Shutting Down and Resetting Virtual Machine

A Virtual Machine can be shut down and reset in the same ways as a usual computer. If a guest operating system is normally closed using some internal command (such as Shut Down in Windows), it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to shut down the machine this way to ensure safety of your data. However if you are unable to stop the guest OS this way, you may use the Parallels Workstation controls that are the analog of the Power and Reset buttons on a real hardware system box.

Configuring Parallels Workstation to Be Able to Mandatory Stop a Virtual Machine

To be able to mandatory stop a Virtual Machine you have to configure Parallels Workstation previously.

You may configure Parallels Workstation so that all the Virtual Machines will be stopped when you press the Power Off button, or so that you will be asked whether you want to suspend or to power off the Virtual Machine on this action. Decide which option do you prefer and do the following:

1. Open the Common tab of the Preferences window.
2. In the VM shutdown behaviour group select one of the following options:
   • Select the Power Off radio button if you definitely want that all Virtual Machines be stopped when you press the Power Off button.
   • Select the Ask me what to do radio button if you want to be able to choose whether the Virtual Machine will be stopped or suspended when you press the Power Off button.

Mandatory Stopping a Virtual Machine

To mandatory stop a Virtual Machine if the Power Off configuration option is set:

1. Click the Power Off button during guest OS execution. The Virtual Machine will be stopped immediately.

To mandatory stop a Virtual Machine if the Ask me what to do configuration option is set:

1. Click the Power Off button on the Parallels Workstation toolbar or select Power Off in the VM menu. The Virtual Machine is temporarily paused.
2. In the Choose action to perform dialog click the Power Off button. The Virtual Machine shuts down immediately.

Resetting a Virtual Machine

To reset a Virtual Machine, do one of the following :

• Click the Reset button on the Parallels Workstation toolbar or select Reset in the VM menu.

  This activates a hard restart of a guest operating system. This operation often initiates the hard disk checking process inside a guest operating system the next time it is started up.

• Select Send Ctrl+Alt+Del in the VM menu or press Ctrl+Alt+Ins while the keyboard is captured inside a Virtual Machine window.

  This initiates a soft restart of a guest operating system by sending a Ctrl+Alt+Del command to the Virtual Machine.