Parallels 3.0 crashes when installing Parallels Tools

I just put Parallels 3.0 on my Macbook Pro. During the install I chose express install and installed Windows XP. The install went fine but then I went to the Action pulldown menu and chose Parallels Tools. It installs almost 90% and then simply crashes giving me the option to reopen or close. I have completely removed the program by draging it from the Finder to the Trashcan (both the program and Windows XP Virtual Drive). It still does the same after nearly 10 installs. Any idea why it's doing this?

AubreyL said:

I just put Parallels 3.0 on my Macbook Pro. During the install I chose express install and installed Windows XP. The install went fine but then I went to the Action pulldown menu and chose Parallels Tools. It installs almost 90% and then simply crashes giving me the option to reopen or close. I have completely removed the program by draging it from the Finder to the Trashcan (both the program and Windows XP Virtual Drive). It still does the same after nearly 10 installs. Any idea why it's doing this?

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Have you tried uninstalling Parallels Tools from the Add/Remove Programs applet in Control Panel, rebooting and then installing again? I haven't had any problems with it.

What sort of Windows XP install CD are you using?

I am using a version of Windows XP Pro with SP2. I competely did a new install so it would go beyond the add/remove option you mentioned. I'm almost tempted to go back to my version used before 3.0 since that worked fine.

AubreyL said:

I am using a version of Windows XP Pro with SP2. I competely did a new install so it would go beyond the add/remove option you mentioned. I'm almost tempted to go back to my version used before 3.0 since that worked fine.

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Is that an OEM disc or retail? If OEM, is it manufacturer-specific (like HP or Dell)? I highly doubt it's 3.0 that's the problem, myself and many others have been running XP under 3.0 without any problem with PT.

I have used a Dell OEM I had from a computer I used to have but I trashed the computer when I got my mac and realized I can use Parallels. This never presented a problem with 2.0 but maybe now that 3.0 is out it does. I am going to be upgrading to 3.0 soon so I'll see what happens.

The problem with vendor-specific OEM versions is that they are tied specifically to the type of hardware they were made for. So, you may have driver and activation issues (in particular, the Dell OEM CDs look for a Dell BIOS and shouldn't activate if they don't see one). What you're going to have to decide now is whether you can live without all of the features that Parallels 3.0 adds (like 3D support, better coherence mode and integration with the host OS), while keeping in mind that one of these days automatic updates might stop functioning and you may have issues with keeping it activated. In addition, if you try to use that Dell machine with the copy of XP on that CD, you may have activation issues with that machine as well.