Parallels Software Won't Boot

O

orca1

Registered
I am running Mac OSx.4.11 on my iMac. My Parallels software is version 2.5. My Windows software is XP. I purchased this about 2 1/2 years ago.

My hard-drive crashed and Apple Care replaced it. I am now trying to rebuild my iMac. Parallels was purchased with the computer and installed when I received it.

I have reinstalled all the software and set up a virtual hard-drive. When I start up Parallels Desktop, it says, "Boot from hard-drive failed. Boot from CD/DVD failed. Boot from floppy failed." When I checked the hard-drive icon at the bottom of the terminal screen, it showed that the virtual hard-drive is connected.

I tried to install Windows on the virtual machine again with the terminal window open as I read somewhere but this didn't work. I've worked on this for several hours, tried suggestions both in the book and at the Parallels website.

The Parallels website is so complicated with codes that I gave up on that. I did register the product when I got it but haven't had to use my account until now. The process is a hassle.
 
When the hard drive is copied to a new one (using Carbon Copy Cloner or more typical version being just new install + using Migration Assistant to transfer old account from old hardware to the new one) some files, including those using non-Apple kernel extensions are not either copied at all, or will have some parts missing and not working.

If the virtual machine was copied over, AND you installed Parallels fully on this NEW hard drive (and rebooted the physical machine after the install to load those kexts), and it still doesn't want to start the virtual machine, then we need to look at the logs. From both Parallels and the Mac.

Locate the virtual machine in Finder. Click on "Information" and verify it looks correct (size, location etc).

Does or did your machine have a Boot Camp Windows by any chance? (I'd guess not but better be sure as that would give again a whole new range of potential..)

Start up Parallels, and see what happens.
First, go to that virtual machine's preferences. Does it see the hard drive? Does it see an optical drive or virtual optical drive? (Remove the virtual optical drive if present).
Try to boot the virtual machine in safe boot.
What is the exact error message in Parallels and/or the virtual machine (if it differs in safe boot)? Collect its logs, and take a screenshot of the errors.
Those will show more of what is happening, AND I believe Parallels should also get a snapshot of the system logs of your host Mac too when it happens.
Those logs should tell exactly what it can't find.
 
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