Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

rMBP + Windows 8 on parallels -> blurred programs

R

rodrigoluizb

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 30, 2013
46
2
Campinas, SP, Brazil
Hey guys

I installed a Win 8.1 VM via Parallels and the programs installed on windows are blurred. The main windows interface is retina like, but all programs i'm using, like Matlab are non-retina like. I'm wondering if this problem is from Parallels, Windows 8.1 (read something windows 8.1 can't handle HiDPI) or i'm using programs that don't support HiDPI. Does anybody know how to resolve this problem?
 
Last edited:
My own experience is not with Parallels as I use VMWare Fusion but this may be an avenue for you to explore.

I have turned off the setting in VMWare to use the full resolution of the Retina Display as the windows were getting resized whenever I moved the VM window from one screen to another - I have a Dell U2410 24-in monitor. The Windows resolution would revert to 640x400 when the setting was turned on and the VM window moved to the Retina screen, but would not revert to the old setting (1280x800) when moved back to the Dell screen.

With the setting turned off, the VM windows now do not auto-resize and stay at the set resolution across both screens.

Like I said, not identical to your issue, but may be worth exploring turning off the option in Parallels (if there is one) to use full Retina resolution.
 
If I understand the problem correctly this is basically the same issue Retina has on OSX: Some programs have not been updated to support it.

Windows has a very similar system (DPI scaling) and it's not properly supported by many pieces of software yet. When it's not supported the OS just ends up doing the scaling on the existing assets, which makes them blurry. For example, the Spotify client does not currently support DPI scaling and will be blurry (even text) when you use anything > 100%.

So... My guess would be that Parallels set up DPI scaling by default because you're on a Retina system (otherwise the Windows interface itself would be tiny) and you're using software that doesn't support DPI scaling yet.
 
OldMacUser said:
My own experience is not with Parallels as I use VMWare Fusion but this may be an avenue for you to explore.

I have turned off the setting in VMWare to use the full resolution of the Retina Display as the windows were getting resized whenever I moved the VM window from one screen to another - I have a Dell U2410 24-in monitor. The Windows resolution would revert to 640x400 when the setting was turned on and the VM window moved to the Retina screen, but would not revert to the old setting (1280x800) when moved back to the Dell screen.

With the setting turned off, the VM windows now do not auto-resize and stay at the set resolution across both screens.

Like I said, not identical to your issue, but may be worth exploring turning off the option in Parallels (if there is one) to use full Retina resolution.
Click to expand...

So this problem is fixable on RetinaMBP with VMWare fusion 6?

I am looking to purchase either a 13 MBA or rMBP and use VMWare fusion to run windows 7 to look at medical imaging (X-rays, CT scans) for preop planning.

It would be an issue if it could not display images correctly.
 
rodrigoluizb said:
Hey guys

I installed a Win 8.1 VM via Parallels and the programs installed on windows are blurred. The main windows interface is retina like, but all programs i'm using, like Matlab are non-retina like. I'm wondering if this problem is from Parallels, Windows 8.1 (read something windows 8.1 can't handle HiDPI) or i'm using programs that don't support HiDPI. Does anybody know how to resolve this problem?
Click to expand...

this is a windows 8.1 problem, it happens even natively on windows boxes with high dpi screens.

the solution --
1. right-click on the program's icon, select 'properties'
2. compatibility -> disable scaling

do this for all programs that are blurry.

it should help, however there will be some programs that can't be fixed no matter what you try. maybe windows 9 will handle hi-dpi a little better.
 
adww12321 said:
this is a windows 8.1 problem, it happens even natively on windows boxes with high dpi screens.

the solution --
1. right-click on the program's icon, select 'properties'
2. compatibility -> disable scaling

do this for all programs that are blurry.

it should help, however there will be some programs that can't be fixed no matter what you try. maybe windows 9 will handle hi-dpi a little better.
Click to expand...

This solved my issue with Chrome. Thanks for the info!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back