I’m currently migrating a substantial number of virtual machines (VMs) from Virtual Server to Hyper-V server. Although this is a fairly painless process, a common error for Windows VMs relates to the parallel port service. The system eventlog error goes something like:
The parallel port driver service failed to start due to the following error: The service cannot be started, either because it was disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it.
The reason for this is quite simple: Virtual Server supported parallel ports, whilst Hyper-V doesn’t. Typically, any basic VM created through VS will incorporate a virtual parallel port even once the Hyper-V integration components includes in the new HAL are installed.
There are two options here, you can either manually hack your way through Windows removing all traces of the parallel port, or much simpler, completely disable the parallel port service. The latter is somewhat easier, and may be accomplished in a matter of minutes:
- Backup your registry
- Open Regedit
- Go to HKLM > System > CurrentControlSet > Services > ParPort
- Change the start parameter value to 4.
- Restart your server – optional, but I do this to confirm this has worked.
That’s it. Upon the next restart, you should not get any service alert for the parallel port.
Also possible to remove device(s):
Open a command box (on vista or 2008 open with administrative rights)
type “set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1”
type “devmgmt.msc”
in “view” select “show hidden devices”
you can now remove devices like the old NIC and LPT