cannot shut down virtual machine mac parallels windows 7

If you run into this issue, follow the instructions HERE. Another option for Windows and Linux is to use VirtualBox, which is free for every purpose. It is common however for the Virtual Machine to then have an issue shutting down, where it continuously restarts. Parallels Desktop Lite is free to download and use for the purposes described here, additional features and operating system support can be unlocked through in-app purchases but that is not necessary for running a Mac OS virtual machine. When Parallels opens back up it only gives the option to resume the machine that is 'Suspended' but not actually shut down.

Confirm you want to Shut Down and Stop the Virtual MachineĪt this point you should be able to start up the Virtual Machine again like normal. When a Parallels Virtual Machine is left unattended for a long period of time, it is common for it to get stuck on a black screen, where closing the application, restarting, and reopening will not fix the issue.

If the toolbar isn't visible, you need to exit full screen, or move the mouse cursor up towards the top of the screen until it shows up.

Select 'Action' from the Virtual Machine's Toolbar.

When Parallels opens back up it only gives the option to resume the machine that is 'Suspended' but not actually shut down. Note: although Parallels Desktop 16 and earlier allows you to set a custom RAM value, we strongly advise keeping the value a multiple of 1024 (1024, 2048, 3072, etc.), otherwise Windows may behave incorrectly. When a Parallels Virtual Machine is left unattended for a long period of time, it is common for it to get stuck on a black screen, where closing the application, restarting, and reopening will not fix the issue. Assigning more than half of CPUs for the virtual machine may cause performance degradation for both Mac and VM.

This document details how to fix the common issue where a Parallels Virtual Machine is stuck on a black screen.

Cannot shut down virtual machine mac parallels windows 7