Will build 5584 be OK with XP SP3 next week?

[alexofindy]

How can one use Acronis True Image

Can someone who uses Acronis True Image on the Mac with parallels or bootcamp give me some simple help. How can you use True Image? The program does not understand the Mac partition scheme, and cannot understand a Mac hard drive layout. (i.e., it understands only MBR-based partitioning, not the GUID that the Mac uses).

If windows is running one can back up the windows partition to a true image file, using the Windows version of true image that comes with Parallels premium; the file could be stored on a networked volume.

But I don't see off hand how the restore would be done, should the Bootcamp partition die (so that windows doesn't boot), or should the parallels VM stop booting.

The True Image recovery boot disk won't run on a Mac, it doesn't recognize the Mac partitions, and, at least for me, the keyboard and mouse don't work (others have reported the same problem on various forums).

There are of course alternatives - Winclone for the bootcamp partiton, and the clone feature in parallels for the non-bootcamp VM's.

What am I missing?

 

[ruel]

You have to run the True Image recovery CD under Parallels. You have to edit the Virtual Machine to boot the CD first. I'm guessing that you have the Harddrive (aka "Hard Disk") booting first when in Parallels. Go into the configuration and under options, booting, then change the boot sequence to have the CD boot first.

Added note: However, note what Bernhard has advised that True Image is for Parallels VMs and not for bootcamp. I only use Parallels. I don't use bootcamp at all.

 

[alexofindy]

Ok, thanks.

That would enable one to restore a parallels VM. Is there an advantage to using True Image over the clone feature in parallels?

 

[ruel]

For me, I've only used True Image and haven't used the snapshot nor the undo disks features in Parallels because of my previous windows habits of always using True Image (and before that using Norton Ghost) on my old windows laptops. You could use what there is built into Parallels which I'm guessing would be faster for recovery for in case if XP SP3 doesn't work for you, but also have the True Image backup as insurance which for me I know I can always restore from. I don't use bootcamp, but according to the Parallels Help, you cannot use snapshots or undo disks in Parallels if you have bootcamp. Anyways, the advantage for True Image is that you have the True Image backup of the drive in your virtual machine *IF* you totally screwed things up in Parallels, corrupt the VM, snapshots, undo disks, in other words really f^ck it all up, and you don't want to completely start from scratch all over again by reinstalling windows and all of your software -- like if XP SP3 somehow royally trashes your Parallels/Windows. But keep in mind what Bernhard has advised: if you are using bootcamp with Parallels, then you have to go use a different backup solution.

[An Off-Topic Aside for a Moment: Personally, I've been happy with using only Parallels - no bootcamp for me. I've tried unsuccessfully to install bootcamp, but gave up when I couldn't install windows. (Sorry, folks, but it got too confusing for me.) And I haven't looked back when I got Parallels working (no bootcamp) . I use a plain non-expandable non-compressable VM that for my purposes is fixed at 60 gigabytes in total size which I have divided into three drives (i.e., C: system-windows-software drive, D: data-documents-etc. drive which I sync with an external backup drive, and E: archive-backup drive for my True Image backups of the C: drive with those backups also burned to DVD-RW). I found that in using Parallels, that if I used a dynamic resizing VM then trying to do any defragmenting of my C: drive would not work (or is not meant to work) because, well, the VM is dynamic and not fixed in size. So I set my VM to be plain in a fixed size and I can do my defragmenting of my C: drive and not worry about the compressing/compacting size issue. For me this gives me one similarity-advantage with the bootcamp people who have the bootcamp partition which is of a fixed size.... Oh one other thing is another True Image advantage for me is that is I used True Image to transfer an exact mirror clone of my old laptop's C: windows drive with everything that I had installed from my old windows laptop (including all of my quirky tweaks) to my macbook. I had to still do some tweaking/reinstallation of software like updating Zonealarm and PowerDVD, as well as reactivating windows when I moved to the macbook. I was doing True Image backups with my old laptop and I continue with those backup habits with my macbook.]

 

[slimemold]

I think it's pathetic that there has STILL been no official Parallels reply to this thread.

Words can't express how disgusted I am at this whole thing.

I can't wait until VMWare gets OpenGL HW acceleration into Fusion, so that I can finally leave this mess behind me.

 

[ruel]

Since this discussion forum is more of self-help, group-help thing, I'm tempted to just go get XP SP3 and try to install it to see what happens and report back. XP SP3 is available from that official Microsoft link. If the install file doesn't work for me, then I may have to make a slipstream CD to try to install it. I do seem to remember reading about some users using beta/RC versions of XP SP3 with Parallels. But who knows about the final version of XP SP3?

 

[Bernhard.parallels]

Hi ruel,

I am just in the progress of doing that. VM Parallels only (similarly I have no interest in Parallels+Bootcamp).

I really did start from scratch: original XP install disc + SP3 (everything slipstreamed with nLite). Everything has gone fine so far - although I am only at the basic stage of just having the current browser version installed. All other apps are to follow.

P.S.: of course, with having done all necessary backups before;-)

 

[ruel]

Installed completely new VM of WinXP SP3 under Parallels build 5584
NOTE: NO BOOTCAMP - ONLY PARALLELS

I was able to install a new VM of Windows XP SP3 under Parallels build 5584. (Note: No Bootcamp.) I did this with a new slipstream CD that I made. And what I'm talking about is setting up a completely new VM starting with a new virgin XP installation from scratch using the windows express install option in Parallels. I haven't done anything extensive yet in the completely new XP SP3 virtual machine, but it installed and windows loaded up. See attached picture. (Note that the only things that I've obscured/edited in the screenshot is my name and the windows serial number.)

I still have my existing VM with the now old XP SP2. As of yet, I haven't been able to update my already existing VM that has that XP SP2. For that existing VM, I first tried to just run the SP3 installation file by itself. I first got a kernel error message because I had BootXP installed which modified my windows boot screen (the black screen with the Windows logo in the middle of it). Microsoft recommends uninstalling the program, but instead I just removed the /kernel= switch in the boot.ini file. That got me past the kernel error message and the SP3 installation file was able to install. HOWEVER, for me, when it was about to go into my regular user account, I then got a Windows Product Activation error message. Nonetheless, despite that, I was still able to get into Safe Mode without getting that WPA error message. I'm guessing if I made a new user account, then maybe there would be no WPA error message also but I didn't try that because I want to be able to get into my existing regular user account. To get around the WPA error, Microsoft for that recommends doing an upgrade install from the windows install CD (and another option I think is to do a repair from the CD but I can't remember). I then made a slipstream CD by slipstreaming SP3 into my windows CD files and burning the CD. I did this on a SP2 slipstream CD that I previously made from my original from-the-store-bought retail SP1 CD. I tried running my new SP3 slipstream CD but it wouldn't let me do an upgrade but only do a new installation. I have to figure out how to fix that to upgrade my existing XP SP2 to SP3.

And so instead, I made a new Parallels VM installation of Windows XP SP3 using my new SP3 slipstream CD. Since my slipstream CD originated from an upgrade CD, the CD installation process asked for a previous version windows CD, I put in an old Windows 2000 CD, the installation process recognized that, I put the XP SP3 slipstream CD back in, and it installed. It a took a while going through what it does, but I got a virgin new Windows XP SP3 in Parallels build 5584. See attached picture.

Note that your results may differ particularly if you're trying to upgrade your existing XP virtual machine - in other words you may get more errors than me or you may be more successful than me. Make a backup of your existing windows VM if you want to try to do an upgrade of your existing VM to SP3.

Otherwise, try making a completely new VM with a XP SP3 slipstream CD. Also note if you make a new VM with XP SP3, you will have to activate windows. You may want to wait before activating if you want to experiment and if you want to try installing a new XP SP3 in another new VM again. When you have a VM that you want to make permanent, then activate windows (you have 30 days to activate). Or else if you activate but then you start over again, you may not be able to activate on the subsequent try and then you'll have to call Microsoft to tell them why you're activating again in such a short period of time.

 

[Parallels User]

Parallels 3 (5584), Boot Camp 2.1 and Windows XP SP3, How I got it to work.

I followed uotony's instructions and all was fine till I booted XP natively in Boot Camp and gave me the autochk error (it still worked under Parallels thou).

Since it's MacFuse that does the 'offline' writing to NTFS, just for playing safe I updated it.
Note: I don't know if this helped solving the problem, but certainly doesn't do any harm, and the default Parallels MacFuse installation is a bit old.

Next, I slipstreamed SP3 using nLite. Burned it, booted my Mac with it (NOT under Parallels), and did a 'Repair Install', after it finished it booted natively into XP SP3 without problems (you might need to go to Windows Update and install IE7, tweak your services because they will be back on default, and just to be safe you're running the latest Boot Camp 2.1 drivers, reinstall BC 2.1).

Finally, I booted back in OSX ran Parallels, and it gave me an error, so I did the 'Click on the "Clear..." button under the "Cleanup Boot Camp partition"' thing and it booted normally, having to reinstall some (not signed) Parallels drivers and re-activate XP. After this, XP SP3 has booted without a glitch natively in Boot Camp and under Parallels ever since.

The 'Repair install' procedure may end up being time-consuming, but hopefully you'ill only have to do it once and you'll end up with a cleaner Windows install in the end.

To resume:

* If you get autochk errors under native Boot Camp boot, do a 'Repair Install' with a slipstreamed Windows XP SP3 CD.

* If you get Parallels VM machine boot errors, do the "Cleanup Boot Camp partition".

* Installing the lastest version of MacFuse probably does some good.


For Vista SP1: The same probably applies to Vista SP1, in that case slipstream SP1 with vLite.

 

[Cynops]

Now, this is how I got XP SP3 installed and working:

1) Boot the machine to XP on the Boot Camp partition.

2) Install Boot Camp 2.1 from Apple. The URL is:
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/bootcampupdate21forwindowsxp.html
This is essential *before* installing SP3.

2a) Reboot.

3) Install SP3. I downloaded the full install from Microsoft.

3a) Reboot.

4) Select your OS X partition as your Startup Disk and

4a) Reboot.

5) Once OS X boots and you are logged in, start Parallels, but *DO NOT*
start the VM!

6) Open your VM configuration, and select 'Hard Disk -> Advanced'

7) Click on the "Clear..." button under the "Cleanup Boot Camp partition"
section. This allows Parallels to 'learn' about the changes made by the SP3
install.

8) Start your VM.

9) Once the VM is started and logged in, *RE-INSTALL* the Parallels Tools!

9a) Reboot the VM.

Worked for me, anyway!

This post needs to be a sticky at the top of forum.
It worked perfectly for me.

 

[acousticbiker]

I'm using Parallels 3.0 build 5584. After downloading XP SP3, I'm told that no volume large enough could be found to extract the files. I've tried using both the 'Automatic' and 'Manual' (1164MB) memory settings. Any tips?

 

[ruel]

I'm using Parallels 3.0 build 5584. After downloading XP SP3, I'm told that no volume large enough could be found to extract the files. I've tried using both the 'Automatic' and 'Manual' (1164MB) memory settings. Any tips?

I think you're talking about ram memory and not storage on your windows drive in your parallels virtual machine. So that makes me wonder how large that windows drive is and how much space is left on it? Others may have more helpful tips for you.

 

[ruel]

Upgraded existing WinXP SP2 to SP3 in Parallels build 5584
No BootCamp - Only Parallels

For experimentation, I set up a plain vanilla Windows XP SP2 in a VM under Parallels build 5584. (Note: NO Bootcamp.) I used a slipstreamed WinXP SP2 CD (that I previously made long ago from my store-bought retail XP SP1 CD) to make a plain vanilla WinXP SP2 installation where I set up a single user account. I did not install anything else in that Windows XP SP2. I then copied the XP SP3 setup file to the C:\ root directory. I then shutdown windows. And then started that WinXP SP2 again, pressed F8, got into Safe Mode, and logged into the Administrator account. Once logged in, I ran the XP SP3 setup file. That installed successfully, I clicked Finish in the setup, that rebooted windows, and then I got into the user account and it was all working! So I was able to upgrade from a plain vanilla WinXP SP2 to SP3 under Parallels build 5584. But for this instance, I had to do it in Safe Mode running the SP3 file in the Administrator account. Otherwise, if I tried to upgrade to SP3 while in the user account, then I would get the 0x80004005 error message on the reboot. Over in the windows discussion forums, it looks like a lot of people are getting that 0x80004005 error when trying to upgrade to SP3 on regular windows PCs (i.e., not macs running Parallels).

If you haven't too badly tweaked your existing WinXP SP2, then try going into Safe Mode, go into Administrator, and install the SP3 upgrade. This is for if you are getting errors like the 0x80004005 error when trying to install SP3 from your regular user account in windows.

However, if going into Safe Mode to upgrade to SP3 from the Administrator account doesn't work for you, and you still get the 0x80004005 error, then check out Microsoft KB pages that provide workarounds for the 0x80004005 problem:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306081/en-us
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914232/en-us

Be sure that you have backed up your windows for if the SP3 upgrading doesn't work and then you have to start over again.

For me, unfortunately, however, I still have my regular WinXP SP2 in my regular VM where I have my no-longer-vanila windows that I'm still having problems in trying to upgrade from SP2 to SP3. So, I'm trying the SP3 upgrade on my regular windows setup, failing, and then restoring my backup to try again, etc. I'm guessing that I have to backtrack what I did to my regular WinXP SP2, turn off whatever tweaks that I did, etc. in order to install SP3. I'll have to try the Microsoft KB workarounds also. Or I'll have to build a completely new SP3 and then install my software and tweaks to get windows to the way I want it.

 

[iwantgizmos]

This is for if you are getting errors like the 0x80004005 error when trying to install SP3 from your regular user account in windows.

the 0x80004005 error deals with how the Windows Product Activation can't validate your windows license. i know that i validated it in SP2 with my legal XP, but SP3 chokes on the wpa. i tried the safe mode method and i still got the 0x80004005 error. i also tried those Microsoft KB workarounds but couldn't understand how to do the renaming and copying from the Windows CD repair. the way i got around the 0x80004005 is to get a wpa patch. if you actually bought your copy of windows xp, then you shouldn't feel guilty about applying the patch. the one that i use is antiwpa3 version 3.4.6 by CW2K - HLT Sep'05. i searched for all things about WPA Windows Product Activation and 0x80004005 and found the patch which works for me. i did the patch first before installing SP3, reboot, went into safe mode, log into admin, install SP3, reboot, and then i have a happy SP3 in parallels. thanks for all the tips.

 

[acousticbiker]

I think you're talking about ram memory and not storage on your windows drive in your parallels virtual machine. So that makes me wonder how large that windows drive is and how much space is left on it? Others may have more helpful tips for you.

Yeah, I'm not sure what memory Parallels is referring to but I'd still appreciate any help with this if anyone else has had this (and has been able to get past it).

 

[ruel]

How big is your virtual machine's drive? Go into windows explorer, left-click on the C: drive, and look at the size of the drive, and look at the pie chart to see if the C: drive is filled up. You said that you downloaded SP3 and then when you ran it, then you said it said "no volume large enough could be found to extract the files." When you run the SP3, it extracts and uncompresses all the files within itself to the drive. If you don't have enough storage space on the drive under windows, then it won't extract. What you could do is burn that SP3 file to a CD, delete the SP3 from where you have it on the mac, empty the trash bin, and otherwise do a clean up in windows to allow for more empty space. And then run the SP3 from the CD and see if that works.

Note that this is all different from "memory" ram. People get "memory" mixed up by interchangably mixing up "memory" as either (1) ram memory and (2) harddrive storage space which people particularly newbies may also refer to as "memory."

 

[acousticbiker]

How big is your virtual machine's drive? Go into windows explorer, left-click on the C: drive, and look at the size of the drive, and look at the pie chart to see if the C: drive is filled up. You said that you downloaded SP3 and then when you ran it, then you said it said "no volume large enough could be found to extract the files." When you run the SP3, it extracts and uncompresses all the files within itself to the drive. If you don't have enough storage space on the drive under windows, then it won't extract. What you could do is burn that SP3 file to a CD, delete the SP3 from where you have it on the mac, empty the trash bin, and otherwise do a clean up in windows to allow for more empty space. And then run the SP3 from the CD and see if that works.

Note that this is all different from "memory" ram. People get "memory" mixed up by interchangably mixing up "memory" as either (1) ram memory and (2) harddrive storage space which people particularly newbies may also refer to as "memory."

Thanks, ruel. Do you know whether I can increase the amount of memory allocated to the VM? Also, how do I burn SP3 to a CD? Sorry, but I'm a relative 'newbie' to Windows-related stuff.

 

[ruel]

Sorry, I don't know about how to increase the storage size of a drive in a VM. As far as I know, the size that you specify when you first install it, that would be the maximum size it will be. You can recreate the drive, but as far as I know that could result in a blank empty drive. Others may know better or have other advice for you.

If you don't know how to burn files to a CD in windows, go look at http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article01-110
for some instructions about the built-in CD burning capability in Windows XP.

 

[acousticbiker]

Sorry, I don't know about how to increase the storage size of a drive in a VM. As far as I know, the size that you specify when you first install it, that would be the maximum size it will be. You can recreate the drive, but as far as I know that could result in a blank empty drive. Others may know better or have other advice for you.

If you don't know how to burn files to a CD in windows, go look at http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article01-110
for some instructions about the built-in CD burning capability in Windows XP.

Thanks. I'll give it a shot.

 

[Parallels User]

That volume not large enough message is a known issue which BootCamp 2.1 corrects if I'm not mistaken.