Parallels 5 Video Memory and Multiple Monitors

Same issue

Running on an imac 2.97Ghz, GT120 + USB DVI EVGA UV16 running at 1600x1200

Same thing, worked great with Parallels 4.0 , does not work with 5.0 when the USB adapter is connected.
 
hi wbienek,

Yes it is possible to run coherence mode using just the main monitor. In fact I can get coherence mode to work with the main monitor on my Macbook pro (1920x1200) as well as a second monitor (1920x1080). It just seems if I connect a 3rd USB monitor (1280x1024) it fails. I can also disconnect the 1920x1080 monitor and use the USB one without any problem. The issue appears to be related to using 2 or more external monitors.

Using PD4 this wasn't an issue.
 
To everyone having problems with USB-to-DVI adapters.

Here's a temporary workaround:
1. Shut down your VM
2. Right-click on the VM and choose Show Package Contents
3. Right-click on config.pvs and choose Open With > Other...
4. Choose TextEdit application to open XML based VM configuration
5. Cmd-F to find "MaxDisplays" tag:
<MaxDisplays>0</MaxDisplays>
replace value 0 with 3 (or more if you have more than 1 USB-to-DVI adapters)
6. Save changes and restart your VM

Note that this manual setting overrides display autodetection. It is recommended that you reset this change later when fix is included in Parallels Desktop.

Thanks for you patience.
 
To everyone having problems with USB-to-DVI adapters.

Here's a temporary workaround:
1. Shut down your VM
2. Right-click on the VM and choose Show Package Contents
3. Right-click on config.pvs and choose Open With > Other...
4. Choose TextEdit application to open XML based VM configuration
5. Cmd-F to find "MaxDisplays" tag:
<MaxDisplays>0</MaxDisplays>
replace value 0 with 3 (or more if you have more than 1 USB-to-DVI adapters)
6. Save changes and restart your VM

Note that this manual setting overrides display autodetection. It is recommended that you reset this change later when fix is included in Parallels Desktop.

Thanks for you patience.
Click to expand...

Thank you! This workaround behaves exactly as desired.

David
 
MaxDisplays XML

I didn't have a MaxDisplays XML entry.. I added it (not sure to the right sub category though) and it didn't work.. The following is my XML (Identification left out for security reasons) Keep in mind, *I* added maxDisplays myself as it wasnt there.. Did I put it in the wrong place?:
**UPDATE** - Had to remove most of the XML since the forum only allows 10k characters.. Where would I *Put* <MaxDisplays> since it wasn't there originally?

<RemoteDisplay>
<Mode>0</Mode>
<Password></Password>
<HostName>0.0.0.0</HostName>
<PortNumber>5900</PortNumber>
</RemoteDisplay>
<Tools>
<Coherence>
<ShowTaskBar>1</ShowTaskBar>
<ShowTaskBarInCoherence>1</ShowTaskBarInCoherence>
<RelocateTaskBar>0</RelocateTaskBar>
<ExcludeDock>0</ExcludeDock>
<MultiDisplay>0</MultiDisplay>
<MaxDisplays>3</MaxDisplays>
<GroupAllWindows>0</GroupAllWindows>
<DisableDropShadow>0</DisableDropShadow>
<DoNotMinimizeToDock>0</DoNotMinimizeToDock>
<BringToFront>1</BringToFront>
<AppInDock>0</AppInDock>
<ShowWinSystrayInMacMenu>0</ShowWinSystrayInMacMenu>
</Coherence>
 
The line should be in the <Video>...</Video> section of config.pvs. For me, the line was immediately after
<Enable3DAcceleration>0</Enable3DAcceleration>
 
beta_wbienek,

I guess you VM configuration hasn't changed since PD4. Try making some change to video config via configuration panel to force XML update, this should also write the missing MaxDisplays field.
 
Heres a section around the video..

<Hardware>
<Cpu>
<Number>1</Number>
<Mode>0</Mode>
<AccelerationLevel>2</AccelerationLevel>
<EnableVTxSupport>1</EnableVTxSupport>
</Cpu>
<Chipset>
<Type>1</Type>
</Chipset>
<Clock>
<TimeShift>-3600</TimeShift>
</Clock>
<Memory>
<RAM>2020</RAM>
</Memory>
<Video>
<VideoMemorySize>256</VideoMemorySize>
<EnableDirectXShaders>1</EnableDirectXShaders>
<ScreenResolutions>
<Enabled>0</Enabled>
</ScreenResolutions>
<Enable3DAcceleration>0</Enable3DAcceleration>
<MaxDisplays>3</MaxDisplays>
</Video>

I tried with <MultiDisplay>0</MultiDisplay> and <MultiDisplay>1</MultiDisplay>

Either way.. no joy.. same error.. I have 3 monitors.. a 30" a 23" (hooked to a AIT 3870) and one VGA usb .. without the USB hookd up I can get coherence.. Is there a work around to have a usb video dongle card thingie work?
 
Weird... Is your VM XP based? If so, can you check how many displays are visible in Display Properties?
 
No.. Windows 7 Professional Edition.. without the usb DVI plugged in.. it shows 2 (because I have a dual head 3870 plugged in w/ a 30" and a 23".. I *ALSO* have a 20" apple monitor which I want to use w/ the USB DVI (So it would be a total of 3 monitors) When I use just the 2 monitors, it (coherence) works fine.. but /w 3 (USB DVI) it doesn't

When its WORKING (with 2) display settings shows 2 monitors.. when its NOT working, it shows only 1, even though all 3 are 'plugged in' so to speak..
 
I didn't at first.. Once I tried, it 'blue screened' and the virtual machine had to be restarted several times to get back to normal..
 
..Also, now it wont go into coherence anytmore even w/ only 2 monitors.. before I tried this It would.. Im trying to find a Parallels Desktop 4 download so I can go back to that.. Parallles 5 no longer works well at all since I tried to install the DisplayLink Drivers..
 
re:working again

Installing DisplayLink Drivers at the Virtual Machine Level (on windows 7) cause a BS of Death.Very bad.. had to 1. reinstall parallels tools.. 2. reboot the mac to get things working again..
 
work-around works!

I am happy to report that I can now run both my external monitors in coherence mode after applying the above patch.

1 x Display Link USB-DVI @ 1280x1024
1 x DVI Monitor @ 1920x 1080
1 x Macbook laptop screen @ 1920x1200

There is however a drawback, perhaps I am being picky, but I think most of you will agree with me.

When running in full screen mode, the mouse position is tracked well enough that you don't have to bring an application running in the VM into 'focus'. Without the VM being 'in-focus' I could double click directly on a mail item in Outlook and it would open up. In coherence mode however, there is an extra step needed to first focus the VM with the mouse and then make your selection in whatever application you're running.

Ok this is fine is if you're not constantly swapped from the VM to the host OS, in this case Snow Leopard. But when you're doing this all day, perhaps hundreds of times a day, typically reading and replying to e-mails, this extra step starts to become a real nuisance! You find yourself performing multiple clicks of the mouse trying to open a mail item.

I suspect for a large percentage of people, Outlook is the No #1 application being run in VM's on a Mac, so this will niggle quite a large portion of users.

This issue aside though, I must say thank you for providing this work around to get coherence mode working. My productivity is much improved. Thank you!

Phil
 
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