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Parallels Using Bootcamp ?

Washac

Washac

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jul 2, 2006
2,529
132
Thought I would try Parallels 9 using my Bootcamp as the virtual machine.

Got it all setup OK, my Bootcamp Windows all opens up OK, but Parallels is not recognizing my video card, when I try to run games I get Issues and this error message -

Sorry but your machine is unable to run this game, it requires a graphics card that supports shader model 3, the game will now exit.

Or games set themselves into low graphics setting.

The games all run fine when I boot directly into Bootcamp.

Also the games run fine if on installing Parallels I create its own VM to use.
 
Last edited:
If you go into your device manager from the VM, you'll see that your GPU is not listed as AMD/NVIDIA/Intel but rather as a Parallels virtual device. The GPU emulation has a much more limited feature set. If what you're trying to play uses DirectX 11, for example, it's not going to run under Parallels.
 
iF34R said:
Do you have DirectX updated? Is it selected in the config for Parallels? Your card supports Shader 5.0.
Click to expand...

Things are set up no different to any other Virtual Machine that I create where everything runs fine.
 
Washac said:
Things are set up no different to any other Virtual Machine that I create where everything runs fine.
Click to expand...
Are your settings as such:

paravid.png
 
iF34R said:
That's odd. How are the settings when you boot straight to bootcamp? GPU drivers all updated, etc. ?
Click to expand...

Yup.

I am wondering if the problem is caused by the fact that the Bootcamp partition that I point Parallels towards is on a another drive, not the drive where I run Parallels.
 
That's interesting.. I'll get one of my usb hdd and setup bootcamp then parallels and see if I get the same results.
 
Out of curiosity, have you tried using VMWare? Parallels 9, and especially 10, were very problematic for me when creating a VM out of my Boot Camp partition. The latter worked precisely once before crashing and refusing to start the VM ever again. I switched to VMWare Fusion and all has been well ever since. Its gaming performance isn't as good as Parallels, but the only games I ever play through the VM are much older titles and emulators that don't have Mac ports, and it works just fine.
 
saturnotaku said:
Out of curiosity, have you tried using VMWare? Parallels 9, and especially 10, were very problematic for me when creating a VM out of my Boot Camp partition. The latter worked precisely once before crashing and refusing to start the VM ever again. I switched to VMWare Fusion and all has been well ever since. Its gaming performance isn't as good as Parallels, but the only games I ever play through the VM are much older titles and emulators that don't have Mac ports, and it works just fine.
Click to expand...

Installed a trial copy VMware Fusion 7 today and got exactly the same issues :(
 
Can you give me a specific game that you have this problem with? Is it on Steam, etc.? Also, the build number for Parallels.
 
iF34R said:
Can you give me a specific game that you have this problem with? Is it on Steam, etc.? Also, the build number for Parallels.
Click to expand...

Thanks for trying to help but I have given up with this idea now, I have spent today trying to get Parallels to boot into my Bootcamp partition with everything working as it should. I got to the point where it would not even boot into Bootcamp windows without throwing up errors, I really cannot waste anymore time on this. I will just carry on using Parallels with its own VM, and running Bootamp on my other drive,thanks for your time though appreciated, at least that way everything works :)
 
I still want to try and get an idea of where the problem stems from lol. Send me a message or reply here, and at least give me a couple game names and I'll test 'em out and see if I can duplicate the issues.
 
iF34R said:
Can you give me a specific game that you have this problem with? Is it on Steam, etc.? Also, the build number for Parallels.
Click to expand...
Tried again this morning just to get a few things straight, did not do anything any different and the game ran all be it in a laggy fashion, but it did load, why ? I have no idea.

Parallels build 9.0.24251
Game - LEGO: Jurassic World, its on steam, I know, Iknow, I stopped using steam sometime ago now, but the game was purchased as a gift to me.
 
Lol. It's ok, I'll look into it. You're on the latest Parallels build for sure. I wonder if it might be that you're not updated on the OS side?? I'll maybe do an install of Mavs and see what I can get.
 
iF34R said:
Maybe bad import? Dunno really lol. Do ANY games work via parallels when using bootcamp? Older games?
Click to expand...

For some reason I did not try and as I said at this moment in time Bootcamp works fine and Parallels works fine so happy with things, seems I just must not mix them :)

Just tried again and everything within Bootcamp via Parallels is just really laggy, time to stop this now, taking up to much time.
 
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