No XP networking, no Parallels response?

I don't know if it is related to the last Apple security or WWAN updates, but in build 3150 I booted up XP (bootcamp) via Parallels to find no network connections, where it was previously fine. I searched through the forums and found others that have had the same problems, but no acknowledgment from Parallels. I read that someone upgrading to build 3186 helped and tried that but to no avail. I have even tried turning off my airport and only using a wired connection after restarting my Mac, but still no go.

So now Windows sits useless for me (80% of the time I use it, it is for IE) without networking. Does anyone have any work around, or is there any word from Parallels about this?

Thanks for any help,

Kenn

MBP 2GHz 2GB OSX 10.4.8
XP via Parallels/Bootcamp

 

uninstall the parallels application using the uninstall app in the 3186 dmg file.

reboot your mac.

reinstall parallels.

reboot your mac again BEFORE trying to start any VMs

go into Sys Prefs, Network and make sure you have en2 and en3 (it may ask you to acknowledge theyve just been installed, if it does you need to reboot again) if they are just there (labelled as Parallels NAT and Host/Guest or something like that), make sure that each of them is set to dhcp and they have obtained an address. (in the 10.x.x.x network)

THEN boot your VM.
If that still fails. Please post here the output of an ifconfig -a from terminal and an
ipconfig /all from windows command prompt. Also let us know if you are using shared or bridged networking.

 

I followed the above instructions to the letter. Unfortunately this has actually made it much much worse.

Once I reinstalled, I was forced to do the mac equivalent of a three finger salute since the Finder on reboot was unresponsive (I waited more then 20 minutes). On the second reboot, I was able to work with the Finder. After that I brought up my Bootcamp VM in Parallels only for it to now tell me that I need to reactivate within 3 days. Well since I have no network connectivity, my only option is do the, oh so lovely, call in activation and pray for decent communication and sympathy. All the while having no idea if I will have to do it again sometime soon when this is fixed.

I am using shared networking in this setup.

Results of ipconfig /all

Windows sees ablsolutely no network adaptors.

Results of ifconfig -a

I am going to refrain from reactivating today, in hopes that there will be a official response to this and possibly even a solution. I now can't even remember the number of times I have had to reactivate because of Parallels. The activation center seems less enthusiastic each time.

 

I think i am having the same problem.
I see no sign of any of the other computers on the network.
ALso cannot see the net work printer which is hard wired to the wireless router.
In fact, I can see it in Mac, but once I go into Parallels VM I cant even see the printer
in Mac. I can see other network computers in mac, but not in Parallels. I have to uninstall my printer in mac, and reinstall it agin. in order to print. Even after exiting Parallels and rebooting my mac, i still have to reinstall.
jac

 

mineshaftgap: so in Control Panel > Network Connections (in your VM) do you not have the Parallels adapter listed as a Local Area Network connection ?

The Mac side looks fine, but you dont appear to have an interface configured in windows....

In the parallels tools center, does the Network Driver show as enabled ? Is it greyed out or not ? Can you (and bear with me as i dont use parallels with a bootcamp vm), restart in safe mode and reinstall paralells tools (after uninstalling obviously) .. I dunno if this breaks bootcamp or not.,.. maybe someone else can help me here ?

 

darkone,

No, the Parallels adapter was not listed under Windows; Control Panel -> Network Connections. Yes the Network Driver was enabled and not greyed out in the Parallels Tools Center.

I saw that there was a build 3188 general release, so I uninstalled Parallels build 3186, hoping that they might of addressed the many problems people are having similar to mine.

I also thought I would check to see how everything was working under Bootcamp. So I rebooted and it was all fine and glorious, network was working, didn't need activation, everything fine. So I thought I would see if I could uninstall Parallels Tools, funny enough it told me that I had to be running under a VM to run the software. I was actually only trying to uninstall, not run it!

Then I install build 3188, everything seemed fine, until Windows came up and I think because of the Mac/Win clock difference it shot me ahead in time, and now I no longer have any days remaining to activate (I should of had 2 left)! Hoping on the off chance that 3188 fixed networking for me, I tried to activate it over the net. NO GO. Now this is a completely !@#$%^&* worthless VM for me.

Wow, I couldn't imagine this would get even worse. Being a programmer myself, this company needs to understand customer support, and even more so release schedules; Alpha, Beta, RC/Gold, public. There needs to be public historic change logs for each version to see how/when/what issues have been addressed. If this is the future of this software, then I think VMWare will destroy them. Parallels have a great product, but have no idea how to interact with their customer base.

What a shame.

 

Any ideas?

 

12 working days later

It been 12 working days (since I opened a ticket and still no communication of any kind from Parallels. I would at least like to know if this is an issue unique to my situation, or a known issue that is being worked on. This is from your email: "Our support engineer will contact you within 3 business days."

I have gone from loving this company and software to really questioning if I can recommend its use for my clients.

If anyone from Parallels reads these forums, please message me and I can tell you the ticket number. Knowing that you are concerned about this issue, is much better then no communication at all.

Kenn Herman

 

Try un-installing and re-installing your Parallels tools... I don't think I saw that done in the listing of things you tried... Maybe I missed it...

 

Why use Bootcamp?

From your description, you only use IE. If so, then why bother with the hassle of the Boot Camp partition? I have Parallels working PERFECT as a virtual machine and use it for IE all the time (I have one site that requires IE only). I also have the full Office suite installed and some specialty apps.

I personally see no need for Boot Camp unless you intend to reboot directly into Windows for 3-D gaming or some other heavy app.

 

We have it on our computers as a 'fall-back' for incompatibilites... It is quite useful on some days... So, don't discount the additional configuration curve, it has save my @$* some days in keeping each and every workstation up 90%+ of the day, every work-day with only one exception.

 

Hi -

I'm new to this forum and this is my 1st post. That said, I also can't believe how such a great application can have such terrible customer/tech support. I have NEVER received a reply reply to any requests I have made via the tech support link. If memory serves, I think I have tried on three ocassions since my initial install about 6 months ago, to contact support.

phg1938

 

bit of irony?

PubGuy,

You ask why I have a Bootcamp partition? For the very reason of this thread, when Parallels does not work! As much as it is a great product when it works, as long as they are going to have production releases that are alpha quality with alpha support, I am with Eru, I want a fall back. I trust Apple's drivers for their hardware in Windows much more then I trust Parallel's from these experiences. I am paying good money for my desired environment, I expect options, not kludges. If using the Bootcamp partition for Parallels is going to be a second class option, then Parallels should not have it as an option.

Having a VM is great for 95% of things when it works, but sometimes you want to see everything in it's complete native environment. Sometimes clients demand it.

 

While I can not agree with you on your evaluation of Parallels... for me it IS a production valide solution, not an alpha quality system at all...
I must say that you are right that some times bootcamp is th only solution.

I am not a gamer, so I though that Parallels was more than enough. Now I regret I did not chose to install via boot camp.

I have read that Parallels is working on a way to move a VM to a real bootcamp partition. I hope this is coming soon because I would convert my VM right away.

 

FWIW, I've found Parallels' Boot Camp VM features still a bit buggy. I've yet to achieve a stable VM using the Boot Camp partition. However, I do use Parallels to do "real" production work with a non-Boot Camp VM, and it works very well. I haven't experienced any blue screens or random shutdowns and the environment has been remarkably stable for the most part. I've recently published a post stating some OS X instability since the latest 3188 build, however the VMs have never gone down. My suggestion is to try creating a pure VM, your networking woes might very well go away.

 

mineshaftgap,

Please contact me via private messages. This issue will require deep investigation to get resolved.

 

Tim Surgent?!

Tim,

I have now emailed tech support without any response 40 days ago. You told me "Please contact me via private messages. This issue will require deep investigation to get resolved." I responded to your request 17 days ago, and again no response. This might coincidental, but after my experiences, I find it hard to give Parallels Tech Support the benefit of the doubt. Quite a unique way to support you users.

With VM Ware closing in on Parallels heels, this is incredibly surprising. I often have friends, family and clients ask for solutions that could use Parallels, and up until recently have highly endorsed your product. Your product is great, but your tech support is driving me to investigate VM Ware, and I am sure that there are many out there in the same situation.

I still hope to hear from your team, but I have the feeling that if I am lucky enough to get a solution it will be simply rolled into the next rev. This companies' lack of transparency is not a shield from scrutiny, but a wall separating it from it's customer base. I hope that things get worked out there.

Kenn Herman
Mine Shaft Gap Consulting

 

FWIW, there was a long thread posted recently about interacting with Boot Camp. It detailed quite specific instructions and included warnings about how to carefully shut down the VM and Parallels at certain points in installations, etc. If you do a search you might find it more easily and perhaps that can also be of some help for you.

I'm currently only running Parallels "stand alone" -- ie without Boot Camp. So I'm afraid I can't offer any further, specific support ideas based on my direct experience.

 

Network Troubles....

I'm running parallels desktop and it has been hit or miss for networking support for the last 3 weeks. It has flaked for me one night and then worked the next day. Before 3 weeks ago it was quite golden. 3 weeks ago I upgraded to build 3188.

Starting today, It just won't work ever.

Sigh, I did install an apple security update today. The mac works fine but parallels networking can't do a damn thing.

I have tried everything on this list and I can't get the thing to work. I've resorted to booting my old PC to get work done. It seemed to work for me steadily for 3 months and now it doesn't.

Let me repeat! My mac connection to the internet is fine. (I'm sending this message!)

I would like to see the following posted:

1) a brief description of how networking is supposed to work.

2) a "How to" that lists the steps needed to make it work
(with detailed tested settings from someone at parallels.)

3) And I'm shooting for the moon here.... I'd like a tool that you can run on the mac and another one on Windows that looks at what is wrong and make suggestions about what to do to fix it.

OK parallels, there is the gauntlet, will you take the challenge?

 

http://forums.parallels.com/thread10584.html