Cannot apply more than 256 MB graphic memory to Mojave 10.14.6 VM

W

WolfgangS16

Bit poster
I just set up a Mojave VM to keep my "old" 32-bit Apps running. In the configurations I can set the graphic memory up to 2 GB, but in the VM only 256 MB is shown. This affects the installation of MS Office 2011:Mac and software that needs more graphic memory (Civ V and others) won't start up.
I already tried to de-install and re-install Parallels Tools like described on the support pages, but that didn't work.
Maybe the Parallels driver doesn't support my Radeon Pro 580 8GB?
My machine specs are in the screenshot:
Darkmode=VM, Lightmode=Host, Config-Box (video set to 512 MB)
Bildschirmfoto.jpg
 
Same issue here. I can allocate more memory in parallels settings but guest macOS 10.15 system is showing only 256mb was allocated...
 
I have the very same issue. It's almost unusable and Google Chrome won't render properly.
 

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My issue is slightly different, but the same. :) running Mojave as the host (as I am running a good ol' Mac Pro 5,1 which is not supported in Catalina) and running Catalina as the guest. Yep, that's weird right, but let's not get sidetracked !!!!
Same issue as all you guys however.
Regardless of the 'hardware' setting of the VM, it only shows 256MB allocated.
I'll try and open a support ticket ?? and if I cannot get this resolved in a timely manner, I think I'll perhaps just ask to get my money back... :) This is a bug right?? :)
Stay tuned .....

Gory details.
Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac Pro Edition (15.1.1)
Host : macOS Mojave (10.14.6)
Guest : macOS Catalina (10.15.1)
Physical Video Card : GForce GTX 6080 4GB (Mac Edition with bootscreen support)
 
Now it is the virtual display with Mojave that is not allowing more than 256MB to be selected. Same hardware set for 512MB on both a W10 virtual machine and a Mojave machine, reports 512MB in W10, but 256MB in Mojave. Interesting that it does the same above with a Catalina VM. Suggests these use the same virtual adapter driver.
It is slightly surprising that Chrome gives the issue shown, since really 256MB should be enough to render any sensibly sized VM window, but that it does means this really should be fixed urgently... :(
 
I confirmed that the Chrome rendering issue also exists when running Catalina as a VM. It was basically unusable.
I guess the missing piece of information for me is whether this started with Mojave?
Is anyone able to confirm that this issue was NOT an issue prior to Mojave? :)
Perhaps it's NEVER worked with a macOS guest? Just a big fat guess that one..... Confirmation of that would help with the support case.

I guess I should point out that for me, this is not life or death.
I got sucked into buying Parallels 15 because of the 'supposed' Catalina support.
and Catalina? well, that has sort of been a bit of a train-wreck in itself.
and I can't even run Catalina natively on my trust Mac Pro 5,1 which is why I guess I'm in this pickle in the first place.

I really have no practical use case for this. I'm just a geek, and just want it to work... :)
But I certainly do get that others here DO have a valid use case (running the 32 bit stuff you need)

It looks to me, on the surface at least, Parallels has a great product if you want to run a Win10 guest. Which I do, and it works great.
Perhaps macOS guests? Not so much......

I will be continuing this with the support folks until I get a resolution however....
 
I don't think this is a Catalina, or Mojave issue, but an issue with the virtual display driver.
We have one poster here having it with Mojave, trying to run a virtual Catalina, and others with Catalina, trying to run virtual Mojave. In both cases the same problem shows. The virtual machine setup merrily allows you to allocate more than 256MB (in fact on mine it shows 512MB as the 'recommended' size), but inside the VM, the display is only shown as having 256MB, and then in some programs gives rendering issues. It's the virtual display driver used for a Mac OS, on recent releases of Parallels that is showing this (I did have a Mac VM a while ago, and don't remember seeing this, but not sure what the Parallels version was).
 
Good info. Yes, I agree that this does NOT appear to be a Mojave/Catalina issue.
I've opened a support ticket, and here are some of the highlights so far :)

1. The original response (from what I'm guessing is a Tier 1 support guy) was :
"We would like to inform you that, the maximum graphics memory that can be allocated to macOS virtual machine is only 256 MB since it is a application limitation."
(and btw, the ticket status was changed to 'Solution Provided') eh ???
Nothing gets me more upset than responses like that :(

2. I've responded once more to the 'unsatisfactory/ imprecise' response given, and it appears I perhaps now have a 'Tier 2' guy. (Well, someone different).
They have requested
  • a screen shot of the hardware configuration of the VM,
  • a tech report be sent to them
so they can "check the issue internally".
I've send both those off this morning, so we'll see how that goes.

If the first response from Parallels was all I was afforded, I would be throwing them under the bus right now.
As it stands, I'll let the second attempt play out and we'll see where we end up...

Stay tuned :)
 
Thinking about it, I think when I was using more memory, it was with the 'old' Parallels back before they got rid of the full screen display option.
"application limitation". Since Parallels is the 'application' in this regard, they need to rewrite it then.... :(
 
Im also waiting for resolution after sending screenshots and everything. Im running Catalina VM and right now its dog slow even ssh terminal is slow. Im running it fullscreen. Web based Rocketchat app for example does not even start. Also switching between windows is slow.
 
I'm seeing the exact same issue on Parallels 16.1.3 running on a new Mac Pro (2019) with 16-core intel, 192GB ram and an
AMD Radeon Pro Vega II Duo 32 GB. Although I can configure more than 256MB graphics memory for the VM, the Mojave VM only shows 256MB graphics memory. Making many games fail to start and some running at a snail's pace.
I see that it has been over a year since the last post above. Has no correction of this problem ever been posted?
 
WolfgangS16 said:
I just set up a Mojave VM to keep my "old" 32-bit Apps running. In the configurations I can set the graphic memory up to 2 GB, but in the VM only 256 MB is shown. This affects the installation of MS Office 2011:Mac and software that needs more graphic memory (Civ V and others) won't start up.
I already tried to de-install and re-install Parallels Tools like described on the support pages, but that didn't work.
Maybe the Parallels driver doesn't support my Radeon Pro 580 8GB?
My machine specs are in the screenshot:
Darkmode=VM, Lightmode=Host, Config-Box (video set to 512 MB)
View attachment 15416
Click to expand...
The same trouble is here with me. I can allocate more memory in parallels settings but the guest macOS 10.15 system is showing only 256mb was allocated... This is why?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Has noone resolved this issue successfully? I am struggling here with Version 16.0.1 trying to get Mojave to show up with more than 256mb graphics. I have the latest macbook pro intel, so year or so old, it has 64 gb ram and 8gb GPU, I can definitely power some extra video power but im limited to 256. I tried the VMWare Tools install suggestion too, but nothing works.

Is there versions previous to Mojave like Lion or snow leopard that have no issues with GPU? is it limited to Mojave? Only reason im trying to do this is to save some 32 bit app support which.
 
Another year and the issue has still not been addressed by Parallels. As of 19 March, 2022 using the latest version of Parallels (17.1.1), the video graphics memory in a Mojave VM is limited to 256MB.
 
The video graphics for my Monterey VM is also limited to 256mb using Parallels 18.1.1. Anyone find a workaround for this?
 
kennyb123 said:
The video graphics for my Monterey VM is also limited to 256mb using Parallels 18.1.1. Anyone find a workaround for this?
Click to expand...
As mentioned in here a few times and in other threads. Parallels (for whatever unknown reason) is limited to 256 Mb for virtual vRAM starting with Big Sur Guests. I even have/had glitches where I'd see as low as like 25 Mb before Parallels updates. I have held off purchasing a v18 license / subscription, so IDK if anything has changed, but I doubt it based on the responses.
 
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