Working in the Coherence Mode

The Coherence mode is available only for Windows host operating systems and virtual machines with the Windows 2000 and later guest operating systems installed.

Coherence is a visual mode of working with a virtual machine that enables you to use your guest OS applications side by side with the host OS applications.

When you switch a running virtual machine with one or more running applications to the Coherence mode, you will see the guest OS applications windows on your host OS desktop along with the host OS applications windows.

Switching to the Coherence Mode

Only a running virtual machine with Parallels Tools installed can be switched to the Coherence mode.

To switch to the Coherence mode, do one of the following:

• click the icon on the toolbar
• choose Coherence from the View menu

To exit Coherence, click the Parallels Workstation Extreme tray icon and choose Exit Coherence .

Using Windows Guest OS Start Menu

When working in the Coherence mode, you may need to access the guest OS Start menu. To this effect, do the following:

1. Point the mouse to the host OS Start menu and the sign of the guest OS Start menu will pop up above.
2. Click this sign and the guest OS Start menu will open.

Distinguishing Guest OS Applications Windows From Host OS Applications Windows

When working with a virtual machine in the Coherence mode, you may confuse guest OS applications windows with host OS applications windows. Parallels Workstation Extreme allows you to distinguish these windows by adding a colored border to the guest OS applications windows.

To add a colored border, do the following:

1. Choose Configure from the Virtual Machine menu to open the Virtual Machine Configuration dialog.
2. Go to the Coherence pane and make sure that the Use borders option is selected.

   If you do not like the border color, you can change it in the General pane of the Virtual Machine Configuration dialog. Choose any from the available palette.

   For example, if you choose red and then switch the virtual machine to the Coherence mode, the borders of the guest OS applications windows will be red.

   Note: Select different colors for different virtual machines or you may confuse the guest OSs applications windows if you switch two or more virtual machines to the Coherence mode.