Parallels 4.0 won't start WindowsXP

I had a different problem with the app hanging, so I uninstalled it and put it on another Mac, copying over my VM from 3.0. This time it would launch, but in upgrading the VM to 4.0 it would error out on step 2 after spending about 20 minutes looking for devices. The VM is basically dead as it won't boot, but fortunately I did make a copy of it.

PD 4.0 is DOA for me, unworkable on two Macs, one a laptop and the other a Mac Pro.

I'm curious at the percentage of people who have no problems with the upgrade.
 
I *might* try the reinstallation route, but what about the 30 numbers I have to get over the phone to reactivate XP again?!!!
 
TonyMoroney said:
Nice!! Except the V4 installer makes you uninstall V3 before v4 installs. So let make sure I got this right.

Step 1. Uninstall v3 whilst installing v4
Step 2. Installation screws up
Step 3. Uninstall v4
Step 4. Reinstall v3
Step 5. Re-add (hopefully non-corrupt XP Image)
Step 6. Shutdown Windows properly
Step 7. Reinstall v4
Step 8. Watch Upgrade Fail Again.
Step 9. Begin from Step 1 again??

Just so I don't miss any steps ??

Thanks

T.
Click to expand...

I finally got my image to work (though with many tries on step 8). I did a combination of ctrl-cmd-opt-r keystroke each time it went to "upgrade" the image and once had to manually just stop the VM after it went looking for a VGA driver and got a blue screen that stayed there (not a BSOD, just a blue background). Each time I restarted it it got a little further.

I hadn't backed up my VM first (dumb-arse me) so I did have to un-install V4, re-install V3 (be sure to reboot each time) and import the VM back into V3 which took a little while.

After I got the VM running again in V3, I shut it down all the way normally and backed up that .hdd file. I then did the V4 upgrade (which bombed - but got further than the screen about "unable to start windows" that I got on the very first attempt and then did the re-run over and over again until Parallels tools for V4 could install properly. Bounced the image a few times and it's all finally back and running under V4. What a pain.

For everyone who still cannot get their images to work, you really do have my deepest sympathies.
 
Tried twice no dice

I've tried to upgrade from my 3.0 VM twice now. Both times the upgrade process ends and lets the machine reboot. At this point it always BSOD's waiting for MUP.sys or AGP440.sys whichever is the last to start before it really starts booting. I can't keep trying this as it takes an age to backup/copy the 30Gb VM file. I've submitted error reports both times but have heard nothing back. I've also tried going back to P3.0 (as detailed above) and extracting the HD images from the P4.0 package but P3.0 won't start them either. It hangs at the same point in the boot sequence. Seems like my VM image is incompatible with P4.0.

Parallels, have you any indication on what you plan to do to help people in this situation? Can you tell me how to get past the problem with AGP440.sys?

Karl
 
Well, I did the going back to V3 thing as explained by parallels team but still no luck. I even disabled my sophos. The hdd image works well in V3 but I never could migrate it to V4. It always stops at the line:
DRIVERS->agp440.sys

Very frustrating.
 
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What exactly are steps 1-4?

Parallels:

Could you tell us what the 4 steps are exactly? It appears that step 2 is the installation of Parallels Tools, but what are the other three? I ask because although v. 4 appears to be working- after a few attempts at installing it- I don't know if it is operating as designed and/or at optimal efficiency. Perhaps if I know what all the steps are I would know what to look for in terms of correct operation.

Background: during my first attempt at installing v. 4 my computer went through step 1 fine, albeit slowly, then hung up on step 2. An attempt to install Parallels Tools manually at this point again brought up the "4 step" window and it again stalled at step 2, this time not allowing my input devices to work. I force-quit Parallels and reinstalled v.4 and this time, rather than going to "4 step" window, it just seemed to slowly open XP while asking for the location of various hardware drivers. I manually installed Parallels Tools, and now everything seems to work fine. Files and programs from v. 3 seem to open and operate correctly. It even stopped looking for drivers. The changes I see are very impressive! I just want to make sure everything is as it should be. Is there a way of verifying whether or not the installation is complete and correct?
 
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Downgrade

Downgrading to v3 and back doesnt work. v3 thinks its a non-valid image -- v4 thinks its valid, boots, ctlr,option,command shows it boots, goes into windows boot menu, but continues to fail on loading the agp module. I didn't back mine up as I have nowhere to backup to. Parallels please help!
 
vm file deleted

I had similar upgrade pains for a xp sp3 vm. Unfortunately, at the end of the process, the entire vm (the file itself) is simply gone. Somehow the conversion process deleted it entirely. I have a backup at home, but what the hell!?!?!

(should have read the posts here before jumping on the upgrade so quickly)
 
I guess I spoke to soon, when I said everything was fine now..........

1) I can't copy files to my "mac side" using "shared folders" . It shows up on the windows side but I don't see the files on the mac side!??

2) Also, my serial-client is not working. (this is critical since this is how I connect to my billing systems.!)

help help help.

WHAT A MISTAKE IN UPGRADING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


robert.
 
Current status: I emptied my "trash" and it freed up some 30gb. Seems that when you uninstall V4 it only puts it into the trash. Mac still recognizes this to be disk usage.


will keep you posted on how to "restore" my "backed up" V3....... i'm on the phone with INDIA (ie parallels support).


robert.
 
Well. It's Day 2 and there's no Official Statement about this Issue. I'm very frustrated, because there's no help or Response from Parallels Support. You should know i was happy with Parallels before (2.x-3.x). And as 4.0 came out with all these new Features and Improvements i bought it. I never expected the massive Problems with this new Version.
 
ditto

the Vm would try to install the Virtual disk but would stop installing after step 1 tryin gto stop the vm and restart the program send me to the boot option screen, and still nothing.
 
I too was running into the agp440.sys issue. The vm would start to load...hit that driver..and..poof! After uninstalling and reinstalling a few times, a few voodoo curses, and many expletives I ran Parallels Transporter against the disk image....this took a while....but after it completed it was able to go through the conversion without error.
 
Thanks rick_4t ... at least you provide some hope ... hopefully after my next expletives and re-installs ... one of these times ... it will work ... appreciate the humor ... makes things a little lighter in this frustrating environment .. Thanks
 
Hey rick_4t could you explain in more detail the steps you took with Parallels Transporter to get you VM to upgrade under v4.0. Thanks in advance.
 
Sure...

Launch Transporter
Intro - hit continue
Migration Mode - selected "Advanced"
Migration Source Type - selected "Virtual Machine"
Migration Object - selected "Virtual Disk"
Virtual Disk Location - chose my existing winxp.hdd
Operating System Configuration - The xp installation from the winxp.hdd showed as only choice in list...selected
Destination Folder - "/Users/rick4t/Documents/Parallels"

This ran for 60 - 90 minutes. When it finished I launched Parallels 4.0 and started the vm created by Transporter....it went into the conversion (step 1 of 4)....then it kicked to the "must install manually" message. From there I followed the manual install instructions http://kb.parallels.com/en/5718.

Hope this works/helps!
 
Update: I've re-copied my backup V3 into /documents/parallels Started V3 and it worked. I updated to latest build 5608, reinstalled tools and all is well again. WOW 15 or so hours later..........

PS. I've asked for a refund. Will wait to future builds of V4.


Thanks for all your help.

Robert
 
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