Selecting and Opening Virtual Machine

When you launch Parallels Workstation, the last used Virtual Machine is opened by default. This option is controlled by the Load last VM setting on the Common tab of the Preferences window. You may turn this option off, to start Parallels Workstation with Startup Options dialog, which is discussed in the separate topic Startup Options Dialog, or with blank Virtual Machine. In these cases last used machine can be opened via recently used list.

The ways to open Virtual Machines other than the last used one are the following:

• List of recently used configurations;
• Browsing hard disk for a configuration;
• Open Virtual Machine in a new window.

Opening Recently Used Configuration

The list of recently used configurations in the File menu displays six most recently used configuration files. Use this method to open a Virtual Machine you recently worked with.

If the required Virtual Machine is not shown in the recently used list, you may find it browsing hard disk for its configuration file manually.

Browsing Hard Disk for a Configuration

To select a Virtual Machine that is not represented in the recently used list, you should perform the following operations:

1. Click the icon on the Command Button panel at the bottom of the Parallel Workstation window or select Open in the File menu.
2. Browse for a desired configuration file and click OK. After the configuration file is opened, its file name appears in the Parallels Workstation title bar, name of Virtual Machine and full configuration file name with path are displayed on the property page.

Opening Virtual Machine in a New Window

You may open an additional instance of the Parallels Workstation using menu item of the current Parallels Workstation window. To do this:

• Select New Window command in the File menu.

Since last used Virtual Machine is blocked by that Parallels Workstation instance where you issue this command, new window is opened with the Startup Options dialog, if the appropriate option is selected on in the Common tab of the Preferences window, or with a blank Virtual Machine.