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Suspending/Resuming Virtual Machine

State of the running Virtual Machine with all its applications inside can be saved to disk for continuing executing guest OS at a later time. This is called suspending of the Virtual Machine. When suspending, Virtual Machine state is saved to hard disk in a .sav file. After this no matter how long you will not touch it, will you shut down your host computer or not, you may return to the saved Virtual Machine at any time and continue running the guest OS from the point where you stopped.

You may configure Parallels Workstation so that all the Virtual Machines will be suspended when you press the Power Off Power Off buttonbutton, or so that you will be asked whether you want to suspend or to power off the Virtual Machine on this action.

Configuring Parallels Workstation for Suspending

To be able to suspend a Virtual Machine you have to configure Parallels Workstation. 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 Suspend VM radio button if you definitely want that all Virtual Machines be suspended.

    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.

Suspending a Virtual Machine

To suspend a Virtual Machine if the Suspend VM configuration option is set:

  1. Click the Power Off Power Off buttonbutton during guest OS execution.
  2. Progress of saving is displayed in the Suspending VM window. When it is finished, the Virtual Machine property page is displayed.

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

  1. Click the Power Off Power Off buttonbutton during guest OS execution.
  2. In the Choose action to perform dialog click the Suspend button.
  3. Progress of saving is displayed in the Suspending VM window. When it is finished, the Virtual Machine property page is displayed.

Note. After suspending the Virtual Machine configuration can not be changed. If you begin editing despite of warning, the .sav file will be deleted and you will not be able to resume the Virtual Machine.

Resuming a Suspended Virtual Machine

To resume a suspended Virtual Machine:

  1. Open the Virtual Machine configuration by the ordinary way.
  2. Click the Power On Start Buttonbutton.
  3. Wait until the guest OS state is resumed. Process progress is displayed in the Resuming VM window.

After the Virtual Machine has been resumed, its .sav file is deleted.