Parallels tech preview for M1

[leman]

Look, the ARM architecture specification is the reference, not some random Linux conference and neither some Power Point slides. It is the one place where ARMv8 is de facto defined.
It is very clearly stated there: "Features that are optional are explicitly defined as such in this Manual." So if it is optional, it must be in the ARMv8-A architecture specification.

So does your claim of optionality of AArch32 matches the ARMv8-A spec? I do not think so.

I think part of the confusion is how the reference uses the nomenclature, specifically what constitutes a "feature". In my understanding, an execution state is not a "feature", an execution state either supports or doesn't support a "feature". The reference itself doesn't seem to prescribe which execution states have to be supported. You can of course put your foot down and say "the reference doesn't say it outright, so it must be this or other way", but this kind of normative lawyering is not the most constructive thing to do. And no matter which interpretation you argue for it doesn't change the facts:

- There exist CPUs that implement ARMv8 while not supporting AArch32 (e.g. newer Apple chips)
- There exist CPUs that implement ARMv8 while not supporting AArch64 (e.g. ARM Cortex-A32)
- Future ARM high-perormance cores are dropping AArch32

In fact apps for AArch32 execution state do have some advantages when it comes to memory footprint, when they are compiled for T32 - which all Windows ARM32 Apps are.

Which might be relevant if you are running an embedded system, but for general computing? Like those extra 5-10% will make any difference. The performance benefit of Aarch64 is much more relevant than saving couple of bytes...

 

[Quackers]

Is it still necessary to disable time sync?
I ask because I've just installed everything and updated to v. 21301 and left it alone for a while.
When I came back to it it was frozen and would accept no input at all. Is this about the time sync thing or is it something else with this version? I've also disabled "Pause Windows".
By the way, it was going really well
Thanks all!

 

[KPOM]

Is it still necessary to disable time sync?
I ask because I've just installed everything and updated to v. 21301 and left it alone for a while.
When I came back to it it was frozen and would accept no input at all. Is this about the time sync thing or is it something else with this version? I've also disabled "Pause Windows".
By the way, it was going really well
Thanks all!

I have not needed to disable the time sync since the update to the beta. I updated Windows earlier this week.

 

[Quackers]

I have not needed to disable the time sync since the update to the beta. I updated Windows earlier this week.

Thanks. I've disabled pause windows so I think I'll try re-enabling time sync and see if it happens again.

 

[Quackers]

Ubuntu Desktop 20.04.2 LTS now running too

 

[thedocbwarren]

Ubuntu Desktop 20.04.2 LTS now running too
View attachment 1727224

20.10 as well, just need to get Parallels tools when it's available.

 

[Quackers]

20.10 as well, just need to get Parallels tools when it's available.

Yes, mine's only on the tech preview but I'll invest when Parallels for M1 is finished.

 

[thedocbwarren]

Yes, mine's only on the tech preview but I'll invest when Parallels for M1 is finished.

Yup, me too. I'm really impressed so far. I have two licenses of VMWare Fusion but if they don't get there I'll move to Parallels. VMWare has been way too silent and not working with the community like Parallels is.

 

[MooffooM]

While not working with the community, from VMware's site:

“While we’re not quite ready to announce our timeline, we’re happy to say that we are committed to delivering VMware virtual machines on Apple Silicon!”

Dated December 2020 in this post:

Big Sur, the Apple M1 Chip, and How VMware Makes it All Work for the Enterprise

 

[Quackers]

Yup, me too. I'm really impressed so far. I have two licenses of VMWare Fusion but if they don't get there I'll move to Parallels. VMWare has been way too silent and not working with the community like Parallels is.

I had VMWare too a few years ago.
Here's an interesting article from Corellium giving some insight into the difficulties of porting Linux to M1's, not as straightforward as I'd have imagined.
https://corellium.com/blog/linux-m1

 

[thedocbwarren]

While not working with the community, from VMware's site:

“While we’re not quite ready to announce our timeline, we’re happy to say that we are committed to delivering VMware virtual machines on Apple Silicon!”

Dated December 2020 in this post:

Big Sur, the Apple M1 Chip, and How VMware Makes it All Work for the Enterprise

Yes, it's quite different response than from Parallels as we already have working previews from them plus ways to even install Windows 10 Arm from Insiders. Plus working QEMU codebases that do the same. It's not too surprising considering it's VMWare and they have to be enterprise-y. A statement from December and nothing is seen vs working code makes them seem lacking.

I've seen responses like this from some open-source teams that basically respond with ?‍♂️ but that's very different.

 

[hunkster]

If I forget to Pause or Shutdown Parallels' Windows, it seems that overnight my battery can drain up to almost 30% sometimes, after I close the lid of the laptop.

Can't disable Power Nap cos it's no longer an option.

Meantime in Menubar Stats, I see the battery cycle count increasing when I use the laptop in the morning and it tries to charge to full due to the discharge overnight during sleep.

Anyone else seeing such battery drain even trying to make the laptop sleep?

 

[Quackers]

If I forget to Pause or Shutdown Parallels' Windows, it seems that overnight my battery can drain up to almost 30% sometimes, after I close the lid of the laptop.

Can't disable Power Nap cos it's no longer an option.

Meantime in Menubar Stats, I see the battery cycle count increasing when I use the laptop in the morning and it tries to charge to full due to the discharge overnight during sleep.

Anyone else seeing such battery drain even trying to make the laptop sleep?

I haven't but I always shut down the VM before I close Parallels.

 

[hunkster]

I haven't but I always shut down the VM before I close Parallels.

Looks like I'll just have to remember to do this then, but filed a report with Parallels anyway in case this is something they can look into.

 

[leman]

I just tried Parallels Preview with Windows 10 insider build 21286 — worked out of the box and seems to run some legacy windows tools we use smoothly enough. I also tried Unigine Valley — it ran very smoothy at stable 35 FPS with the result score of 1444 (1920x1200, Ultra) — not too shabby under virtualization when you compare it with desktop 1050 Ti under native Windows.

Steam doesn't work for me though — the main window is just black. Anyone has an idea how to fix it? I want to try 3dmark

 

[gank41]

I just tried Parallels Preview with Windows 10 insider build 21286 — worked out of the box and seems to run some legacy windows tools we use smoothly enough. I also tried Unigine Valley — it ran very smoothy at stable 35 FPS with the result score of 1444 (1920x1200, Ultra) — not too shabby under virtualization when you compare it with desktop 1050 Ti under native Windows.

Steam doesn't work for me though — the main window is just black. Anyone has an idea how to fix it? I want to try 3dmark

I think Steam just needs to work on making an ARM version.

 

[leman]

I think Steam just needs to work on making an ARM version.

They do, but the x86 version of the app should still work under emulation.

 

[Toutou]

Steam should work just fine if you have Rosetta 2 installed. It's literally the same as on Intel Macs, no extra steps, no tweaking.

edit: missed the thread I was in

 

[gank41]

Steam should work just fine if you have Rosetta 2 installed. It's literally the same as on Intel Macs, no extra steps, no tweaking.

Apologies. I was taking that as the VM of Windows 10 for ARM doesn’t run Steam.

 

[leman]

Steam should work just fine if you have Rosetta 2 installed. It's literally the same as on Intel Macs, no extra steps, no tweaking.

We are talking about Windows on ARM running under Parallels. Stream works perfectly fine under MacOS.

 

[mattiowa]

I just tried Parallels Preview with Windows 10 insider build 21286 — worked out of the box and seems to run some legacy windows tools we use smoothly enough. I also tried Unigine Valley — it ran very smoothy at stable 35 FPS with the result score of 1444 (1920x1200, Ultra) — not too shabby under virtualization when you compare it with desktop 1050 Ti under native Windows.

Steam doesn't work for me though — the main window is just black. Anyone has an idea how to fix it? I want to try 3dmark

See: https://www.drivereasy.com/knowledge/fix-steam-black-screen-not-loading-2020/

Step 5 worked for me on Parallels ARM on my M1 MacBook Pro.

 

[Jhax01]

None of those fixes worked for me for whatever reason but Steam is fine in big picture mode.

 

[landonh12]

Parallels Tech Preview just got updated! Parallels tools works for Linux distros now! No more 1024x768 resolution!!!! WOO!!!

 

[Toutou]

Parallels tools works for Linux distros now!

Is there a list somewhere of distros that currently work?

 

[landonh12]

Is there a list somewhere of distros that currently work?

Here's the update: