I have a Windows XP VM that will not boot. When I open Parallels it is not in my list of VMs. When I try to open the VM Parallels says it cannot open the configuration file. Parallels cannot open the hard disk either. Am I basically hosed?
Hello, could you please answer some questions. How long do you experience this problem? Was your Windows working properly before? Best regards, Stacey
It just happened on October 11. The VM worked fine the day before, now it doesn't. I wish I had more information for you, but I don't.
I just had a similar issue. I installed Parallels on a coworker's computer and did an XP install. It worked great for the last several weeks. It stopped working on Sat (10/13). He called up saying that it will not allow him to use Windows. It is giving the following error when starting Parallels: "Unable to open VM Configuration file" and lists the file location. It is trying to open the .pvs file. I noticed that when Parallels starts, it only has the memory component listed in the configuration Window. On my laptop (configured almost identical to his), it lists the memory and then a list of other hardware components before it starts up Windows. He mentioned that Parallels was asking to download an update. He said he tried to download the update, but that it timed-out several times and never got to the install point. I went directly to the "Parallels Desktop program" under "Applications," rather than using the Windows XP icon on the desktop. When I try to open that it asks for a Windows License Key. So I'm assuming that I may have to reinstall Windows XP. I am familiar with the Mac OS, but very new to Parallels. I'm not sure what to check next.
I tried this again, this time I didn't select the "XP Express" option. I did a custom install which allowed me to select the .HDD file that was already on the computer for the previous install. So it created a new configuration file for Parallels and kept everything on the Windows install intact. Yay!....I chose a different name for this 2nd configuration just in case.
please clone the new VM as a back up to an external had disk you never know . . . BTW mine is a MacBook Pro and I run my VM from a La Cie FW800 external disk and cloned it to a second La Cie disk this time Hugh W
