Windows 10 disk use and VM file size discrepancy

J

JimP52

Member
Hi,
Using Parallels 13 Desktop on an Apple iMac Late 2015.
Running Windows 10 in my VM
My VM total size is set for approximately 155GB
The C: drive on my Widows 10 indicates that I have 127GB Capacity, 72GB Used, and 55GB Free on my C: drive
I also show a Z: drive (Home on 'Mac') that shows the properties of my iMac hard drive...which I feel, doesn't figure into my Windows file size.
The file size of my Windows VM on my Mac indicates 168GB
Can someone explain the discrepancy and also, how do I get the VM file size reduced. My backups are killing me!
TIA
Jim P.
 
JimP52 said:
Hi,
Using Parallels 13 Desktop on an Apple iMac Late 2015.
Running Windows 10 in my VM
My VM total size is set for approximately 155GB
The C: drive on my Widows 10 indicates that I have 127GB Capacity, 72GB Used, and 55GB Free on my C: drive
I also show a Z: drive (Home on 'Mac') that shows the properties of my iMac hard drive...which I feel, doesn't figure into my Windows file size.
The file size of my Windows VM on my Mac indicates 168GB
Can someone explain the discrepancy and also, how do I get the VM file size reduced. My backups are killing me!
TIA
Jim P.
Click to expand...
Hello JimP52. The disk space value allocated to Windows under Hardware -> Hard Disk 1 is only an upper limit - not an actual, tangible disk space amount - to which Windows will gradually occupy more and more disk space on your Mac. This is not the same as the size of the virtual machine file (it is a file with the extension '.pvm'), which is the actual space that Parallels occupies on your Mac. To reduce its size:
1.) Free up disk space in Windows as much as possible, shut Windows down and then reclaim disk space.
2.) Disable 'SmartGuard'.
3.) Launch Terminal (Finder > Go > Utilities > Terminal.app).
4.) Copy the following command and paste it in Terminal as it is (do not hit 'Enter' yet): prl_disk_tool merge --hdd
5.) Find your virtual machine on your Mac (it is a file with the extension '.pvm', make sure that there is a backup of this file).
6.) Right-click on the .pvm file, select 'Show Package Contents' from the menu that appears and look for a file with the extension '.hdd'.
7.) Drag this .hdd file and drop it inside the Terminal window (do not close the screen in which you see the .hdd file yet; keep it open).
8.) In Terminal, you will now see an outcome similar to the following example (please note there should be a space between --hdd and /Users/Username...): prl_disk_tool merge --hdd /Users/Username/Documents/Parallels/Windows\ 7.pvm/Windows\ 7-0.hdd
9.) Press 'Return' to start merging Snapshots (this process removes all snapshots, including hidden ones). (IMPORTANT: Please wait till the operation completes; do NOT close the Terminal window before then.)
10.) Once the operation finishes, close Terminal.
11.) Now, go back to the window in which you saw the .hdd file. Move the folder 'Snapshots' and the file 'Snapshots.xml' to the Trash. Then close this window.
 
Last edited:
Oh Wow Hemnath! That was intense!
I have a problem of a bloated pvm file- 104GB. I have no snapshots. I want to reduce the size of the PVM file since my entire HDD is only 256G. Should I follow the above procedure? I know nothing about all this. i'm just a average user and will probably blindly follow above procedure if you say so.
 
@Hemnath@Parallels
The procedure is not working for me. This is my result:
------------------------Result----------------------------------
objc[37514]: Class DeallocHook is implemented in both /Applications/Parallels
Desktop.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/5/libprl_sdk.5.dylib (0x107fe27d8) and /Applications/Parallels Desktop.app/Contents/MacOS/prl_disk_tool (0x10694f848). One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
 
VigneshE said:
Oh Wow Hemnath! That was intense!
I have a problem of a bloated pvm file- 104GB. I have no snapshots. I want to reduce the size of the PVM file since my entire HDD is only 256G. Should I follow the above procedure? I know nothing about all this. i'm just a average user and will probably blindly follow above procedure if you say so.
Click to expand...
Hi VigneshE. By all means, follow my instructions provided above. It is possible that your virtual machine contains hidden snapshots.
 
Hemnath@Parallels said:
Hello VegarF. At which step are you stuck? Can you share a screenshot of the issue?
Click to expand...
At number 9)
Hitting Enter in terminal window after this:
---------------------------------------------
prl_disk_tool merge --hdd /Users/xxx/Documents/Parallels/Windows\ 7.pvm/Windows\ 7.hdd
---------------------------------------------

------------------------Result----------------------------------
objc[37514]: Class DeallocHook is implemented in both /Applications/Parallels
Desktop.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/5/libprl_sdk.5.dylib (0x107fe27d8) and /Applications/Parallels Desktop.app/Contents/MacOS/prl_disk_tool (0x10694f848). One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Nothing more happens
 
VegarF said:
At number 9)
Hitting Enter in terminal window after this:
---------------------------------------------
prl_disk_tool merge --hdd /Users/xxx/Documents/Parallels/Windows\ 7.pvm/Windows\ 7.hdd
---------------------------------------------

------------------------Result----------------------------------
objc[37514]: Class DeallocHook is implemented in both /Applications/Parallels
Desktop.app/Contents/Frameworks/ParallelsVirtualizationSDK.framework/Versions/5/libprl_sdk.5.dylib (0x107fe27d8) and /Applications/Parallels Desktop.app/Contents/MacOS/prl_disk_tool (0x10694f848). One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Nothing more happens
Click to expand...
Hi @VegarF, it's a virtual disk of either format can be a single-piece disk or a split disk. A split disk is cut into 2 GB pieces and is stored as a single .hdd file and it cannot be merged using the terminal command you have tried. Are you able to start the virtual machine?
 
Hi Hemnath@Parallels, I am having a similar issue. I have a MacBook Pro with a 500GB SSD drive and Parallels is occupying 448GB. I've contacted Support and they suggested deleting Snapshots. I checked and I do not have any Snapshots: "No snapshots available". I used Parallels Toolbox, and was able to free up around 5 GB. I've gone through and tried Reclaimed Disk Space, which freed up another 1GB, but that's nothing compared to the 448GB occupying my storage. I cannot increasing the VM size any more to allow an app to run. Is there a setting configured wrong that is allowing Parallels to use all that space? What am I doing wrong? I'm running out of options and space.
 
Renan said:
Hi Hemnath@Parallels, I am having a similar issue. I have a MacBook Pro with a 500GB SSD drive and Parallels is occupying 448GB. I've contacted Support and they suggested deleting Snapshots. I checked and I do not have any Snapshots: "No snapshots available". I used Parallels Toolbox, and was able to free up around 5 GB. I've gone through and tried Reclaimed Disk Space, which freed up another 1GB, but that's nothing compared to the 448GB occupying my storage. I cannot increasing the VM size any more to allow an app to run. Is there a setting configured wrong that is allowing Parallels to use all that space? What am I doing wrong? I'm running out of options and space.
Click to expand...
Hi, did you try to merge snapshots as described above
prl_disk_tool merge --hdd /Users/xxx/Documents/Parallels/Windows\ 7.pvm/Windows\ 7.hdd
?
 
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