[MacTUG] More Feedback on Parallels Desktop Tweaker

[Marlon A. Griffith]

xlr8yourmac -   " Hi Mike, I have a MacBook 2 GHz with 1 GB of RAM 
running 10.4.7 with APE 2.0.1. I used Parallels with 512 MB of RAM.
     Before installing PD Tweaker, when clicking on the Apple Menu, 
the system became unresponsive and I had to wait for twenty seconds 
before having the menu opened. All apps were also unresponsive. After 
install, I can now switch between opened applications and even open 
the Apple Menu also quite slow. Besides Parallels opens a warning 
when you do that.
     In all, I can now keep Parallels opened and switch to it without a problem.

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First feedback on Parallels Desktop Tweaker
Yesterday's news had notes from the author on Parallels Desktop 
Tweaker 1.0. Here's the first reader feedback on using it:

     " Mike, I too have tested PD Tweaker for a few minutes this 
morning. I did not notice a reduction in RAM used by the system 
Posted by another user. (I asked if he checked that after longer term 
use, instead of just a few minutes.-Mike)
     I will try a longer test tonight after work. (see later comments 
below) I should mention that I have the 17" Intel iMac 1.83 Ghz with 
1.5 GB of RAM, everything else is stock configuration.

     What I did notice is a massive improvement in OS X App's when 
running a Parallels Guest. I have 1.5 GB of RAM with 512 MB for 
Parallels Guests.
     Prior to PD Tweaker, Safari and Mail for example would be 
extremely slow to respond and were generally slow at rendering Mails 
and Web Pages. Launching new apps would take abnormally long time to 
launch. With PD tweaker App's in OS X are fast as normal and 
launching new apps is only slightly slower than without running 
Parallels.
     (he later wrote)
     I did a longer test ~1/2 hour - 45 Minutes and Apps in OS X were 
still fast to launch. After some more testing it does appear that 
parallels is using 200 MB less RAM on my system then before PD 
Tweaker was installed.
     Best regards, John M. "

     " I've been running PD tweaker all morning. I have a MacBook 
2.0Ghz with 1GB ram. I definitely noticed a huge slowdown for the 
rest of OS X when running Parallels with anywhere between 256 and 
412MB of RAM allocated.

     PD tweaker seems to have helped immensely. I'm sorry I don't have 
any quantitative numbers but system responsiveness is much improved 
while using OS X concurrently with Parallels. XP never seemed to slow 
down the way OS X did before PD tweaker. It seemed as if Parallels 
was using an unfair amount of my system resources.
     Cheers, Josh "

     " Hi Mike, Have played with the PD Tweaker for a few hours. My 
machine is a MacBook 1.83GHz with 2GB RAM. 640MB assigned to 
Parallels.
     I personally don't notice Parallels getting any faster or slower.
     HOWEVER. The amount of RAM left for the system is night and day.
     Before the tweak. When Parallels is running only 448MB of RAM is 
left (free). After the tweak, guess what? 884MB!
     That means I can run many more apps along with Parallels.
     -Pollux "

A reader replied to his comment:

     " Pollux said "640MB assigned to Parallels. I personally don't 
notice Parallels getting any faster or slower"
     This is because he has 640MB assigned to Parallels Desktop.
     If he gives only 340MB, he would notice that his VM works a lot 
faster and more efficient. Parallels recommends not to give more than 
512MB (to Desktop).
     -Tony "

I welcome other reports from anyone using this. (Include system/ram 
info - thanks)
BTW - There's a recent update to Unsanity's Application Enhancer 
2.0.1 which PD Tweaker requires. V2.0.1 fixes two of the "known 
issues" mentioned at the PD Tweaker page.