How to install drivers for macbook pro under Parallels desktop 7?

Got parallels desktop installed on my macbook pro 13 inch 2011 model and finished windows 7 installation. However, it shows some drivers for the devices are not installed, and also the display driver is just showing VGA, etc. Can anybody advise how to update the drivers under Parallels desktop 7?

Many thanks!

 

Technically speaking, drivers for the base system under Parallels 7 are not required since it installs them all. I didn't have to install any base drivers when I put Windows 7 through Parallels on my early 2011 13" MBP and the same holds true for my mid-2011 13" MBA. Are you running the latest version of Parallels? It needs to be updated from time-to-time just like any other program.

I wouldn't worry about the what the display driver lists so long as Parallels is properly scaling Windows to appropriate resolutions. Now, if you aren't getting anything out of it other than 640X480 (i.e. VGA resolution), then you have problems.

Also make sure that you actually installed Parallels 7. I am not trying to be rude here so please don't take it that way. When I picked up a copy of Parallels 7 on a USB thumb drive, it was actually Parallels 6 that was on there. I had to enter a code to download Parallels 7 and install that. I didn't know it was Parallels 6 until half-way through the installation I read the actual product title.

 

From the top menu bar of Parallels, there is an option to "Install Parallels Tools" which is a driver package for all of that.

 

Do I need boot camp drivers if I am running Parallels? I have them installed, as show in my program list, under Windows 7.

 

Just tried it, and it works almost in full except the DVD rom, it only listed as virtual DVD-ROM, and won't recognize any media files on the disk. Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

no.. you do not need anything from Bootcamp to use Parallels... you need to only run Parallels drivers. If Bootcamp stuff is installed, it won't hurt though since Parallels is made to be able to run a Bootcamped install.

On the top menu bar somewhere (I forget the menu name right now) there are multiple hardware options for grabbing devices... you can set your DVD drive to an image, or to the actual drive, and you can grab USB devices and other such things over to Windows in Parallels. normally 1 device cannot work in both OSes at the same time, so you can enable and disable Parallels grabbing it from the menubar up top.

 

Thanks! By the way, I do want to install windows 7 over Parallels desktop on my Macbook air through usb as well, however, it only recognize from hard drive or external optical drive, any suggestions?

 

If you have a bootable thumb drive (or whatever) with Windows 7 on it, you should be able to install from that in Parallels. I noticed that it is asking for an image file. If that is the case, you can make an ISO of Windows 7 and use that for Parallels. In fact, if you downloaded Windows 7 from Microsoft, you should be able to use the ISO file that they let you download. Otherwise, if you just have the installation DVD/bootable thumb drive, you will likely have to create your own ISO file.

There is an option in Parallels to continue without a disc but I am not sure what that does (it may allow you to use a bootable thumb drive).

 

Thanks a lot!