Help: Windows XP Configuration hangs in Parallels: Unable to remove with Parallels

fmdeutsch

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Running Mountain Lion OSX 10.8.2 on new iMac. Migrated entire Mac from previous Mac. Upgraded to Parallels 8. Starting Parallels immediately brings Windows XP Pro Virtual Machine up and it begins an upgrading Windows cycle with message "Preparing to configure your virtual machine..." Will not allow shutting down virtual machine until configuration complete. However, configuration hangs forever. All Parallels menus are greyed out so there is no access to Parallels Remove Machine, etc. Window XP initially installed as virtual machine through Parallels (I did not use Boot Camp ). <user>/Documents/Parallels folder is empty.

Can I safely (i.e., not affect my Mac OS and programs) just re-partition my hard drive through Disk Utility to a single partition and "wipe" all of the Windows stuff and start from scratch?

Btw, have wandered thru the Parallels KB with little luck.

Thanks, FM
 
Do you actually have a second partition on your hard drive, and can you tell if it is a Windows partition?
The normal install for Windows through Parallels does not create a partition.
Normally, the Windows VM would be in that <user>/Documents/Parallels folder.
If that folder is empty, then maybe your VM never was transferred...?
Also, a Mac OS X migration (using Migration Assistant) would NOT transfer a Windows partition if, in fact, you had one.
You would need some other method, such as the Winclone utility, to transfer an actual partition for Windows.

I suspect that the actual Windows VM never was transferred, and you should just follow the steps in Parallels to install Windows again, making a new VM.
If you don't need a partition for that (and you shouldn't), then you don't use Disk Utility for anything. Parallels will do it all.
 
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