Changing the Configuration at Runtime

Parallels Desktop allows you to connect or disconnect certain devices at runtime or switch some of them for using other media.

Generally, the following virtual devices can be connected or disconnected at runtime:

• Floppy disk drive
• CD/DVD-ROM drives
• Network adapter
• Sound device
• USB device
• Shared folders

If parallel and serial ports are present in the virtual machine configuration, you can also manage them at runtime.

Note: Only devices enabled in the virtual machine configuration can be connected or disconnected at runtime.

You can configure any of these devices in one of the following ways:

• Use the necessary command from the Devices menu in the menu bar. This menu is available only when the virtual machine is running.
• Click a device icon on the status bar and choose the command from a device shortcut menu.

  The status bar displays the devices information when the virtual machine is running.

• Drag and drop an image file (*.iso or *.fdd) or a shared folder on the appropriate device icon on the status bar. This option is available only for CD/DVD-ROM drives, floppy drives and shared folder only.

Connecting a CD/DVD-ROM or a Floppy Drive

If you have several CD/DVD-ROM drives connected to your virtual machine, in the Devices menu they are listed in the same order as they were connected. The first CD/DVD-ROM drive will be CD/DVD-ROM 1, the second will be CD/DVD-ROM 2, and so on.

Connecting a Network Adapter

You can set up any of the three network modes: Shared Networking, Bridged Networking, or Host-Only Networking.

Connecting a Sound Device

To connect or disconnect a sound device, choose the Activate or Mute options respectively. You can also choose the type of output and input devices.

Connecting a USB Device

Parallels Desktop automatically detects all USB devices plugged into your Mac computer. The devices that are currently connected to the virtual machine appear in the list from the Device menu. You cannot use a USB device in Mac OS X while it is being used by the virtual machine.

Connecting a Shared Folder

The Shared Folders options available at runtime are much alike the settings in the Virtual Machine Configuration dialog.

You can

• share all Mac disks or Home Folder only with the guest operating system
• share Windows guest operating system disks with Mac OS X
• add a new shared folder

Connecting a Serial Port

To connect or disconnect a serial port, do the following:

• Click the Devices menu, select the corresponding serial port, and choose the appropriate command in the displayed menu.
• Right-click the serial port icon in the status bar to display the shortcut menu, and choose the appropriate command.

Connecting a Parallel Port

To connect or disconnect a parallel port or to connect a printer or an output file to a parallel port, do the following:

• Click the Devices menu, select the corresponding parallel port, and choose the appropriate command in the displayed menu.
• Right-click the parallel port icon in the status bar to display the shortcut menu, and choose the appropriate command.

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