Tips to open HDD file

Can't open the HDD file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open HDD files as well as a list of programs that support HDD files.

HDD file extension

File Name Parallels Desktop Hard Disk Format
File Developer Parallels
File Category Disk Image Files

The HDD file is supported on 2 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the HDD files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the HDD file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 3
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is HDD file?

The HDD file has been categorized as Disk Image Files. It was designed by Parallels. Additionally, the Disk Image Files category contains 203 of other files. Parallels Desktop Hard Disk Format appears on 2 operating systems as a functional file. Although it can be found with greater or lesser success on any operating system, it will only be useful on Mac OS, Windows. Alternatively, you can use 3 other programs. VirtualBox, Parallels Workstation, VMware vCenter Converter Standalone will apply when it is not possible to use Parallels Desktop.

How to open HDD file?

The most common problem when using Parallels Desktop Hard Disk Format is that a specific HDD is not associated with the program. This causes the file HDD to open by system applications not designed for this purpose, or to display a message that there is no associated program. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the HDD file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install Parallels Desktop

In this case, you should first verify that the Parallels Desktop application is installed on the computer. This can be achieved by typing Parallels Desktop into the operating system search engine. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open HDD files.

Step 2. Create association of Parallels Desktop with HDD files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the HDD file to open in the Parallels Desktop application, but you can set it manually. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. The window will show, among other things, the type of the file and the information by which the program is used to launch the file. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. If there is no software on the list, simply select "Browse" and manually select the directory where the application is installed. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the Parallels Desktop application as the default for handling the HDD file.

Step 3. Update Parallels Desktop to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the Parallels Desktop program, it is possible that Parallels Desktop Hard Disk Format requires a newer version of the program.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the HDD file

Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The HDD file may be unusually small compared to the original file. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the HDD file. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
The computer may have fallen victim to a computer virus or hacker. Perform a virus scan using available and up-to-date anti-virus software. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our HDD file. However, remember that not every infected HDD file can be recovered, so it is important to take care of regular backups.
A typical compatibility error - the program does not support the older version of the HDD file. On their websites, developers usually offer free solutions to such problems, e.g. in the form of a conversion program or an older version of the program.
There can be many reasons for the failure. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Some programs offer the option of recovering data from damaged HDD files.
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted HDD files cannot be played on other computers than the one on which they were encrypted, they must be decrypted before using on another device.
Some operating systems do not allow file operations in certain locations, eg in system directories or directly on the system drive. The problem is only writing to the file, not reading it. Copying the HDD file to another location will fix the problem.
This problem usually affects more complex files. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Just close unnecessary programs. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. However, some background programs may block the HDD file while scanning. If the problem persists, restart the machine.