Guest VM Won't Stay "Awake"

Discussion in 'macOS Virtual Machine' started by TobyT, May 3, 2017.

  1. TobyT

    TobyT Hunter

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    Since upgrading to Parallels 10, my Windows XP Pro vm screen has refused to "stay awake." I think this is partly why I'm having so much trouble backing up. Last night, I tried to clone the vm; it stopped when the vm's separate monitor screen went black and remained stopped all night. No clone as a result. The same thing happens for a simple backup . . . . if I do not sit in front of the screen and click on the vm screen occasionally, the entire process stops.

    I cannot live with this. There's no way I'm able to sit for the 5 hours or so it takes just to click on the vm's screen ito clone my large, complicated vm. I did NOT have this problem prior to upgrading (I also upgraded to Mac OS Yosemite prior to upgrading to P10). Installing PT does NOT help. I've edited the Windows Registry to have the guest vm clock sync every thirty minutes which seems to have solved (perhaps) the issue with Amazon S3 as long as I sit in front of the machine during the backup/upload to click the blasted screen! I detest coherence so don't suggest that. My guest vm comes up on a separate monitor which is how I need to use it.

    What on earth can I do to solve the vm's going to sleep constantly?
    Regards,
    TobyT
     
  2. Swati@Parallels

    Swati@Parallels

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    360
    Hello Toby, please try this article and let us know how it goes.
     
  3. TobyT

    TobyT Hunter

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    Thank you for responding: but, under Applications, the pause option was NOT checked. And, I have no pause option under Optimization. So, honestly, this hasn't helped me. I definitely do NOT want the Windows guest to be paused . . especially when a Windows program is running (Cloudberry Backup!).

    Any other ideas?
    TobyT
     
  4. TobyT

    TobyT Hunter

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    116
    I continue to have this issue. I now regret upgrading Parallels because my previous version did NOT cause this. Come on, Parallels, give me a way to force Parallels to keep the clock on the vm in sync with my Mac. AND, why can't I fix the second monitor to NOT go black while a program is running. Whenever it goes black, the blasted backup program stops running and the clock unsyncs. I cannot find a fix via my Dell U24144 OR Windows XP Pro, having looked everywhere.
    TobyT
     
  5. rkulikov

    rkulikov Parallels Developers

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    Please, check "autopause" state: VM configuration -> Options -> Applications -> Pause Windows when no applications are open. If it is enabled you may try to disable it.
     
  6. TobyT

    TobyT Hunter

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    116
    I'd already looked at that option; it is NOT enabled. What has helped is 1)I've set Windows to update the clock every 30 minutes; and, 2) before I try to backup with Cloudberry, I go to the clock and update it again. This is time-consuming and tedious. Evidently, the clock must slow down when the Windows monitor blacks out. I found the clock off nearly 20 minutes the other day; usually, it is not so far out of sync - only 1 or 2 seconds.
     
  7. rkulikov

    rkulikov Parallels Developers

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    So you conclude that backuping failed to due significant VM clock drift, right? If so it's not clear why Parallels Tools installation doesn't help - PT provides constant sync of VM and host clocks.
     
  8. TobyT

    TobyT Hunter

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    I have reinstalled PT multiple times. It helps at first; then not at all. So . . . . . if it boils down to my reinstalling PT every time I back up, I find it quicker to update the vm system clock. I am not interested in sitting at my desk waiting for PT to reinstall, with the concomitant shut-down of Windows and its re-opening to backup. Once even reinstalling PT did not help because by the time I got back to my desk, the blasted clock was OFF again!
     
  9. rkulikov

    rkulikov Parallels Developers

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    Well. You don't have to reinstall Parallels Tools multiple times. You only have to install it once and they will keep clock synced permanently (Time Sync feature should be enabled in VM configuration, this is true by default). So you should have virtual machine with Tools installed, clock is always synced, you are using your Windows as you want and able to run your backuping software anytime. Or I miss something?
     
  10. TobyT

    TobyT Hunter

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    You clearly have not read this entire file because I have reinstalled Parallel Tools multiple times trying to fix this. It was FIRST thing I tried . . . over and over. It does NOT permanently fix the issue at all . . . .
     
  11. TobyT

    TobyT Hunter

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    116
    I am sick unto death of my second monitor continuing to black out during a backup to the cloud. I am now setting the blasted Windows clock BEFORE every backup attempt which fixes time drift because PT definitely does NOT keep Windows in sync with the Mac. But, the fact that the Windows monitor goes black during backup means I have to rush back to my desk and click to screen when backup is between 50% and 70% complete (I believe this approximately when encryption is complete) in order for the backup to go to Amazon3. For heavens sake, the first thing I did AFTER re-installing PT was to look at the Config/Options/Applications screen to verify that pause was NOT checked. Nothing helps and it is driving me nuts. The screen which blacks out is a Dell U24144; the iMac is running Yosemite 10.10.5, Parallels is running Desktop 10, 10.4.0 (29337). Can't anybody help?
    Regards,
    Leslie
     
  12. rkulikov

    rkulikov Parallels Developers

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    313
    Please, when the issue is reproduced (just after you click on the screen for not to make Windows sleep) go to Mac application menu Help -> Send Problem Report and post report id here.
     

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