Why aren’t all tools there?

Greetings. I’m about one week into my Parallels experience and by and large I think it’s extraordinary. It allows me to run Windows XP on my brand new iMac 20-inch Intel machine, which I loaded up with memory to make everything really rock -- and for the most part it does.

But here’s the thing I’ve noticed, and maybe it’s because I did something wrong when I let Parallels use all the default values in getting me going:

When I resize my XP windows, the resolution doesn’t change. The only way I can bump up my type size -- the resolution, that is -- is by going into properties in XP and manually making the change. I just noticed that the tools automatically installed by Parallels didn’t include everything I’m reading about in the manual. Most specifically, it didn’t put in “Dynamic Resolution Tool.†I’m presuming that’s why nothing happens when I resize XP windows.

Does anyone know why this is? Is it because Parallels doesn’t yet support Mac OS 10.4.10? Or is it because I’m supposed to install that particular tool (and others that don’t appear) manually?

Resizing resolution on the fly would be great. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

 

I don't have that tool either.

I experimented with resolution on my MacBook and ended up with 1081x729 as giving me the best window; when I reduce it's size, I lose part of it .. font sizes do not shrink to fit. But that's true of Mac OS X windows too, as I recall. I seldom change the window size and never use full screen. Did v. 2 work this way? I really can't remember now.

Parallels 3 definitely does support 10.4.10.

Phil

 

Interesting: The Manual says we should have a Dynamic Resolution Tool for WinXP.

I wonder why not?

Phil

 

Interesting. I just went to WinXP and did a Parallels Tools installation and selected the Custom option, so I could choose which ones to install.

The Dynamic Resolution Tool was not on the list of tools to select from -- even though the manual says it is available for WinXP.

Yet another problem to be fixed (along with the missing Image Tool which we already knew about).

Phil

 

I did some experimenting on this and here is what I found.

THis feature does not seem to be relevant to Coherence mode or full screen mode. However, it works great in OS Window mode. Try going into OS Window mode (by clicking View/OS Window). You should see your VM inside an an OSX window. Click and drag the bottom right hand corner of the OSX window, and screen resolution will automatically resize.

You could think of coherence mode as sort of a full screen mode where the background is hidden with smoke and mirrors and you just see the window you are interested in.

If this doesn't work for you, please post again.

 

Nope .. does not resize for me .. though I believe it did in 2.X.

What happens is that I get a smaller window, but with scroll bars along the side and bottom

Do you have the Dynamic Resolution Tool available in your Parallel Tool set?

Phil

 

No I do not have a Dynamic Resolution Tool listed when I look at my Parallels Tools.

 

Not only does the resolution in my OS window not change when I resize it, I also do not get a full screen mode when selected -- just the 1081x729 window I have in the OS window mode.

Not that I really care: I like it the way it is. But it is odd that full screen is NOT available.

Wonder why?

Phil

 

Well .. I now have all working as above, and can get full screen, too.

On my last Parallel Tools install I had manually chose not to install the Coherence Tool.

I just did a re-install and included the Coherence Tool.

That makes all windows resize normally, full screen work properly, etc. It may be that the Dynamic Resolution Tool is part of the Coherence Tool but the documentation has not been updated.

Phil

 

Hmm . . . I do have the Coherence Tool, although I only tried using the Coherence mode once. (Usually I use XP at full screen or simply as an OS window.) Hopefully I can experiment more with this later, because when I use the window mode, resizing the XP window doesn’t change resolution.

By the way, when I’m in full screen mode with XP, I have to go into properties in order to change the resolution. My settings don’t stick.