do you have a Time Machine or a backup of the installed applications of the machine you ran the software on? If so, let Time Machine revert the application back (you'll need to remember the date when you installed the update).

Failing that, your best chance is to see if you still have the installer for 12.0.2 or know someone who still does.

One thing is clear, Parallels is unlikely to send you a download link for the older version of the software. Regardless as long as you have not made any configuration changes (such as adjusting the RAM, etc), you should be able to boot up your VMs again once you roll the application back.

Believe me when I say this, I saw so grateful my Time Machine had run just minutes before I installed the update as that was the one time I forgot to run it manually like I usually do. Wish you all the best.
 
Andrew@Parallels said:
Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac Standard Edition (perpetual license) customers, who purchased the software between its Aug. 18th launch and Nov. 11, 2016 to create virtual machines (VMs) with more than 8 GB of vRAM and 4 vCPUs, can request a complementary upgrade to a one-year Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition subscription by contacting Parallels Support online at parallels.com/support. The Pro Edition, which can create VMs with up to 64 GB vRAM and 16 vCPUs, also includes special features for power users and developers as well as concurrent subscriptions to Parallels Access and Parallels Toolbox for Mac. Parallels apologizes to our customers for any confusion or inconvenience.
The Standard Edition's limit of 8 GB of vRAM and 4 vCPU per VM has been a public policy since the Aug. 2015 launch of Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac. Recently, on Nov. 11, 2016, Parallels Desktop 12 update 12.1.0 (41489) implemented this Standard Edition policy. The Parallels Desktop comparison chart has been updated to more clearly communicate vRAM and vCPU features to assist people in determining whether the Standard, Pro or Business Edition is best suited to their needs.
Click to expand...

WHERE IS THIS COMPLIMENTARY UPGRADE? I meet the criteria but it wants to charge me FULL price again?
 
I can't accurately describe how disappointed I am in the new Standard vs. Pro upgrade policy. I have been a Parallels user since Version 1.0. I used Virtual PC before that, and if anyone remembers it, SoftPC before that. An upgrade that reduces existing functionality goes against all tenets of accountability and Customer Relations. I can understand adding functionality and charging for that new, added functionality, but I cannot accept removing existing functionality, and then charging to restore what we already had. I have a 12(24) processor Mac Pro with 48 GB of RAM. I ran Windows 10 and other hosts in Parallels with up to 8 processors and 16 GB of RAM. I upgraded to version 12 in good faith, only to find that I was now limited to 4 processors and 8 GB of RAM. Needless to say, I was shocked, as are others in this forum. We feel completely betrayed by the management team who, it seems, made an opportunistic money-grabbing decision which leaves a large segment of their user base disenfranchised and very unhappy.
I do not want a free Pro subscription for 1 year only to have to then subscribe and be locked in to pay for the Pro subscription every year thereafter. What the management at Parallels does not begin to appreciate, is that you have really pissed off your most loyal user base. I have more than enough extra computers to run Boot Camp at full speed, but I also run VMWare. The latest versions of VMWare are great, as others have written here. It will be a relatively trivial matter to switch all of my remaining hosts to VMWare. I strongly advise the management at Parallels to reconsider their ill-advised recent upgrade policy, and re-institute the unlimited CPU and RAM functionality that we had previously. I have no problem with a Pro Version at higher cost with NEW, additional functionality. Failing management's reversal of their policy, I will abandon Parallels.

Please note that I, and others like me, faithfully paid the upgrade fee every year/version without any problem, so you see, you are not adding to or locking in your revenue stream, you are diminishing it.
 
Another update came out today and no mention of the reduced RAM and CPU functionality for those that upgrade in the release notes. Parallels continues to take advantage of those that paid for their software at the Standard level, believing that functionality that had been there for years would continue to be there.
 
Same ridiculous surprise. 8GB limit - I understand (may not agree with, but I understand) that a company may want to repackage its product. However, effectively disabling the product in cases where people actually need >8GB after someone just gave them extra money to do an upgrade and doing so without any warning is simply unethical!
Never mind the new version has resolved none of the issues that I had with the V11 (that's what I was hoping for) - I am talking about issues with multiple displays, DirectX, performance and stability, and it added a bunch of features I care less about...
And... I do not want to be forced into annual subscription if you are not giving me something on ongoing basis. You are not hosting the product and I don't need the support (it wasn't very successful in the past). As for new features and fixes, if you include valuable features, I will decide to pay for an upgrade - don't force me to pay for it. It's a tool - not a service!
 
This is deplorable. Way to go parallels. I thought you could not stoop lower... you successfully proved me wrong... again! I pay again to support parallels for the 4th time, and this time I actually LOSE features for my money. Not going to get my money ever again.

No improvements on the things I care about... DirectX, thunderbolt support, stability.
 
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Recent upgrade from Parallels Desktop 11 to 12 was a real downgrade for VM hardware!
Inspired by your advertisement offering 25% discount, I bought the latest ver. 12
The result is disappointing - I cannot use > 8Gb RAM and >4 processor cores of my existing VMs.
So, I paid for a downgrade in hardware functionality! The refund is requested immediately via PayPal.
Later on I came across the following thread:
https://forum.parallels.com/threads/12-1-kills-ram-allocation-8gb-for-non-pro-version.338853/
And my first though was - OK, it is irritating, but I finally can invest a bit more and buy a Pro version, BUT...as explained in the following thread:
https://forum.parallels.com/threads/licensing-parallels-desktop-pro.339951/#post-817879
Stopping subscription will make the app not working entirely. This sounds not very encouraging.
Parallels, are you considering changing your licensing policy?

I want to have a standalone virtualization app (with a perpetual license) that supports all hardware resources and does not depend on the subscription status. I don't mind to pay for new versions from time to time, but cannot accept any dependency on the subscription status.

In view of the above, my company will continue using PD11 and consider moving to Fusion 8. Fusion provides 64Gb of RAM in basic version, supports OpenGL 3.3, which is important to run modern 3D CAD software (Siemens PLM), forwards thunderbolt ports etc.
 
Yeah, the memory and cpu limits completely cripple the product. After upgrading, I'm stuck with a platform that's so slow it's virtually unusable because I can't use the all the cores of hardware I have. It seems that Parallels wants it both ways... charge a fee for every upgrade AND charge an annual subscription to actually make the product usable. You cannot have it both ways. I will move to Fusion.
 
eye 2 was AF'd in the A by this AF'ing feature.
this happened a while back when the "prlctl" command was *upgraded* to the business/professional edition ...
30+ parallel VM's are now being explored in both fusion and vbox (oracle) ... leaning towards vbox
 
I have had 3 to 4 licenses that I renewed approximately yearly. You got your money from me and then changed the rules midstream. I know you buried the information in a hard to reach place, but that's all you have to do in the US. I choose not to be ripped off. I would have gladly continued upgrading each year, but since I now have a forced option to use the Memory and CPUs that I need , I have gone to Fusion. I do use its Pro Edition which allows 3 machines to use it and has no limitation or forced subscription. I would recommend it to all Parallels users. Abandon this scam, I have.
 
and i'm done evaluating my critical 7 VM's in both fusion and vbox ... change of plans ... running w/fusion ...

its actually cheaper to stay w/parallels, but i can't let a company think its OK to downgrade *paid-for* features (VM guest RAM and number of installs per license) ... the parallels community needs to let corporate know this decision will cost them financially ... and spending money w/their competitors is the primary voting method ...
 
I received the attached dialog stating my virtual machine had more than 4 CPUS and 8GB of ram assigned and cannot be started after a minor Parallels update. Support was caught completely unaware and argued it was basically an idiot error and I was doing something wrong. After fighting with them for several hours they sent me a DMG file to downgrade to the previous version I was running (12.0.2) and sure enough I was able to correctly relaunch my systems. I lost some data due to corruption as a result of Parallels' new "feature" to reduce CPU and RAM in a minor version change. It is fraud and as some users have mentioned to bait and switch reduced functionality for a product users have already paid for. Our company's general policy is to not support companies that use the software as a service model to extort their user base. We have begun migrating all our existing clients away from Parallels and have started recommending our new customers use other VM solutions as there are better ones out there now. It is unfortunate because I personally like Parallels but have stopped using it as a result of this incident.
 

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I have just upgraded my 11.2 to 13.2 . I skipped version 12.x .
I also faced this limitation. Lucky me, I had shutdown all the VMs before upgrade, but one VM could not start because of this limitation.
I don't need any new functionality of this version, so it is really annoying.
I also think to either downgrade ( I still have dmg 11 and the key) but would Parallel refund?
or switch to other product like VMWare Fusion.
Does anybody have experience using VMWare on Mac?
 
Yes I keep threatening to go to VMWare but all the reports are that it is no where near as good. I wish Apple would just Buy Parallels and cut out all of this expense of effectively buying the software again and again when a new version comes out!
 
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