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Migration Scenarios

Parallels Transporter offers you several typical migration scenarios depending on the purpose of migration. After you make up your mind and choose the scenario, you can refer to Parallels Transporter Help for further instructions on the selected scenario of migration.

Using Parallels Transporter, you can migrate:

When migrating from a remote computer, you can use one of the following ways of transferring information:

When migrating data from a remote Windows or Linux computer, Parallels Transporter transfers data from the specified volume(s) of the source computer to a newly created Parallels virtual hard disk (.hdd) and creates a virtual machine configuration file (.pvs). These two files constitute a ready-to-use virtual machine. During the remote migration, only the active volume (the source computer boot volume) is made bootable, and the resulting virtual machine has the same operating system that was active during the migration. If Parallels Transporter is unable to identify the source operating system, all source volumes are migrated as data disks.

Migrating from a remote computer using the Parallels USB cable

This is the easiest and fastest way of migration. Before starting the migration, you connect your host and source computers with the help of the Parallels USB cable supplied with your Switch To Mac kit. On the source computer, you have Parallels Transporter Agent installed, while the host computer has Parallels Transporter installed.

Before you start the migration, you need to start Parallels Transporter Agent on the source computer and Parallels Transporter on the host computer. Parallels Transporter connects to Parallels Transporter Agent. Transporter Agent collects data on the source computer and transfers it to Parallels Transporter. Parallels Transporter saves the source computer data in a Parallels virtual machine or virtual disk on the host computer.

Note: This migration method is available for Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 7 (supported experimentally) source physical computers only.

Migrating from a remote computer over network

You can use this migration method if your host and source computers are remote from each other but connected to the same network. The process of migrating over network is mostly the same as the process of migrating using the Parallels USB cable. On the source computer you have Parallels Transporter Agent installed, while the host computer has Parallels Transporter installed.

Before you start the migration, you need to start Parallels Transporter Agent on the source computer and Parallels Transporter on the host computer. Then you specify the source computer IP address in the Parallels Transporter wizard window and Parallels Transporter connects to Parallels Transporter Agent. Parallels Transporter Agent collects data on the source computer and transfers it to Parallels Transporter. Parallels Transporter saves the source computer data in a Parallels virtual machine or virtual disk on the host computer.

Migrating from a remote computer using an external storage device

In this type of migration, Parallels Transporter Agent migrates data from your physical Windows or Linux computer to a virtual machine whose files are saved on a USB drive or other removable storage device connected to the source computer. Then you connect this storage device to your Mac and launch Parallels Transporter. Parallels Transporter migrates your resulting virtual machine or virtual disk to ypur Mac. After that, you open the virtual machine files in Parallels Desktop and work with your virtual machine or connect the resulting virtual disk to an existing virtual machine. This process requires more time than migrating over network or using the Parallels USB cable, but can be useful when there is no way to connect your source computer to your Mac.

Migrating from a third-party virtual machine

With Parallels Transporter, you can easily migrate data from a Microsoft Virtual PC, VMware, or VirtualBox virtual machine or virtual hard disk to a bootable Parallels virtual machine or Parallels virtual hard disk. Parallels Transporter converts the third-party virtual machine files into the Parallels format, leaving the applications and data intact. During the migration, Parallels Transporter creates a virtual machine configuration file (.pvs) and virtual hard disk file (.hdd). These files constitute a ready-to-use virtual machine.

When you are migrating a third-party virtual machine, Parallels Transporter may require the source operating system installation files to apply hardware changes to the operating system installed in this virtual machine. If Parallels Transporter is unable to identify the operating system installed in the source virtual machine, or if you cannot provide the operating system installation files, all volumes of the source virtual machine are migrated into Parallels virtual hard disks.

You can also migrate a Microsoft Virtual PC, VMware, or VirtualBox virtual hard disk to a bootable Parallels virtual machine if the disk has an operating system installed.

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