Parallels Toolbox for Mac and Windows. 30+ tools in a lightweight, powerful, all-in-one application for Mac ® and PC. Easy to use and economical—a whole suite of tools for a fraction of the cost of individual apps, packaged in one simple interface. There is indeed a helper application that you really do need to install if you’re running Parallels Desktop on your Intel Mac system, called, ingeniously enough, Parallels Tools. Parallels Tools allows you to drag-and-drop files between each OS, use Coherence Mode, and dynamic adjustment of Windows screen resolutions. To view more about Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac, please. We have just released an update to Parallels® Toolbox for Mac®, with four additional tools and several new features requested by users. The four new tools are shown in Figure 1.
I am writing this review and rating it only 3 stars, but I continue to love Parallels. I actually hope that others will buy Parallels 9 and then call, write, and chat with the support team to complain about the loss of Parallels Mobile and its replacement with a more expensive, but more functional version called Parallels Access. Hopefully, people reaching out and complaining will push them to re-visit their idea. So, here's my review of the actual software.
Parallels makes upgrading easy. I just popped in the Desktop 9 CD, then realized that they will let me download it. I prefer to download as the CD will never survive in my house. If I ever needed to re-install, then I will have to have it. So, I downloaded the software and hit install. It found my Parallels 8 and replaced it. All of my OS's are still there.
Now my Dropbox and Google drive docs are available on the Windows machine. This may seem like nothing, but I can access my Photo Stream, my iCloud Docs (which I don't use), and my Google Drive docs straight from my Windows machine without having to create shares and links or by installing and mirroring the same data on the Windows machine. This is very nice and makes it much easier for me to update a file and know it will be pushed to Google Drive or Dropbox.
The last time I upgraded my Mac, I had an issue because Parallels stopped working. Apparently, Parallels Desktop 7 worked for Lion (10.7), but not Mountain Lion (10.8). That was a frustration that I wanted to avoid. When Mavericks (10.9) comes out, I can upgrade my laptop without worrying that all of my Parallels Operating Systems will shut down. I use the windows side for some of the work that I do and that was frustrating to realize that I couldn't access Windows until I upgraded Parallels. In their defense, they notated this on their website and had sent emails that I must have missed. I was pleased that the issue was documented and easy to see if I searched.
Parallels has replaced Parallels Mobile with Parallels Access as of this version. First off, what are these things, you might ask. These are Apps that you run on your iPhone/iPad which allows you to takeover your remote machine. I can sit at the coffee shop and remember I needed to hit send on an email. I grab my phone, open the Parallels Mobile app, and it connects to my laptop at home, shows me the desktop, and lets me do what I need to do. You don't have to setup your router or anything. Just have Parallels running and you're good to go. * The downside, Parallels Mobile worked for iPhone and iPad. This meant that if I just had my phone, I was still good. Parallels Mobile was introduced around version 7 and now it's being phased out. It's being phased out in favor of Parallels Access, which does the same thing, but costs $79.99/yr and doesn't currently work on the iPhone. When you connect with Parallels Access, the computer you takeover gets all funky as Parallels us tweaking the desktop resolution so that it can show you one Mac/Windows application at a time. * The upside, Parallels Access is pretty sweet. You can takeover just one Mac/Windows Application at a time. You don't have to re-size the application to perfectly fit in the screen. They have taken the iPad finger strokes and made them work when you are taking over a remote computer. It's pretty amazing and has allowed me to get more done faster.
Parallels Access might be worth $20/yr to me, but not $79.99. It's worth even less to me because I don't have a choice. Parallels Mobile is End of Purchase. http://www.parallels.com/support/desktop-virtualization/mobile/ This means that you can't get it anymore and those of us that have been with them for years can't use it if we want to upgrade. If the next Mac upgrade to Mavericks works the same, then once I upgrade my Mac, I will have to upgrade Parallels and lose access to Parallels Mobile. (This is what I was talking about on the first paragraph. Please phone, chat, Skype, and email support. Please push for Parallels Mobile to come back or Parallels Access to be reasonably priced.)
I love Parallels and they have always come out with something new and some reason that it's worth it to me to upgrade. This is the first time I wouldn't want to give 5 stars. I still love them and want to stick with them. If you are choosing between Parallels and Fusion, I'd still say to go with Parallels. We just need them to get a little less cocky and be more open with us the consumers.
I would recommend this item to a friend!This review is from Parallels Desktop for Mac - Use Windows Applications alongside your Mac Apps!.
Symptoms
I am unable to install Parallels Tools automatically through the virtual machine Mac menu: Actions (Virtual Machine in older versions) >Install Parallels Tools.
Resolution (Manual Installation)
Parallels Tools installation and /or updating is always required when you create a new virtual machine or upgrade Parallels Desktop to a newer build or version.
We also recommend reinstalling Parallels Tools when you are troubleshooting host-guest integration issues, such as Coherence, shared applications, shared folders, copy-and-pasting between your Mac and your virtual machine and mouse and keyboard issues.
Using Parallels On Mac
If automatic installation does not start when expected (e.g., during an update to the Parallels Desktop build), or if you want to install Parallels Tools manually, follow the steps below.
Parallels For Mac Review
Note: All examples pertain to Windows virtual machines.
Scenrio 1: Simple
- Start your virtual machine
- In the Mac menu click on Actions (Virtual Machine in older versions) >Install Parallels Tools (or Reinstall / Update Parallels Tools, if applicable)
- If the installation does not start, open the Start menu in Windows >Computer > Locate Parallels Tools CD drive. Then double-click on it to launch Parallels Tools installation.
- If the Parallels Tools installation has not started, right-click on Parallels Tools CD. Then choose Open, locate PTAgent.exe file and double-click on it to launch installation.
Scenario 2: More complicated
If the Parallels Tools disk image file is not mounted inside the virtual machine, meaning you cannot see the Parallels Tools CD in Windows Explorer under the Computermenu - follow these steps:
- Make sure your virtual machine is running in Window mode. If it is running in Coherence mode, exit Coherence.
- In Mac the menu click on Devices >CD/DVD >Connect image...
- In the Open window navigate to Applications >Parallels Desktop >Contents >Resources
- Inside the Resources folder, go to the Tools folder, and locate the file prl-tools-win.iso. Click on this file, then click the Open button
- Proceed with a manual Parallels Tools installation starting from Step 3 in Scenario 1, above.
Scenario 3: Most complicated
If the Parallels Tools image cannot be mounted inside Windows, and the steps above do not work (meaning Windows fails to recognize the CD/DVD disk attached to the virtual machine), follow these steps:
- Shut down your virtual machine.
- Locate your virtual machine in Finder see KB 117333.
- Right-click on your virtual machine’s .pvm file, then select Open with > Parallels Mounter.
- Your virtual machine's Hard Drives will be mounted in Finder:
- Locate the Windows hard disk containing the Windows installation — it will contain the Windows folder.
- Open a new Finder window and go to the Applications folder,
- Locate Parallels Desktop and right-click > Show Package Contents
- Go to Contents > Resources > Tools.
- Locate the prl-tools-win.tar.gz file and unarchive it. The resulting prl-tools-win folder will be extracted either to the same Tools folder or to the Downloads folder. You can also use Spotlight to locate the prl-tools-win folder.
- Copy the prl-tools-win folder to Windows hard drive mounted in Step 5
- Eject the Windows Hard Disks mounted in Finder
- Start your Windows virtual machine, open Windows Explorer and go to disk
C:
- Open the prl-tools-win folder and double-click on the setup.exe to start the Parallels Tools installation.Optionally you can go to the Data folder, open amd64 or i386 sub-folder according to your Windows architecture (64-bit or 32-bit); and run paralels-tools-amd64.exe or parallels-tools-i386.exe.
- Follow the Install wizard.
Parallels For Mac Install Tools On My Computer
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Parallels For Mac Install Tools To This Visual Studio
Text is checked and verified by Mia Lipman Jan 12, 2015.