Parallels 5 Video Memory and Multiple Monitors

important note to making this fix work for you...

I edited the .pvs file as directed. When I started up my VM (XP SP3) and chose Coherence in the View menu option, I received a warning message from Parallels that there was a configuration error.

I moved the Parallels VM window from the DVI-USB enabled monitor over to the directly connected DVI external monitor, tried again, and then everything worked fine.

I've seen similar things happen when trying to make the USB-DVI monitor the "main" monitor in Mac OS and restarting - the OS just doesn't seem to like making a software-enabled monitor the primary monitor...

Make sure your VM's window is NOT being displayed on your USB-DVI enabled monitor when you choose Coherence in the View menu option and you may experience greater success.

PS - thanks for this - PDv5 totally rules now!
 
I concur with the previous poster; I could not make the fix work _if_ the VM was running on the USB monitor when I selected coherence mode, if it was running on a regular screen it worked just fine.
 
I fixed this same problem by going into device manager on Windows 7 and enable the driver (it had funky white and black circle over it before. right click_Enable to get it working again.
 
coherrence fails> MacPro w/ 3 monitors via 2 video cards

I have tried several avenues to correct this, and so far the result is bad to mixed. The only change I have accomplished is that now I can use the 3rd monitor in Full Screen with use all monitors selected. But Now I can not use Coherence on two monitors, with the 3rd monitor not working, which I used to be able to do.

When I use Coherence mode, the 3rd monitor I am running can't display any of the Guest OS windows. What I see on the 3rd monitor is an outline of a window dragged onto the 3rd monitor, but the display within the window is garbage jagged lines like it cant tune in that channel.

Guest OS: Windows 7.
OS: 10.6.2

Hardware Overview:
Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro3,1
Processor Name: Quad-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed: 2.8 GHz
Number Of Processors: 2
Memory: 10 GB

I have two Video Cards: 2 X ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT.
from left to right, monitors 1 and 2 are hooked up to video card number one;
the 3rd monitor is hooked up to video card number 2.
I can use monitor number 3 in window or in full screen mode (both extended across all 3 monitors or just full screen on one monitor), but not in Coherence nor Crystal modes.

I checked my Windows 7 video memory, and it shows 511 MB.

in the Windows 7 Display control panel, the Display drop down menu shows as follows:
Display 1: Generic Non-PnP Monitor
Display 2: Parallels Vu
Display 3: Generic Non-PnP Monitor

Each display is set to "Extend desktop to this display

I have attached the recent Parallels application log for your review. This log shows a repeating error that Coherence has failed to install, which is related to the repeated attempts to uninstall and reinstall parallels tools.

I attempted the work around that "Serv" posted on 11/16/09 to modify this registry entry:
"<MaxDisplays>0</MaxDisplays>
replace value 0 with 3 (or more if you have more than 1 USB-to-DVI adapters)"

This did not resolve the issue.

1) I do not have the options the response from support describes below, which I have copied immediately below so as to be clear: Please advise further about these steps?

Please follow the steps below in regards to the issue:

1. From the View menu, choose the "Customize..." option.

2. Open the "Coherence" tab and check the "Use multiple displays" option.

3. Then open Parallels Desktop and go to Preferences ->Appearance menu.

4. Check the "Change MacOSX resolution" option.

After that please check the resolutions of the monitors that you will use. Change the resolutions of both monitors to be the same. (E.g. if you have a Macbook, change the image to 1024 x768 stretched to match the standard square monitor (4:3 viewing ratio)


Comments from Dupre:
2) I tried the approach Anupama outlined below several times. It wouldnt work.
3) I also moved my 3 monitors around physically between the two video cards so that they are now all oriented the same way (all 3 monitors are now horizontally oriented in a 4:3 orientation). I had to unconnect and reconnect two monitors to move them so that they are connected as described below (I made it so that monitors 1 and 2 are connected to Video Card #1; and monitor 3 is connected to video card #2).

-----Original Message-----
From: , Parallels [mailto:p[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, November 26, 2009 1:31 PM
To: Dupre Vega
Subject: [Parallels #820411] 3rd display not usable


Hello Dupre,

Thank you for the response.

Please follow the below metioned steps to resolve the issue:-

1. Launch Parallels Desktop.

2. On the Menu Bar click on Virtual Machine.

3. Select Configure.

4. Click on the Otions tab.

5. Select Full Screen from the left pane.

6. Check in the box "Use all displays in full screen".

7. Click "Ok".

If the issue persists try the below mentioned steps :-

Disable Firewall and antivirus.

Uninstall Parallels Tools with the help of the following steps:

1) Start virtual machine.

2) Click on Start->Control Panel->Add or Remove Programs->Uninstall Parallels Tools from here.

3) Go to "My Computer" - "C" Drive - "Program Files" - "Parallels" folder and delete the "Parallels Tools" folder.

4) Click the Windows "Start" menu -> "Run" and type "regedit". Hit OK.

5) In Registry Editor, go to "My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Parallels" and delete the "Parallels Tools" entry.

6) Reboot Windows.

Reinstall Parallels Tools with the help of the following steps:

1) Click on "Virtual Machine" on top menu bar and click on "Install Parallels Tools".

2) Click on "Continue".

3) Wait till you get a message "Parallels Tools are installed successfully".

Please update us the status of the issue.

Awaiting your reply.


Thanks,

--
Anup Kumar Yadav

Technical Support Engineer
Parallels


-----Original Message-----
From: Anupama, Parallels [mailto:p[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 8:54 AM
To: Dupre Vega
Subject: [Parallels #820411] 3rd display not usable


Hello Dupre,

I really apologize for the inconvenience caused.

Please follow the steps below in regards to the issue:

1. From the View menu, choose the "Customize..." option.

2. Open the "Coherence" tab and check the "Use multiple displays" option.

3. Then open Parallels Desktop and go to Preferences ->Appearance menu.

4. Check the "Change MacOSX resolution" option.

After that please check the resolutions of the monitors that you will use. Change the resolutions of both monitors to be the same. (E.g. if you have a Macbook, change the image to 1024 x768 stretched to match the standard square monitor (4:3 viewing ratio)

Also, please follow the link below in regards to the issue:
http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=95461&page=3
http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=95461


Please update me with the status of the issue.



Thanks,
--
Anupama
Technical Support Engineer
Parallels

kbase: http://kb.parallels.com


Dupre Vega
generation ix technologies inc.
 

Attachments

UPDATE to my prior post: The latest version - Build 5.0.9308 of 12/21/09- resolved my issue. But note this. when I first booted up after updating to new version Coherence still didn't work and nor did full screen on all 3 monitors. First I turned off the "tune windows for Speed" optimization selection (per another post where this was causing odd behavior in Win7); and restarted twice. Then I moved the parallels window (while in Window mode) from monitor one connected to video card one to monitor 3 connected to 2nd video card, and changed view mode to full screen on all monitors - it worked. I then went back to window mode, and moved the window back to monitor one/video card one, and selected Coherence and it worked. I know it seems convoluted, but it worked. Whew!
 
Me too

Yesterday with help from support I was able to resolve my VPN problem since the latest update to Parallels 5 now I'm having video problems on my 2nd monitor - sigh.

I like to work in coherence mode and I need both monitors to work productively. Anything on my 2nd monitor for my windows vm is unuseable.

I have P5, MacBook Pro running 10.5.8 with Windows 7 as the guest VM. All was working wonderfully with the initial P5 install but ever since the last update I've been having major issues such as VPN and now this video issue.

Please advise how to fix or how to roll back to previous settings prior to last update.

--Laureen
 
I had the same problem after the last patch - not enough video memory. I had spaces running and thought that might be the trouble (though it was not a problem prior to the patch). Disabled spaces and now Crystal is working like a champ again (I love it) - I can do without spaces for this convenience.

Hope this helps.
 
amount of video memory is too low

I have the same error message when I start up my vm, but it doesn't matter whether I'm connected to another monitor or not. I can still use the vm just fine, in coherence mode, but would like this error to stop popping up. Has there been any solution to this yet?
Thanks.
 
fixed!!

I had the exact same problem as Dupre Vega and FINALLY fixed it..

I also have 3 monitors on 2 video cards.

I was also having a scrambled image on display #3. I tried Vega's fix and it didn't work for me.

What DID work was re-enabling Aero in coherenece mode. Not sure why it made a difference, but now I can put things onto the third monitor without a problem.

If I re-enable Aero I get the same problem.

This is both on Parallels 5 and the newly released Parallels 6.

Tommy.
 
This is still a problem on Build 6.0.13950 (Revision 714087; November 24, 2011)

Dual monitors, Windows 7, 1080p. Had to use the multiple displays workaround.

Also I keep getting a weird gradient filled box (approx 400x400 px) in the upper left region of the desktop on the left monitor. It is attached to the Explorer.exe process and goes away when I end task on it. Does not come back when explorer is relaunched until the next time I reboot.
 
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