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Windows Tools Installation

To install Parallels Tools in Windows guest OS do the following:

  1. Make sure that the virtual machine configuration includes a CD/DVD-ROM drive and it is enabled (the Enabled check box is selected). See CD/DVD-ROM Options.
  2. Start your guest operating system and log in. In order to install tools properly do not begin the installation until OS completes its startup and you log in.
  3. Select Install Parallel Tools in the Parallels Workstation VM menu.
  4. You are warned about the necessity of having the guest OS fully started and being logged in: "You can install the Parallels Tools only if the guest operating system is running and you are logged in. If you are not logged in now, select Cancel and run Parallels Tools installation later." If you are logged in, click OK to start installing.
  5. Parallels Tools Setup wizard starts and greets you. Click Next to move to Choose Destination Location screen. If you do not like the default directory, select another one using the Change button. Then click Next.
  6. On the Setup Type screen you should choose between the complete setup and a custom one. The complete setup installs all of the tools available for your guest OS. If you select custom setup, the Select Components screen asks you to select the desired tools from the tools available for your guest OS.
  7. Choose the program folder on the Select Program Folder screen, then the Check Setup Information screen displays the options selected. If they are correct, click Next to begin the installation.
  8. By default a Windows operating system is configured to warn you every time an unsigned driver is installed. Parallels Tools installation wizard supposes to temporarily disable these warnings.

    When you receive the following message: "Parallels Tools installation contains a number of unsigned drivers. These drivers are required for proper functioning of Parallels Tools. Currently your system is configured to warn you every time an unsigned driver is installed. Do you want to receive these warnings during Parallels Tools installation?" click OK to disable the unsigned driver warnings during Parallels Tools installation. They will re-enabled later when the installation will be complete.

  9. After the wizard copies tools, the Installation Completed screen asks if you want to restart the computer now. In all of the Windows guest OSes, except 98 and NT, you must restart the virtual machine after this setup procedure. Accept the selected option and click Finish. The virtual machine will be restarted and ready for work with the tools installed.

Notes: 1. In a Windows 98 guest OS, the Sound Driver requires you to perform additional steps after this setup. Proceed to Windows 98 Sound Driver Installation.

2. In Windows NT guest OS, proceed to Windows NT Tools Installation to complete setup in this guest OS.

Troubleshooting When Installing Tools

Parallels Tools installation is invoked by Windows AUTORUN feature for CD/DVD-ROM drive. It is enabled by default, however if you have disabled it manually, nothing happens after you select the Install Parallels Tools command. (In any way, the vmtools.iso CD image will be connected to the virtual machine CD-ROM drive, however it is not visible to the user.) To solve this problem do one of the following: