Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition is the right tool to use if you want to run Windows 10 on your macOS computer. However, the program may occasionally fail to launch. This issue can manifest itself in a variety of ways. Parallels Desktop starts normally, but then crashes to the desktop after five seconds, or it continues to spin with no visible progress.
Symptoms
Parallels Desktop cannot be started because the Parallels services cannot be started.
cause
- Parallels Desktop is unable to connect to one of the necessary services.
- An authentication failure of system kernel extensions has occurred.
- Parallels Desktop does not have access to the system kernel extensions.
- The macOS® operating system does not allow Parallels Desktop kernel extensions to load due to system policy.
- Most of the time, the behavior is caused by a macOS misconfiguration that results in incorrect folder permissions and access errors.
Read blog : Installing Windows on a Mac with Parallels
Solutions and Troubleshooting
Note: The behavior has been mostly resolved in macOS (Big Sur) and later. As a result, the first step is to update macOS®, which is detailed here. If that isn’t an option, the steps below may help.
Please open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and run the following command as a first step in troubleshooting:
ls-Ol/private/var/db/| grep’restricted’
Examine the command output, and if the resulting list lacks the KernelExtensionManagement folder, proceed as follows:
- Start your Mac in macOS Recovery mode. To do so, restart your Mac and press Command+R until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
- Once in recovery, launch Disk Utility and make a note of the name of your Mac’s primary drive. It’s set to Macintosh HD by default.
- Close Disk Utility and select Utilities > Terminal from the top menu bar.
- In Terminal, type chflags restricted “/Volumes/Macintosh HD/private/var/db/KernelExtensionManagement”
Please keep in mind that if your Mac’s hard drive isn’t named Macintosh HD, you’ll need to alter the command accordingly.
- Click the Apple logo > Restart… to restart your Mac.
Troubleshooting in depth
- Open Terminal by selecting Finder-Applications-Utilities-Terminal from the menu bar.
- Compile and run the following command:
Sudo kextcache–clear-staging
To run the command, you’ll need to enter your Mac password. For security reasons, no symbols will be displayed, so simply press the keys and press return or enter.
- Start Parallels Desktop and see whether it works. If the problem persists, use the following command:
sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions
Note: To run the command, you’ll need to enter your Mac password. For security reasons, no symbols will be displayed, so simply press the keys and press return or enter.
- Restart your Mac and try to open Parallels Desktop again.
- Restart your Mac into macOS Recovery if the problem persists. To do so, restart your Mac and press Command+R on the keyboard until you see the Apple logo on the screen.
Note: If you don’t see the Utilities window right away, it’s possible you didn’t hit Command+R quickly enough. Restart your Mac and give it another shot.
- Select Utilities and then Terminal from the top menu bar.
- Type the following command (note that all characters in the last part must be capitalized; otherwise, the command will fail):
4C6364ACXT spctl kext-consent add
To run the command, press return or enter after typing it.
- The following image should appear because of running this command:
- To restart your Mac in regular mode, type reboot or go to Apple logo > Restart…
- Restart Parallels Desktop and see whether it works.
- If none of the procedures above have worked, the only option is to reinstall macOS® from Recovery and update the system files according to the article’s recommendations. When you reinstall macOS® from Recovery, only system files are updated, leaving your personal data and installed applications untouched.
MDM is used to deploy Parallels Desktop.
Disable MDM or review its settings if you’re installing Parallels Desktop in an enterprise environment. If certain manageable profile options are enabled, it may prevent extension installation.
Refer to the IT Administrator’s Guide for Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition to configure MDM profiles for usage with Parallels Desktop (p.31).
Conclusion
Parallels Desktop startup problems are common and can appear in a variety of ways. Check that the Parallels version you’re using is compatible with your macOS version to resolve the issue. Then turn off your antivirus and make sure Parallels is enabled for the account you’re using. Which of these options worked best for you? Please let us know in the comments section below.
