Parallels software allows for the creation of Windows virtual machines on a Macintosh with in Intel processor. It is very good virtualization software. However, there is one caveat in regard to Altiris Inventory Solution for Windows. Currently, aexsnplus.exe causes an "unhandled win32 exception" on Windows virtual machines in Parallels. Research shows that Parallels uses tinyBIOS. According to the creator, "tinyBIOS™ was designed from the ground up for embedded PC applications such as network appliances. It is designed for easy adaptation and simple code. Features not needed or desired for embedded use have been left out." (Source: http://www.pcengines.ch/tinybios.htm) Due to the limited nature of tinyBIOS, it does not provide enough data for aexsnplus to recognize as a bios dump. It is virtually empty except for very small snippets of identifying information. The resolution is to create an aexinvsoln*.ini file that omits aexsnplus.exe and apply this .ini file to a program/policy/collection for Parallels Windows machines and excluding Parallels Windows machines from other inventory collections. Parallels has indicated that they plan to support the EFI Bios format next year. Hopefully, Altiris/Symantec will support EFI by then, also. All other Inventory Solution for Windows software appears to run normally in Parallels Windows machines. This error does not occur in VMware's Fusion for Mac.