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Filmo · Mar 5, 2007, 04:54 PM

Upgraded Parallels to 3186. When I then opened my Windows XP Pro virtual machine, it said my Parallels Tools was out of date and to update. I did and during that process it came up with a hardward wizard that said it found a 'new vga' adaptor. (which I assumed was part of the upgrade process).

Any case, I selected one of the 'Parallels' video drivers it presented and now, after the boot screen, my virtual machine displays a 'black' video monitor (I can see the 'booting Windows XP' screen with the progress bar, but as soon as it finds the 'video driver' the screen goes to black.

Obviously I did something wrong, or the update of Parallels Tools was not done correctly, or I assumed the missing video driver was part of the Tools update. In any case, I've now got no video. (it used to work before the update.)

How to I reset the video driver to whatever it was before, particularly since I can't see anything anymore?

I really don't want to have to rebuild the machine given all the headaches I'm sure that go along with Windows XP authorization.

Filmo · Mar 5, 2007, 04:55 PM

I've put it in 'safe mode', but don't know how to 'roll back' the video driver.

ghporter · Mar 5, 2007, 05:31 PM

From XP's Help:

To run System Restore in safe mode
Access System Restore through Help and Support.
Follow the instructions on your screen.
Notes

To access the System Restore Wizard, click Start, and then click Help and Support. Click Performance and Maintenance, click Using System Restore to undo changes, and then click Run the System Restore Wizard.
While the computer is in safe mode, System Restore does not create any restore points. Therefore, you cannot undo a restoration that you performed when the computer was in safe mode.
You can use System Restore to restore your computer to any restore point while in safe mode. If you cannot start the computer in standard mode, you can use System Restore to restore to a time when you could start the computer without errors.
To restore to a time when your computer started without errors, select a restore point as close to the time you remember it last started without errors.
If System Restore is suspended because of insufficient disk space, you cannot enable it by making more disk space available while in safe mode. You must restart the computer in standard mode and make more disk space available.

In simple terms, you should get a calendar-like display that shows all your restore points. Choose the one prior to the last driver install and let System Restore do its thing.

Filmo · Mar 5, 2007, 05:51 PM

got it. Used "System Restore" under "assessories"->"System Tools"

Rolled back to when the driver was attempting to intall and now it boots.

Redid the "upgrade Tools" and now everything works as it should.

ghporter · Mar 5, 2007, 09:18 PM

Great!

stokestack · Mar 12, 2007, 10:25 PM

I likewise updated Parallels, only to have Windows say "found new hardware" and try to reinstall the VGA adapter. It didn't find a driver, however.

Parallels complains about Parallels Tools being out of date, but when you use the menu item to "install" them, nothing happens. If you launch the Tools control from the task bar, everything says it's enabled except the VGA driver and cursor synchronization.

Is this update defective, or what?

scottdogs · Mar 14, 2007, 07:34 PM

the same thing has happened to me.

how on earth do you activate safe mode in parallels?... I get no options at startup?