Parallels Desktop - 12.0 User's Guide
Parallels Desktop® 12 for
Mac
User's Guide
Copyright © 1999-2016 Parallels IP Holdings GmbH and its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Parallels IP Holdings GmbH
Vordergasse 59
8200 Schaffhausen
Switzerland
Tel: + 41 52 632 0411
Fax: + 41 52 672 2010
www.parallels.com
Copyright © 1999-2016 Parallels IP Holdings GmbH and its affiliates. All rights reserved.
This product is protected by United States and international copyright laws. The product’s underlying technology,
patents, and trademarks are listed at http://www.parallels.com/trademarks.
Microsoft, Windows, Windows Server, Windows NT, Windows Vista, and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
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Inc., registered in the US and other countries.
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Contents
Welcome to Parallels Desktop..................................................................................9
What You Can Do ........................................................................................................... 10
Set Up Your Mac to Use Windows Programs.................................................................. 10
Other Operating Systems................................................................................................ 10
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop ......................................................................12
What You Need .............................................................................................................. 12
Install Parallels Desktop................................................................................................... 13
Activate and Register Parallels Desktop .......................................................................... 13
Purchase Parallels Desktop.............................................................................................14
Upgrade Parallels Desktop.............................................................................................. 14
Install Software Updates........................................................................................................ 15
Set the Language............................................................................................................ 17
Install or Import Windows .......................................................................................18
Install Windows ............................................................................................................... 18
Import Your Data from a PC............................................................................................ 20
Overview of Methods for Importing........................................................................................ 20
Requirements for Importing Your Data .................................................................................. 20
Step 1: Install Parallels Transporter Agent on Your Windows PC........................................... 21
Step 2: Import Your Data....................................................................................................... 21
Solving Problems................................................................................................................... 27
Use Boot Camp with Parallels Desktop ........................................................................... 29
Import from an Earlier Parallels Desktop or Other Virtualization Application...................... 30
Use Windows on Your Mac..................................................................................... 31
Get Started ..................................................................................................................... 31
Start Windows....................................................................................................................... 31
Open a Windows Program .................................................................................................... 32
Install Windows Programs ..................................................................................................... 36
Shut Down or Suspend Windows.......................................................................................... 36
Set How Windows Works with Mac OS X .......................................................................40
Merge Windows and Mac OS X............................................................................................. 41
Contents
Set Windows to Appear in a Single Window.......................................................................... 43
Set Windows to Take Up the Whole Screen .......................................................................... 44
About Using Windows 8 with Parallels Desktop..................................................................... 48
Set Windows 8 to Work Like Windows 7............................................................................... 50
Set a Program to Open When You Insert a CD or DVD ......................................................... 51
Share Items Between Mac OS X and Windows ..................................................................... 51
Apply Mac OS X Parental Controls to Windows..................................................................... 64
Set Media Files to Open in Windows 8 Apps ................................................................... 65
Mouse, Trackpad, and Keyboard .................................................................................... 65
Set Your Mouse or Trackpad to Right-Click and Middle-Click ............................................... 65
Control Programs with Trackpad Gestures or the Apple Remote .......................................... 67
Use Keyboard Shortcuts ....................................................................................................... 69
Customize Keyboard Shortcuts............................................................................................. 70
Create New Keyboard Shortcuts........................................................................................... 73
See and Change Windows Input Language In OS X.............................................................. 74
Mouse & Keyboard Settings .................................................................................................. 75
Connect External Devices ...............................................................................................77
Adjust Devices Settings ......................................................................................................... 79
Connect Bluetooth Devices............................................................................................. 81
Print from Windows......................................................................................................... 82
Share a Printer Connected to Your Mac ................................................................................ 82
Set Up a Printer Using Bonjour.............................................................................................. 84
Set Up a Network Printer....................................................................................................... 86
Set Up a USB Printer............................................................................................................. 89
Create a PDF File .................................................................................................................. 89
Use the Built-in iSight Camera or Another Webcam ........................................................90
Show a Presentation on an External Monitor or Projector ................................................ 90
Protect Your Data ...........................................................................................................91
Protect Your Data from Viruses ............................................................................................. 92
Isolate Windows from Mac .................................................................................................... 93
Work in Windows Without Saving Changes........................................................................... 93
Set Password Requirements ................................................................................................. 94
Encrypt Windows to Protect It from Unauthorized Use .......................................................... 94
Connect to the Internet or a Network .............................................................................. 95
Share Network Settings Between Mac OS X and Windows................................................... 95
Apply Separate Network Settings to Windows ...................................................................... 96
Use Host-Only Network Settings ........................................................................................... 98
Use Wi-Fi with Windows........................................................................................................ 98
Connect Windows to a VLAN ................................................................................................ 99
Optimize Performance..................................................................................................... 99
Set How Much Memory is Allocated to Windows ................................................................ 100
Optimization Settings........................................................................................................... 100
Optimize 3D Graphics Performance on a MacBook Pro ...................................................... 102
Speed Up Games and Graphics Programs ......................................................................... 103
Pause Windows When No Programs Are Open................................................................... 103
Optimize Virtual Machine for Games, Graphics, Productivity, or Development..................... 104
Work with Windows in Travel Mode..................................................................................... 104
Schedule Windows Maintenance......................................................................................... 105
Use Windows on Your iPad, iPhone, or Android Device ................................................106
Contents
Save Time With Parallels Toolbox.................................................................................. 107
Save a Picture of the Screen ......................................................................................... 108
Set the Appearance of Virtual Machine Dock Icons ....................................................... 108
Allow Windows Updates While Your Mac is Sleeping ....................................................108
Translate Words in Windows......................................................................................... 109
Advanced Topics................................................................................................... 110
Work with Virtual Machines ........................................................................................... 110
Supported Guest Operating Systems.................................................................................. 110
About Virtual Machines........................................................................................................ 112
Arrange Virtual Machines..................................................................................................... 115
Make Virtual Machines Distinctive........................................................................................ 115
Change the Virtual Machine Icon ......................................................................................... 115
Change the Virtual Machine Name ...................................................................................... 116
Clone a Virtual Machine ....................................................................................................... 116
Back Up a Virtual Machine .................................................................................................. 117
Browse Virtual Hard Disks in Mac OS X............................................................................... 118
Create and Use Virtual Machine Templates ......................................................................... 120
Save Snapshots of a Virtual Machine................................................................................... 121
Change Virtual Machine Configuration at Runtime............................................................... 123
Use Mouse Wheel Horizontal Scrolling ................................................................................ 125
Contents
Remove a Virtual Machine ................................................................................................... 125
Download Pre-configured Virtual Appliances ....................................................................... 125
Set the Guest OS Type and Version .................................................................................... 126
Set How Many Processors are Allocated to a Virtual Machine............................................. 127
Check Your Virtual Machine CPU and Memory Usage......................................................... 127
Enable Spoken Commands................................................................................................. 127
Get Acronis True Image....................................................................................................... 128
Use AppleScript with the Guest OS..................................................................................... 129
Quickly Free Up Disk Space ................................................................................................ 129
Archive and Unarchive Virtual Machines .............................................................................. 130
Use Other Operating Systems on Your Mac.................................................................. 130
Import Linux and Your Data from a PC................................................................................ 130
Use Linux in Coherence Mode............................................................................................. 131
Install Windows 98 .............................................................................................................. 132
Improve Graphics Performance in Windows NT/98/ME....................................................... 134
Customize the Keyboard for the Guest OS.......................................................................... 135
Use OS X as a Guest OS..................................................................................................... 138
Install or Update Parallels Tools..................................................................................... 140
Parallels Tools Overview ...................................................................................................... 140
Parallels Tools for Windows................................................................................................. 142
Parallels Tools for Linux ....................................................................................................... 143
Parallels Tools for Mac ........................................................................................................ 148
Install Sound Driver in OS/2 and eComStation .................................................................... 149
For Software Developers............................................................................................... 149
Optimize Remote Debugging............................................................................................... 149
Run Windows Phone Emulator............................................................................................ 150
Generate a Core Dump ....................................................................................................... 153
Start a Debugging Session .................................................................................................. 154
Integration With Chef/Ohai................................................................................................... 154
Integration With Docker ....................................................................................................... 154
Use Virtual Machine Names as DNS Names........................................................................ 155
Resolve Guest OS DNS Requests Using etc/hosts.............................................................. 155
Other Actions ...................................................................................................................... 156
Contents
Set File Type Associations............................................................................................. 156
Modality Mode .............................................................................................................. 157
Hide and Show Parallels Desktop.................................................................................. 158
Disable Automatically Suspending Windows ................................................................. 159
Remove Parallels Desktop............................................................................................. 159
Advanced Preferences .................................................................................................. 160
Shared Networking Settings.......................................................................................... 162
Host-Only Networking Settings ..................................................................................... 166
Create a Custom Host-Only Network ............................................................................ 168
More Options ................................................................................................................ 168
Adding and Removing Devices...................................................................................... 170
Support for Virtual and Real Disks ....................................................................................... 172
Initialize a Newly Added Disk ............................................................................................... 174
Hardware Settings ........................................................................................................176
CPU and Memory................................................................................................................ 176
Boot Order .......................................................................................................................... 177
Graphics.............................................................................................................................. 180
Floppy Disk ......................................................................................................................... 182
CD/DVD-ROM..................................................................................................................... 183
Hard Disk ............................................................................................................................ 185
Network .............................................................................................................................. 189
Printer.................................................................................................................................. 191
Serial Port............................................................................................................................ 193
Sound ................................................................................................................................. 195
USB & Bluetooth ................................................................................................................. 196
Contents
Tips and Troubleshooting ..................................................................................... 199
Install Parallels Tools for Seamless Operation Between Windows and Mac OS X .......... 199
Find Settings................................................................................................................. 200
Restore Virtual Machine Default Settings ....................................................................... 200
I Can't Activate Parallels Desktop.................................................................................. 201
Memory Usage Problems..............................................................................................201
Windows Seems Slow .................................................................................................. 202
Pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del .................................................................................................... 202
My Password Isn't Working........................................................................................... 203
My Virtual Machine Doesn't Boot ..................................................................................203
I'm Having Problems Connecting to the Internet............................................................ 203
Configure 5.1 or 7.1 Surround Sound in a Virtual Machine ............................................204
I'm Having Problems with Antivirus Software................................................................. 205
The F8 Key Isn't Working Correctly ............................................................................... 206
A Password is Required to Open the Virtual Machine Configuration ..............................206
Windows or Windows Programs Ask for Reactivation ................................................... 206
Manage Virtual Machines via Command Line Interface .................................................. 207
Change Password in Windows via Command Line Interface .........................................208
Configuring a Network in Linux...................................................................................... 208
Installing the GCC Package and Kernel Sources in Linux ..............................................209
Checking the Build Number ..........................................................................................209
Send Technical Data to Parallels ................................................................................... 210
Request Support........................................................................................................... 210
More Resources
Visit the Parallels Desktop Twitter and Facebook Pages................................................ 211
....................................................................................................211
Glossary.................................................................................................................212
Index ...................................................................................................................... 216
C HAPTER 1
Welcome to Parallels Desktop
Congratulations on purchasing Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac. You no longer have to choose
between the Mac and the PC. Parallels Desktop lets you use Windows side-by-side with OS X on
your Mac.
Use this guide to quickly set up and start using Parallels Desktop.
In This Chapter
What You Can Do .................................................................................................... 10
Set Up Your Mac to Use Windows Programs ........................................................... 10
Other Operating Systems ......................................................................................... 10
Welcome to Parallels Desktop
What You Can Do
With Parallels Desktop, you can:
• Open Windows applications side-by-side with your Mac OS X applications, without having to
restart
• Copy and paste text and drag and drop objects between Mac and Windows applications
• Run Windows games and other 3D programs
• Transfer all your data from a PC and use it on your Mac
• Easily share files, devices, and other resources between Windows and the Mac
• Install other operating systems, such as trial versions of Windows, Linux, another copy of OS X,
and free virtual appliances; and use them together
• And much more
Set Up Your Mac to Use Windows Programs
After just a few steps, you can begin using Windows programs on your Mac. Setting up your Mac
to run Windows programs involves the following steps:
Step 1: Install Parallels Desktop (p. 12).
Step 2: Install Windows
Step 3: Install your Wind
You only nee
your Mac anytime you like, just as you do with your Mac applications.
d to follow these steps once. Then you can open and use your Windows programs on
on your Mac (p. 18).
ows programs (p. 36).
Other Operating Systems
Important: This guide is focused on using Parallels Desktop with Windows.
Using Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac you can run several other kinds of operating systems (p. 110)
on your Mac, such as several flavors of Linux and Unix, Mac OS X Server, Windows 8, older
versions of Windows, and more.
10
Welcome to Parallels Desktop
Finding Information On Running Other Operating Systems
You can find much more information and details on using Parallels Desktop to run other operating
systems on your Mac by checking the resources listed in More Resources (p. 211).
Additionally, though
to supported operating systems other than Windows. And some important instructions relating to
other operating systems are in the Advanced Topics (p. 110) section.
not explicitly stated, many of the instructions presented in this guide also apply
11
C HAPTER 2
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
Follow the instructions in this chapter to install or upgrade Parallels Desktop.
Note: You can either purchase a boxed version of Parallels Desktop 12 or purchase and download it
from the Parallels website.
In This Chapter
What You Need ........................................................................................................ 12
Install Parallels Desktop ............................................................................................13
Activate and Register Parallels Desktop .................................................................... 13
Purchase Parallels Desktop ...................................................................................... 14
Upgrade Parallels Desktop........................................................................................ 14
Set the Language .....................................................................................................17
What You Need
To install and set up Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac, you need:
• A Mac computer with:
• An Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Intel Core M or Xeon processor (Core Solo
and Core Duo processors are no longer supported).
Note: Parallels Desktop can only be installed on Intel-based Macs running the 64-bit kernel.
Please see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3770 for more details.
• At least 2GB of RAM (4GB recommended)
Note: Your Mac must have enough RAM memory to use Mac OS X and its applications plus the
memory required for each additional operating system (and its programs) that you want to use
simultaneously.
• At least 850 MB of space available on the boot volume (the volume that has OS X) for
Parallels Desktop installation
• Enough free disk space for each virtual machine and its applications (at least 15 GB for each
installation of Windows)
• OS X Yosemite 10.10 or later, OS X Mavericks 10.9.4 or later
To identify your computer's processor, memory, and OS X version, choose Apple menu >
About This Mac.
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
• Internet connection required for product activation, select features, and online updates
• One of the following:
• A Windows installation disc, or other installation media for the operating systems you want
to use alongside OS X
• An Internet connection to download and install freely available operating system such as
Ubuntu or Google Chrome.
• If you're using OS X Lion or later, you can set up a second copy of OS X to be used as a
guest operating system alongside your main system, without having to purchase or
download another copy of OS X.
For a list of operating systems that Parallels Desktop supports for use with your Mac, see
Supported Guest Operating Systems (p. 110) or go to
http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/system-requirements/.
Install Parallels Desktop
You can be up and running with Parallels Desktop in a few easy steps:
1 Make sure you have the latest version of OS X.
2 Do one of the following:
• If you downloaded Parallels Desktop from the Parallels website, double-click the disk image
file, most likely in your Downloads folder (the file has the extension ".dmg" at the end).
• If you purchased a boxed copy of Parallels Desktop with a USB thumb drive, connect the
drive to your Mac, open it and double-click the disk image file.
• If you purchased a boxed copy with a link to the installation file, open the link in your web
browser, download Parallels Desktop and double-click the disk image file.
• If you purchased a boxed copy with an installation disc, insert the disc.
Note: If your Mac doesn't have a DVD-ROM, you can use the download link, available in the retail box,
to download Parallels Desktop over the Internet.
3 Double-click the Install icon and follow the onscreen instructions to install Parallels Desktop.
Activate and Register Parallels Desktop
Once Parallels Desktop is installed, you need to activate it and register. Do the following:
1 First you need to sign in to your Parallels account:
• If you have an account, enter your email address, select I have a password, enter the
password and click Sign In.
13
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
• If you don't have a Parallels account, enter an email address that will be used to create the
account, select I'm a new user, click Sign In and follow the onscreen instructions.
2 In the next step, you must enter your Product Activation Key to activate Parallels Desktop.
Note: If you purchased Parallels Desktop from the Parallels Online Store, a key was sent to the email
address you provided. If you bought a boxed copy, you can find your key printed on the installation disc
sleeve.
If you already have a license available and associated with your account, just select the license
and click Activate.
If You Don't Have A Product Activation Key
If you don't have a key already, you can get a free trial Product Activation Key so you can try out
Parallels Desktop for a limited time, click Try Free for 14 days. Or to purchase a key that lets you
use Parallels Desktop permanently, click Buy.
Purchase Parallels Desktop
If you're using a trial version of Parallels Desktop 12, you can easily purchase the full version right
from the application interface. To do so:
1 Click Buy in the About Parallels Desktop window or when you see the promo.
2 Choose one of the following:
• Upgrade: Select this option to upgrade your current version of Parallels Desktop. Please
keep in mind that you will need the activation key for your previous version. If the Upgrade
option is selected by default, Parallels Desktop has already automatically detected the key
for the previous version. If not, please make sure you have it.
Note: Only Parallels Desktop 10 and 11 can be upgraded to Parallels Desktop 12.
• Buy Full Version: Select this option to purchase Parallels Desktop if you have never used it
before or your version cannot be upgraded.
3 Follow the onscreen instructions.You may need to scroll down to see all the information.
Upgrade Parallels Desktop
If you already have Parallels Desktop 10 or 11 follow these steps to upgrade to Parallels Desktop
12.
1 If you haven't already done so, purchase and download a "Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac
Upgrade," available from the Parallels Online Store at www.parallels.com/buyonline.
A Product Activation Key is sent to the email address you provide.
14
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
2 If Parallels Desktop is open, quit Parallels Desktop.
3 Follow the instructions to install Parallels Desktop 12. See Install Parallels Desktop (p. 13).
During install
ation, the previous version of Parallels Desktop is automatically removed from your
computer.
4 Open Parallels Desktop and enter your upgrade Product Activation Key.
If you were using a trial version of Parallels Desktop or you purchased a previous version but
haven't installed it on your computer, you will also be prompted to enter a full or upgrade key
for that version.
Note: To upgrade from Parallels Desktop 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 you must purchase Parallels Desktop 12
at full retail price.
Troubleshooting
If you have any problems upgrading Parallels Desktop, you can find troubleshooting information at
http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/support/.
Install Software Updates
Periodically, Parallels provides free software updates to improve Parallels Desktop.
By default, Parallels Desktop is configured to automatically check for and download available
software updates once a week. When an update is available, Parallels Desktop prompts you to
install it. Simply follow the onscreen instructions.
Adjust Software Update Settings
1 Do one of the following:
• Click the Parallels icon
in the menu bar and choose Preferences. Then click General.
15
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
• Right-click the Parallels Desktop icon in the Dock and choose Preferences. Then click
General.
2 Do one of the following:
• To adjust the frequency that Parallels checks for software updates, choose Never, Once a
Day, Once a Week, or Once a Month from the Check for Updates menu.
• To choose whether you want Parallels Desktop to download updates automatically, select
or deselect Download updates automatically.
If you choose not to download updates automatically, Parallels Desktop notifies you when
an update is available and asks whether you want to download it.
Check for an Update Manually
• Follow the instructions in step 1 above and then click Check Now. You can also choose
Check for Updates from the Parallels Desktop application menu.
Note: To check for updates and download them, your Mac must be connected to the Internet.
16
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
Set the Language
You can set which language the Parallels Desktop interface uses by doing the following:
1 Quit Parallels Desktop.
2 Choose Apple menu > System Preferences > Language & Region.
3 Drag the language you want to the top of the list. If you don't see the language you want to use
in the list, click the Add button
4 Open Parallels Desktop.
If the primary language you chose is supported by Parallels Desktop, the menus and interface
text appear in that language. If the primary language you selected isn't supported, menus
appear in the first language listed that Parallels Desktop supports.
.
17
C HAPTER 3
Install or Import Windows
There are a few ways to get Windows up and running on your Mac:
• Install Windows (p. 18)
• Import your data fro
• Use Windows that you
• Import Wind
30)
ows from a previous version of Parallels Desktop or other virtualization software (p.
m a Windows PC (p. 20)
already have installed from a Boot Camp partition (p. 29)
In This Chapter
Install Windows.........................................................................................................18
Import Your Data from a PC .....................................................................................20
Use Boot Camp with Parallels Desktop..................................................................... 29
Import from an Earlier Parallels Desktop or Other Virtualization Applicatio
n................ 30
Install Windows
If you have a Windows installation source (a DVD disc, an image file, or a USB storage) and a valid
Windows product key, you can install Windows on your Mac and use it with Parallels Desktop.
To install Windows:
1 Open Parallels Desktop (in the Applications folder) and choose File > New.
2 If you have a Windows installation disc, insert it into the DVD drive. If you have a USB storage
with Windows, connect the storage to the Mac.
3 Click Install Windows or another OS from a DVD or image file.
4 Parallels Desktop scans for and lists installable operating systems. If you see the version of
Windows you want to install, select it, click Continue and go to step 6.
5 If the Windows installation source didn't show up automatically in Step 4, click Locate
manually to browse for it manually. You can browse from the following sources:
• DVD: If you have a Windows DVD, insert it into the DVD drive. Once Windows is detected,
click Continue. If your Mac doesn't have a DVD drive, you can use an Apple SuperDrive,
another Mac's DVD drive via Remote Disc, or make an image from the disc.
Install or Import Windows
• Image File: If you have a Windows image file, click Image File and drag the image to the
Parallels Wizard window. Once Windows is detected, click Continue.
• USB Drive: If you have a bootable USB installer with Windows, click USB Drive and
connect the drive to the Mac. Once Windows is detected, click Continue.
Note: Parallels Desktop may fail to detect some operating systems (for example, the latest Linux
distributions). If this happens but you're sure that the operating system can be installed, click Continue,
specify the OS type manually (if it's not listed, choose Other), and follow the onscreen instructions.
6 Be sure to leave Express installation selected.
Note: If you deselect Express installation, you'll need to install Parallels Tools (p. 199) after the
installation to allow the most seamless operation between Windows and Mac OS X.
7 Choose what for you're going to primarily use Windows. Its settings will be tuned to best fit
your needs.
8 Choose where you want to store Windows from the Location menu.
By default, Parallels Desktop stores Windows in your Documents > Parallels folder. To
allow all users of your computer to have access to this installation of Windows, select Share
with other users of this Mac.
9 If you want to pre-set things like how much memory Windows uses or whether it starts
automatically when you open Parallels Desktop, select Customize settings before
installation. You can also adjust these settings after the operating system is installed.
10 Click Continue.
The assistant installs Windows.
Once Windows is installed, you can start it up by opening a Windows program (p. 32) or by clicking
the power b
utton in Control Center.
19
Install or Import Windows
Important: The first time you start Windows, Parallels Tools are installed to allow seamless operation
between Windows and Mac OS X. Once Parallels Tools are installed, you're prompted to restart
Windows.
If you didn't select Express installation in step 6 above, you must install Parallels Tools manually (p.
199).
When you install Windows, Parallels Desktop creates an administrator account with a blank
password. Once the installation is complete, it is recommended that you change this password.
Note: You can also install Windows from a disk image file (p. 172) of an installation disc. Simply choose
the disk image file in step 4 above. Parallels Desktop supports ISO, DMG, CUE, and CCD disk images.
Import Your Data from a PC
You can import all your data from a Windows PC to Parallels Desktop on your Mac. Then you can
continue to work with all your Windows programs, files, and data, side-by-side with Mac OS X.
Overview of Methods for Importing
You can import your data using one of the following:
• Network (p. 21): If both the Windows
PC and your Mac are connected to a network, you can
import your data over the network.
• External storage device (p. 24): You can trans
fer the data from a Windows PC to an external
storage device, such as an external hard drive. Then, you can connect the device to your Mac
and import your data into Parallels Desktop.
Requirements for Importing Your Data
To import your data to your Mac, you need a Windows computer with:
• Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or
later.
Note: You can also use a computer running Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit only), Windows Server
2008, or Windows 2000 Professional (32-bit only).
• An Intel or AMD (700 MHz or higher) x86 or x64 processor
• At least 256 MB of RAM
• At least 70 MB of hard disk space for installing Parallels Transporter Agent
• One of the following:
• An Ethernet port for transferring your data over network
20
Install or Import Windows
• An external storage device, such as a USB hard disk
Note: Parallels Desktop does not support migrating Windows dynamic volumes. These are volumes
which size is not fixed as in basic volumes. They are migrated as data disks only. You can later add them
(p. 170) to an already existing virtual machine.
Step 1: Install Parallels Transporter Agent on Your Windows PC
To import your data you must first install the Parallels Transporter Agent software on the Windows
PC.
To install Parallels Transporter Agent:
11 Do one of the following:
• If you purchased a physical copy of Parallels Desktop, insert the Parallels Desktop
installation DVD into your Windows PC. If the installation doesn't start automatically, locate
and double-click the Parallels Transporter Agent.exe file on the disc.
• Download Parallels Transporter Agent for Windows from the Parallels website at
http://www.parallels.com/download/desktop/ and double-click the installation file.
If your computer is connected to the Internet, Parallels Transporter Agent checks for available
updates. If an update is available, click Download and Install New Version.
12 Follow the onscreen instructions to install Parallels Transporter Agent.
Step 2: Import Your Data
Follow one of the methods below to import your data from your PC to your Mac.
Over a Network
Important: After importing your data, you may need to reactivate some of your Windows programs
using the activation keys you received when you purchased the programs.
To import your data from a PC over a network:
1 Turn on your Mac and your Windows PC and log in.
2 Make sure that Windows Firewall (p. 28) is turned off. You can turn it o
finished.
n again after the import is
21
Install or Import Windows
3 On the Windows PC, open Parallels Transporter Agent by clicking the Start menu and choosing
All Programs > Parallels > Parallels Transporter Agent.
In Parallels Transporter Agent, select Network and click Continue.
4 On your Mac, open Parallels Desktop and choose File > New.
5 Select Transfer Windows from a PC and click Continue.
6 Select Network and click Continue.
7 Find the passcode displayed in Parallels Wizard on your Mac and enter it in Parallels
Transporter Agent on your Windows PC.
22
Install or Import Windows
If the remote PC and Mac are not connected to the same network, you can transfer the remote
PC using its name or IP address. To do so, click Connect using IP address, select the
Windows PC name from the list or type the IP address, and click Continue.
8 If you have chosen to use the computer name or IP address, provide the Windows
administrator credentials. Parallels Desktop connects to Parallels Transporter Agent and starts
collecting information about the source computer.
9 If you want to log in to Windows automatically whenever you start up Windows, select Enable
Automatic Logon. When ready, click Continue.
10 Choose what you want to transfer;
• System only: this option allows you to transfer the operating system and applications only.
If you choose it, go to step 12.
• System and documents: this option allows you to transfer the operating system,
applications, and user's files like pictures, documents, downloads, music, videos, etc.
11 If you chose to transfer system and documents in the previous step, choose how you want to
transfer the user's files:
• Transfer to Windows: If you choose this option, the user's files will be transferred to the
resulting virtual machine and will not be accessible from OS X. You can make them
accessible from OS X later by sharing Windows with OS X (p. 52).
• Transfer to Mac: If you choose thi
corresponding folders in OS X. The resulting virtual machine will have access to these files
as well because it will be configured to share folders with OS X.
s option, the user's files will be transferred to the
This way of transferring the user's files requires additional steps with Apple Migration
Assistant. Follow the link in the screen for more information.
23
Install or Import Windows
12 Choose where you want to install your data.
When ready, click Continue.
13 In the next step there's a warning about Windows activation that might be required when you
start using it. To proceed, read this message, select I want to continue and click Continue.
14 Once the transfer is complete, click Done.
15 Start Windows (p. 31).
16 When
Windows boots up, choose Actions > Install Parallels Tools and follow the onscreen
instructions.
Note: To be able to install Parallels Tools, you must be logged in to Windows as an administrator.
Using an External Storage Device
Important: After importing your data, you may need to reactivate some of your Windows programs
using the activation keys you received when you purchased the programs.
To import your data from a PC using an external storage device:
1 Connect an external storage device to your Windows PC.
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Install or Import Windows
2 On the Windows PC, open Parallels Transporter Agent by clicking the Start menu and choosing
All Programs > Parallels > Parallels Transporter Agent.
3 Select External storage and click Continue. Parallels Transporter Agent collects information
about the Windows PC.
4 If you want to log in to Windows automatically whenever you start up Windows, select Enable
Automatic Logon and specify the Administrator's password. When ready, click Continue.
5 Choose what you want to transfer;
• System only: this option allows you to transfer the operating system and applications only.
If you choose it, go to step 7.
• System and documents: this option allows you to transfer the operating system,
applications, and user's files like pictures, documents, downloads, music, videos, etc.
6 If you chose to transfer system and documents in the previous step, choose how you want to
transfer the user's files:
• Transfer to Windows: If you choose this option, the user's files will be transferred to the
resulting virtual machine and will not be accessible from OS X. You can make them
accessible from OS X later by sharing Windows with OS X (p. 52).
• Transfer to Mac: If you choose thi
corresponding folders in OS X. The resulting virtual machine will have access to these files
as well because it will be configured to share folders with OS X.
This way of transferring the user's files requires additional steps with Apple Migration
Assistant. Follow the link in the screen for more information.
s option, the user's files will be transferred to the
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Install or Import Windows
7 Choose where you want to store your data. You can also click Customize and select which
Windows volumes to migrate.
When ready, click Continue.
8 In the next step there's a warning about Windows activation that might be required when you
start using it. To proceed, read this message, select I want to continue and click Continue.
9 Once the migration is complete, click Done to quit Parallels Transporter Agent.
10 Disconnect the storage device from the Windows PC and connect it to your Mac.
11 On your Mac, open Parallels Desktop and choose File > New.
12 Select Transfer Windows from a PC and click Continue.
13 Select External storage and click Continue.
14 Parallels Desktop scans the connected storages for the newly created virtual machine. If
Parallels Desktop cannot find it, select the virtual machine manually. Then click Continue.
15 Choose where you want to install Windows and your data, and then click Continue.
16 Once the transfer is complete, click Done.
17 Start Windows (p. 31).
18 When
instructions.
Windows boots up, choose Actions > Install Parallels Tools and follow the onscreen
26
Install or Import Windows
Note: To be able to install Parallels Tools, you must be logged in to Windows as an administrator.
Solving Problems
Read this section if you have problems importing your data from a Windows PC.
General Tips
This section provides solutions to some errors that may occur during the import process.
Parallels Transporter Agent Doesn't Work Correctly
If you experience any problems while importing, make sure that the snapman.sys driver is
installed in C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\.
If the snapman.sys driver is not installed, follow these steps:
1 Uninstall Parallels Transporter Agent.
2 Restart your Windows PC.
3 Reinstall Parallels Transporter Agent.
4 Restart your Windows PC again.
5 Try to import Windows and your data again.
Import is Interrupted by an Error
If the import process is interrupted by an error, do the following:
1 From the Start menu, choose My Computer.
2 In the Hard Disk Drives pane, right-click the volume you want to import, and choose
Properties.
3 In the Properties pane, click the Tools tab, and in the Error Checking section, click the
Check Now button.
4 In the Check Disk window, select Automatically fix file system errors and Scan for and
attempt recovery of bad sectors, and then click Start.
5 Wait till the disk is scanned and errors are fixed.
Dynamic Volumes are not Imported
Only basic volumes can be imported. You can't import dynamic volumes using Parallels Desktop.
The only way to import the data stored on a dynamic disk is to copy the data to a basic disk on
your Mac and then import the basic disk.
27
Install or Import Windows
If Your Mac Fails to Connect with Parallels Transporter Agent
Firewall applications may block connections between your Mac and Parallels Transporter Agent on
the Windows PC.
Firewall problems in Mac OS X
If your Mac fails to connect with Parallels Transporter Agent on your Windows PC, the reason may
be that the built-in Mac firewall blocks the connection to Parallels Transporter Agent.
To enable connections between your Mac and Parallels Transporter Agent and prevent further
blocking, you can configure the firewall settings in Mac OS X by doing the following:
1 From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences, and then click Security.
2 Click the Firewall tab.
3 Configure the necessary settings.
If you try to search for Parallels Transporter Agent by typing the Windows PC IP address manually,
you may receive a message saying that Parallels Transporter Agent is blocked. Click the Unblock
button.
Firewall problems in Windows
Microsoft Windows operating system has a built-in firewall that blocks connections to and from
other computers. When starting Parallels Transporter Agent for the fist time, you may see a
message saying that Windows Firewall has blocked some features of the program.
To enable the connection between your Mac and Parallels Transporter Agent, click Unblock.
To prevent this problem from happening again, add Parallels Desktop and/or Parallels Transporter
Agent to the firewall exceptions (the list of applications allowed to communicate through the
firewall):
1 From the Start menu, choose Control Panel > Network Connections.
2 In the Network Tasks pane, click Change Windows Firewall Settings.
3 Add Parallels Desktop and/or Transporter Agent to the firewall exceptions list.
If Parallels Doesn't Detect Windows Correctly
If Parallels Desktop detects the source operating system (Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista
computer) incorrectly, make sure that neither of your Windows programs are running in
compatibility mode - a special mode of Windows allowing you to run applications that are
incompatible with your version of Windows.
See Windows Help for more information.
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Install or Import Windows
Problems Using a Program After an Import
Programs that depend on specific hardware may not work in Parallels Desktop.
If you import from several source volumes, the disk drive letters are changed. Make sure that the
program paths are set correctly. See Windows Help for more information.
Use Boot Camp with Parallels Desktop
Boot Camp is a feature of Mac OS X that lets you start up your Mac in Windows. If you have
already installed Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP on your Mac using Boot
Camp, you can set Parallels Desktop to work with Boot Camp using either of these two options:
• Set Parallels Desktop to run Windows from the Boot Camp partition: Changes you make in
Windows programs either while working in Mac OS X or when you start up your Mac in
Windows using Boot Camp will be reflected in both places.
Windows running from Boot Camp has the following limitations:
• It can't be paused
• It can't be saved as a snapshot (p. 121)
• It can't run i
• It can't be compressed
• Import Windows and your data from Boot Camp into Parallels Deskt
from Parallels Desktop doesn't have the above listed limitations. Boot Camp and Parallels
Desktop are separate. Changes you make in Windows programs while working in Mac OS X
are not reflected when you start up your Mac in Windows using Boot Camp.
n Rollback Mode (p. 93)
op: Windows running
Set Parallels Desktop to run Windows from the Boot Camp Partition
1 Open Parallels Desktop (in the Applications folder) and choose File > New.
2 Click Boot Camp, and then follow the onscreen instructions.
Note: If you plan to start up in Windows using Boot Camp, it is recommended that you shut down
Windows in Parallels Desktop rather than suspending Windows.
Import Windows and Your Data from Boot Camp into Parallels Desktop
1 Set Parallels Desktop to use Boot Camp, as described in the steps above.
2 Right-click (Control-click) the Boot Camp version of Windows in Control Center and choose
Import Boot Camp.
Note: Windows must be shut down.
3 Click Import.
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