Tool |
Description |
Clipboard Synchronization Tool |
The Clipboard Synchronization Tool syncs the guest OS clipboard and the primary OS clipboard, allowing you to easily exchange texts and pictures between the primary OS and the guest OS. Currently you can only exchange In you enable the Clipboard Synchronization Tool in all of your guest OSes, all of them will share the same clipboard with primary OS. In all the Windows guest OSes, this tool is installed automatically when you perform Parallels Tools installation. In OS/2 and eComStation you must install it manually. |
Time Synchronization Tool |
The Time Synchronization Tool allows the guest OS to keep the same system time as the primary OS. Without this tool the guest OS system time may differ from that of the primary OS. This tool also allows you to maintain a constant difference between the guest OS system time and the primary OS system time. You may configure this tool while the guest OS is running. See Time Synchronization Tool Options to learn how perform this task. Note. Before starting the Parallels Time Synchronization Tool, all other time synchronization services must be stopped in order to avoid potential conflicts. |
Video Driver |
The best graphical mode available in Windows NT and 2000 guest operating systems without this driver is 16-color VGA with 640x480 resolution. The video driver allows Parallels Workstation to use SVGA graphical modes in guest OS monitors. In Windows XP/2003 the video driver is required for the mouse tool and is chosen automatically when you select the mouse tool installation. Note. If you install the video driver you will not be able to use VGA modes. To return to VGA, you must uninstall the Parallels Tools. |
Mouse Synchronization Tool |
The Mouse Synchronization Tool enables the mouse to be captured and released without a special hot key combination defined in the Hot Key Combinations tab of the Preferences window. Using this tool makes mouse movements smoother and improves system reaction on mouse. This tool is especially effective when running Parallels Workstation on a remote terminal. |
Sound Driver |
Parallels Tools pack includes an AC'97 sound driver for those guest operating systems that do not contain standard AC'97 driver. Sound drivers for Windows XP/2003 are not included in the Parallels Tools pack since these operating systems contain sound drivers in their installations. |
Shared Folders Tool |
This tool is needed for a guest OS to view shared folders. Without it, the guest OS can not use the shared folders although they may be set up in your virtual machine configuration. To learn more about shared folders see Using Shared Folders. |
Disk Compacting Tool |
Parallels Workstation uses virtual hard disks of two types: plain and expanding. Expanding virtual disks grow in size as you work with them. The Disk Compacting Tool reduces the size of expanding virtual hard disks by cleaning up unused disk space. See Compacting Virtual Disk for guidelines on using this tool. This tool does not reduces the size of plain virtual disks. |
Network Adapters and Drivers: |
|
|
This Ethernet driver for the RTL8029 adapter is specially developed for Parallels Workstation to improve network performance. We recommend that you install this driver whenever possible. |
|
CD with Parallels Tools includes native Realtek (all except for Solaris driver) drivers for RTL8029 network adapter for many different operating systems. They are located in the Some guest operating systems, such as Windows 2000, contain an RTL8029 driver in their distributions, whereas others like Windows 2003 and OS/2 do not include this driver at all. Note. Unlike other guest OSes, a Solaris guest OS requires an RTL8029-compatible driver to be installed to support networking. Otherwise networking will not be possible. An RTL8029-compatible driver for Solaris has been created by an independent developer and is distributed under the terms of BSD license. Slightly modified version of this driver is included into Parallels Workstation 2.2 distribution. |
The table below shows which tools have been developed for which operating systems.
|
Windows |
OS/2, eCS
|
Solaris
|
other
|
||
95, 98, NT, ME |
2000 |
XP, 2003 |
||||
Clipboard Synchronization Tool |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
|
|
Time Synchronization Tool |
+ |
+ |
+ |
|
|
|
Video Driver |
+ |
+ |
+ |
|
|
|
Mouse Driver |
|
+ |
+ |
+ |
|
|
Sound Driver |
+ |
+ |
|
+ |
|
|
Shared Folders Tool |
|
+ |
+ |
|
|
|
Disk Compacting Tool |
+ |
+ |
+ |
|
|
|
Network Drivers: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
+ |
+ |
|
|
|
|
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
In Windows guest OSes you can control the tools during guest OS execution. See the Parallels Tools Center section to learn how to do this.