Can't find parallels explorer

I want to run parallels explorer from the mac side. Supposedly I go to the parallels application folder and there is an icon to click, but there is no folder for parallels within applications - only the application itself. Where is it. I'm running parallels 6 desktop for the mac.

 

Hi Dan,

There is no Parallels Explorer in Parallels Desktop 6. To be able to browse the contents of your virtual machines and virtual hard disks directly in Mac OS X Finder you need to use Parallels Mounter. Just locate your virtual machine in Finder (by default it's either in /Documents/Parallels or /Users/Shared/Parallels)-> right-click on it -> Open with -> Parallels Mounter. There is some additional info in Parallels Desktop User's Guide:

http://download.parallels.com/desktop/v6/docs/en/Parallels_Desktop_Users_Guide/27290.htm

 

Problem with following the directions

JuliaU,

I tried to follow your directions and those to which you referred me and got pretty far, but ended up failing. The reference you gave said to "browse the virtual machine files in Finder." I don't think that is possible, but I could do it in Windows explorer and I got to the windows7.pvm file and could right click on it and open with "Parallels Mounter" but it said I couldn't read or write to the file and it wouldn't mount it. So I'm stuck. I do now have a "PC Desktop" folder on the mac desktop, but there's not much in it except the items on my Windows desktop.

I got these errors:

When opening with Parallels Mounter:

Unable to get write access to the virtual hard disk. Do you want to open it in the read-only mode?

To be able to modify the virtual hard disk contents, you must have read-write permissions for its file.

After this error, I clicked "OK" and then got this error:

Parallels Mounter is unable to open the virtual hard disk.

Either the hard disk has no volumes or its file system is not supported or contains errors. Start your virtual machine and check the disk for file system errors.

Thanks for any help you can give on this.

Dan

 

Hi Dan,

Well, first of all I would like to suggest you actually to check all simple things that are listed in the messages:

- do you have write and read permissions to the file (.pvm)?
- check the disk for errors by following this KB article:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Check-your-hard-disk-for-errors

I would also like to mention that Parallels Mounter is working only when virtual machine is shut down.

But most probably the reason for the issue lies with MacFUSE 64-bit. There is a similar thread here, so you might find it useful as well I guess:

http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=107560&highlight=Parallels+Mounter+won't+mount+VM

You can try to start your Mac in 32-bit and check if you can mount your virtual machine there. Please use this KB article:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3773

Hope it helps.