Resolution

Note: This article for Parallels Desktop 2.x and 3.0 only. For Parallels Desktop 4.0 or 5.0 for Mac  please check KB article: http://kb.parallels.com/en/5680

There are 3 ways to get  activation keys for previous versions:

Solution 1

If you registered Parallels Desktop in your account at Parallels web site or via Parallels Desktop for Mac application itself you can find activation key in your account. Please go to "My Account" -> "My registered Products"

You will see the list of registered activation keys.

Solution 2

1. Download attached LicenseChecker.app.zip file.
2. Unarchive it and double click.

NOTE: If you are using Safari, than file will be downloaded to Downloads folder and  unarchived automaticlally.

3. LicenseChecker.app will open 3 Text Editor windows each one contains license information for previous version of Parallels Desktop.
In each Text Editor window you will see three rows in the table: license field, owner field and organization field.
A 25-char license field is the same as your activation key (for Parallels Desktop 2.x).

For example:

[Main settings]
License = XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Onwer = someuser
Organization = somecompany

NOTE: The activation key is stored in the file without dividing dashes! If you need to register the key in your account on www.parallels.com site or re-activate your Parallels Desktop copy anew, please use dashes to divide key onto 5-character blocks:

XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

If you receive na error that file does not exist, it means that you do not have license for version mentioned in file name.

For example:

"The document ".parallels_licenses_2.2" could not be opened.The file does not exist."

Error means that there is no license for Parallels Desktop version 2.2

Solution 3 (involves operations in Terminal)

1. Open Finder,

2. Browse to Applications -> Utilities folder and start Terminal,

3. In case of Parallels Desktop for Mac 3.0 please type the command below and press Enter key:

cat /Library/Parallels/.parallels_license_3.0

In case of Parallels Desktop for Mac 2.5 please type the command below and press Enter key:

cat /Library/Parallels/.parallels_license_2.5



NOTE: The license files are hidden files that are not visible in Finder.

For information on retrieving license keys for Parallels Desktop for Mac 4, please see:
http://kb.parallels.com/en/5680