Mac Parallels Paratext Menu blank

Question

I updated Parallels tools last week and the windows on Paratext went blank. I have tried unistalling PT and reinstalling but now the menu is blank and white. I’m not sure where to go.

Screen Shot 2020-10-23 at 4.01.32 PM2588×1190 97.2 KB

when I installed PT it tried to send/receive but that did not work.

Answer 1

Further to above. I was able to download our project and backtranslation. But things are still not working properly. When I select our project I end up with the following screen schot.

Screen Shot 2020-10-26 at 12.30.08 PM2152×1592 232 KB

Comments

I had the same problem. I fixed it by doing the following:

1. Uninstall Parallel Tools and Parallel Toolbox from the Windows guest - I suspect this was the problem.
2. Disable services I don’t need (see https://kb.parallels.com/124238)
3. Shut down Windows and start it up again.

Let me know if this works for you …

anon892024

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After some more testing, here are my conclusions:

• Paratext 9 is broken in Parallels Desktop 16.1.0-48950

• Setting the display adapter to Microsoft Basic Display Adapter allows Paratext 9 to function, but it’s so slow that it’s unusable for real work. Uninstalling the Parallels Tools as anon892024 suggested will also set the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter, but it’s not actually necessary to uninstall the Parallels Tools or disable services.

• I was unable to re-install the older Parallels Tools 16.0 while running the updated Parallels Desktop 16.1. Apparently the Tools installer is too smart to permit this.

• Paratext 9 works OK in Parallels Desktop 16.0.0-48916. I simply installed 16.0 on top of 16.1 and everything is working OK again. I think I was using Version [Phone Removed] previously, but I didn’t save the installer so can’t test.

• When running Parallels Desktop 16.0.0-48916, either Parallels Tools 16.1 or 16.0 work fine.

• There is no difference between Windows 10-2004 and Windows 10-20H2. Updating Windows doesn’t solve the issue. My host is macOS 10.15.7 Catalina
  I don’t see how to get old installers from Parallels.com. If anyone would like the ParallelsDesktop-16.0.0-48916.dmg file from me, I can share it on Dropbox. Or did anyone save the installer for [Phone Removed]?

LivingField

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I have now played with this further, and I think you are right.

On my machine, the Windows Basic Graphics Driver performs well enough, so I’m just using that now. FWIW, how many of us are using Parallels on the Mac to run Paratext? Would it be helpful to have a Wiki page or two for mutual support?

anon892024

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I do, and there are probably 5-10 members here in Nepal that do.

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Thanks LivingField. I found Parallels [Phone Removed]on my Time Machine. Changed my Parallels configuration to NOT auto update. Uninstalled Parallels and reinstalled with 48919. Now Paratext 9.1 works fine. (I had the same problem with Paratext 9.0, but haven’t tested it since up switched to the older version of Parallels.

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Hello, I am using parallels to run paratext, am having the same problems, I followed the instructions and now it works! Thank you so so much!

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Hi anon793733,

Could you try these instructions and see if they fix your problem?

It appears that the issue you are experiencing is caused by a conflict with the DirectX 11.1 implementation introduced in the latest Parallels Desktop update.

As a workaround please perform the following steps and let us know about the results:

1. Make sure that the virtual machine is shut down (Actions > Shut Down). If it is in a suspended state, please run it and then shut down (Actions > Shut Down).

2. Go to the virtual machine configuration (see: https://kb.parallels.com/117287 ) and click “Hardware > Boot Order > Advanced Settings > Boot flags”.

3. Paste the following text in the “Boot flags” field:

video.dx_profile=11

4. Run the virtual machine and see if the issue reoccurs.

If the issue does persist, please collect an additional technical report at the moment of issue reproduction (Help > Send technical data > check “Attach screenshots…” > press Send Report) and send the report’s 9-digit ID as a reply to this e-mail.

In any case please let us know about the results.

These are the same instructions I gave above.

anon892024

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Ok, so at the moment I have installed a previous version of parallels which solved the problem for the time being. I wanted to check that these instructions are fixing the problem with the latest version of parallels.
thanks
Simon

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The Parallels team has acknowledged this bug and says they will fix it in a future version. If anyone wants to track when it is fixed, they can subscribe to this page:

https://kb.parallels.com/125053

There is a “subscribe” button that lets you put in an email address.

anon892024

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I don’t know if this is the same Parallels display issue, but one of the people I help support sent me this today:

Hey, just to update you. Parallels will be fixing this issue in the next update. However until then they have sent me a fix so I can update to the latest version of parallels that was previously causing display issues with paratext. But now with the fix everything is working well.

Below is the message I received from parallels on how to fix the display issues until the next update is issued.

We got an update from Development team.

The issue is targeted to be fixed in the very next update but in the meantime feel free to use the following workaround:

1. Shut down Windows.
2. Open virtual machine configuration as per https://kb.parallels.com/117287 > Hardware > Boot Order > Advanced Settings 3. Paste the following system flag and remove the previous ones:

video.dx_profile=11

4. Start Windows and run Paratext.

Please let us know the results. In any case, please collect a technical report as per https://kb.parallels.com/9058 while Whiteboard is running.

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Screenshot of that setting in Parallels:

Screen Shot 2020-11-10 at 3.50.56 PM1362×1178 193 KB

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FYI, the Paratext blank windows problem still exists and the bootflag workaround still works after upgrading Mac OS to Big Sur (Mac OS 11.0). This is not that surprising, if the issue is about how Parallels implements the Windows DirectX graphic tool.

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I’m avoiding Big Sur for now …

macOS Big Sur update causing some older MacBook Pros to get stuck on black screens

14

Maybe don’t update yet if you have one of these MacBook Pro models
https://www.theverge.com/2020/11/16/21569405/macos-big-sur-update-error-macbook-pro-2013-2014-models-black-screen

Answer 2

Me too—I updated from Parallels Desktop v.16.x to v.16.1.0, which automatically updated the version of Parallels Tools too. Now all Paratext windows are either solid black or solid white.

I tried two things which were unsuccessful in fixing it:
(1) I held down shift while starting Paratext, and “reset settings”. Didn’t help

(2) Click the hamburger/menu icon at the top left Press down arrow 5 times and then enter. This will open the “Paratext Settings” dialog box, which displays OK.
Uncheck “Enable Hardware Acceleration”, Click OK. Restart Paratext.
Problem remains.

Paratext 9.0.103.41
Windows 10 version 2004 Build 19041.572 <— I just noticed today that Windows 10, version 20H2 has been released. Perhaps I’ll try an update.
Parallels Display Adapter v.16.1.0.48950

In another VM in which I was also too slow to cancel the Parallels Tools update, Paratext 8.0.100.98 still works OK.

Answer 3

I worked through all the suggestions with settings in Windows and Parallels. But Paratext is still not working properly. I uninstalled PT and cleaned out all the settings folders so I could do a clean install. I end up at the following place. Where as part of starting and installing. After I have entered my registration details PT tries to download our project and I end up with the following dialogue box.

Screen Shot 2020-10-26 at 12.16.39 PM1630×1358 373 KB

Comments

So your menus are working and you can see the text in at least some windows? If so, this is a different problem. Could you please do Give Feedback so we can see what your configuration looks like?

anon892024

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I have written to Parallels support as I would really like to work in coherence mode again. If I get anything constructive back I will write and let you all know. Simon

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Are you implying, turning off Coherence mode resolved it for you?

Answer 4

Removing parallels tools from windows resolved the issue for me.

Answer 5

LivingField:

Parallels Desktop [Phone Removed]

Downloaded 16.0 from Here
Uninstalled Parallels Tools from Win10 VM
Installed 16.0 over the 16.1 PARALLELS
PT GUI problem fixed for my user.

Comments

Thanks for the link, I had rolled back to Parallels 15 to fix this, but I wasn’t able to find the earlier version of 16. Very helpful, thanks.

Answer 6

An alternate, if you’re open to changing your virtual machine application, is to use Vmware Fusion, which is now free for non-commercial use.

Comments

How well does it work compared to Parallels?

anon892024

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How well does it work compared to Parallels?
anon892024

I’ve seen a few youtube reviews which show that Parallels performs significantly faster, but I don’t have any personal experience with vmware.

Answer 7

I’ve only ever used Fusion and VirtualBox. Back when I made the choice of Fusion over Parallels, they were pretty much on a par with each other. Parallels seemed to have more paid upgrades than Vmware Fusion did, so it seemed a better choice at the time. Some people have strong opinions about the different programs, but if you’re using it for something like getting Paratext running, either should work.

Disclaimer: I run Paratext in a Linux VM on Vmware Fusion, since all our translators also have Linux on their computers, and it’s easier for them when my computer looks the same as theirs.

JohnBrownie

Comments

FWIW, I have reported this problem to Parallels and downgraded to Version 16.0.1 (48919), it now works well with the Parallels graphics driver again.

anon892024

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Do you have a link to that particular version (16.0.1 (48919)?

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Linked in my post above

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I received this from Parallels second-line support today. It worked for me.

anon892024

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what did you receive? I followed the link to the support website and I don’t see what you are referring to.

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I included it below my signature in the post you are responding to. Let me repeat it here with different formatting:

It appears that the issue you are experiencing is caused by a conflict with the DirectX 11.1 implementation introduced in the latest Parallels Desktop update.

As a workaround please perform the following steps and let us know about the results:

1. Make sure that the virtual machine is shut down (Actions > Shut Down). If it is in a suspended state, please run it and then shut down (Actions > Shut Down).

2. Go to the virtual machine configuration (see: https://kb.parallels.com/117287 ) and click “Hardware > Boot Order > Advanced Settings > Boot flags”.

3. Paste the following text in the “Boot flags” field:

video.dx_profile=11

4. Run the virtual machine and see if the issue reoccurs.

If the issue does persist, please collect an additional technical report at the moment of issue reproduction (Help > Send technical data > check “Attach screenshots…” > press Send Report) and send the report’s 9-digit ID as a reply to this e-mail.

In any case please let us know about the results.

Sorry for the confusion!

anon892024

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Setting that flag worked great for my user!

Answer 8

That solution worked for me. Thanks, anon892024! anon999286 B.

Answer 9

Me too, thanks anon892024.

Answer 10

Parallels just released a new version 16.1.1 and this bug is now fixed. Paratext is mentioned in the changelog as well. https://kb.parallels.com/en/125053