Parallels 10 running slow on Yosemite

H

Housedoctor

Junior Member
I just downloaded Mac Yosemite, I'm currently running the latest Parallels 10. Updated everything. Restarted from complete shutdown. Starting my virtual machine to run Windows 7 on which my business software is located is slower than molasses in winter. I do notice that if I move my mouse around in a circle on the screen everything loads quicker. HELP PLEASE
 
Hi Housedoctor,

Yes, you're absolutely right. I have the same thing. And, DESPITE WHAT PARALLELS claims, Parallels 10 is ABSOLUTELY NOT FULLY COMPATIBLE WITH YOSEMITE.
The problem is simple : Parallels uses only 1 processor core even though you specify in the configuration that you'd like to use the full4 (or more) cores of your machine.
So, basically, it runs about 4 times slower than it should.

I'm beginning to get FED UP by Parallels attitude. I would not expect an answer from them here. I already mentioned a lot of bugs on several Gust OS's on this forum, the only thing I got is a pre-written answer that does not meet the question (i.e. : asking about some problem with Parallels 10 and getting an answer on how to configure Parallels 8 or asking a question about a problem with OsX as guest OS and getting a reply on how to set-up Parallels to run a Windows guest OS !).

Guess I will ask for a refund and go for that other free tool that allows you to virtualize things (Virtual Box it's called I think... slow but free !).

Regards.
 
Thanks for your reply Fred, I did receive an explanation from Parallels. I'll copy and post it here.
Hi Sir,
Im disturbing you regarding the performance issue.
As from the symptoms, the issue can lie in NVRAM preferences of your particular Mac.

Please do the following to solve:
open Terminal application on Mac (Applications/Terminal.app)
please type this command (you may copy-paste it to the terminal from this message):

sudo nvram boot-args="debug=0xd4e"

Hit Enter.
You will be prompted to enter Mac user password. Please type it and hit Enter.
Note: you won't see what you are typing, just type and hit Enter. If you don't have Mac user password, please create a temporary one.

Then you may restart your Mac and the issue should be solved.
If not - please reply me here and I'll create a ticket for you in Support.
 
This tip helped me too.

I had already reinstalled Mac OS 10.10, Parallels 10.1.0, and Parallels tools a few times previously, to no avail.

I did find that there was an interrupt storm - resetting nvram was the only thing that fixed it.
 
This works. However, if you have to use an external Apple SuperDrive with your Mac because the internal one is dead (my situation) you probably used this command line to set it up:

sudo nvram boot-args="mbasd=1"​

The Parallels fix will override the boot argument, so your SuperDrive will not work anymore. Instead, you'll want to run the command like this:

sudo nvram boot-args="debug=0xd4e mbasd=1"​

That will enter both boot arguments and you shouldn't have a problem. Thought I'd share it with you guys if you have a similar situation to mine.
 
craig_kinsel said:
I just ordered a new iMac and external super drive. Will I have to use the special command?
Don
Click to expand...

mbasd=1 is only for older model Macs that already have built-in optical drives. For some reason the ability to use a SuperDrive is disabled on those Macs and you have to use this boot argument to get the device to work. If you have a newer Mac that has no optical drive built in, the SuperDrive will work out of the box; no special boot arguments required.
 
Alexander_Maroukian said:
mbasd=1 is only for older model Macs that already have built-in optical drives. For some reason the ability to use a SuperDrive is disabled on those Macs and you have to use this boot argument to get the device to work. If you have a newer Mac that has no optical drive built in, the SuperDrive will work out of the box; no special boot arguments required.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your help. :)

Don
 
Housedoctor said:
Thanks for your reply Fred, I did receive an explanation from Parallels. I'll copy and post it here.
Hi Sir,
Im disturbing you regarding the performance issue.
As from the symptoms, the issue can lie in NVRAM preferences of your particular Mac.

Please do the following to solve:
open Terminal application on Mac (Applications/Terminal.app)
please type this command (you may copy-paste it to the terminal from this message):

sudo nvram boot-args="debug=0xd4e"

Hit Enter.
You will be prompted to enter Mac user password. Please type it and hit Enter.
Note: you won't see what you are typing, just type and hit Enter. If you don't have Mac user password, please create a temporary one.

Then you may restart your Mac and the issue should be solved.
If not - please reply me here and I'll create a ticket for you in Support.
Click to expand...

This worked for me as well.

Thanks!
 
Housedoctor's tip from Parallels, which he passed along, worked like a charm. It is like a new machine. I have the same hardware setup that everyone spoke of. I appreciate the help, and for the big saver of time.
 
The boot argument also solved the issue for me.

I'd just like to add you should run "nvram -p" in the terminal first and look for any existing boot arguments you are using.
For example, I was already using "kext-dev-mode=1" (because I'm adding TRIM support for a non apple ssd and have a modified unsigned kext)
In my case I needed to run this command "sudo nvram boot-args="debug=0xd4e kext-dev-mode=1"
if your computer needs "mbasd=1" then you would add that to any additional boot arguments.

For example:
sudo nvram boot-args="debug=0xd4e mbasd=1 kext-dev-mode=1"
(typically you will not need/want kext-dev-mode=1)

In regards to this I hope to receive an email when this has been properly solved as I would like to remove the extra boot argument. It just feels like a hackintosh to me :P
 
Worked for me!!!! I had also reinstalled Parallels 10.1.0 and Parallels tools a few times previously too - becoming increasingly more frustrated each time! Then found this forum, followed the instructions in HouseDoctor's post, and it worked like a charm!!
 
My problem was an extremely sluggish Mac after the change to Yosemite.
Parallels was too slow to work with, as were other Apple applications.
It appeared that WindowsServer was using far too many CPU-cycles.

The solution that solved all problems was:
- Disable Dashboard in Mission Control.
Now all is as I suspect. I have back a lot of idle CPU-cycles again to use in the apps I use.
GF
 
hackmodford said:
The boot argument also solved the issue for me.

I'd just like to add you should run "nvram -p" in the terminal first and look for any existing boot arguments you are using.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info! Would I need to put anything else in in my situation? I have no clue what this means!
efi-boot-device <array><dict><key>IOMatch</key><dict><key>IOProviderClass</key><string>IOMedia</string><key>IOPropertyMatch</key><dict><key>UUID</key><string>B5E6AB84-9C6A-4ACA-937A-982C62D2AF0F</string></dict></dict><key>BLLastBSDName</key><string>disk0s2</string></dict></array>%00

efi-boot-device-data %02%01%0c%00%d0A%03%0a%00%00%00%00%01%01%06%00%02%1f%03%12%0a%00%01%00%00%00%00%00%04%01*%00%02%00%00%00(@%06%00%00%00%00%00%c0%c0%1e:%00%00%00%00%84%ab%e6%b5j%9c%caJ%93z%98,b%d2%af%0f%02%02%7f%ff%04%00


backlight-level %bf%00

LocationServicesEnabled %01

Thanks for you help,
Dave
 
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