Virtual machine question on windows 7

metalmackey

metalmackey

metalmackey

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Hello Guys,

With the Virtual PC you download to run "XP Mode", can you only install XP? I tried creating a new machine with 8mb ram and tried installing FreeDOS but it says invalid operating system.

Thanks
 
XP Mode is an installation of XP intergrated into Windows 7, but the driving force behind it is Microsoft Virtual PC. This is a piece of software MS bought of the original designers years ago, and have hardly upgraded since. Other than the intergration in 7 of XP Mode, its pretty pants.

If you want to run virtual machines, use Virtual Box from Sun. Its free (as far as i know) and runs all sorts. Ive had various Linux and Windows installs running on it.
 
Another vote for Virtual box here too. I used to use Virtual PC 2007 on vista which was ok for XP guests. But on Windows 7 they have done something odd to it. It didnt quite work for me with a non XP-Mode guest (I run a VM of a disk image of my works laptop as it runs better on my desktop as a VM than the actual laptop itself!!)

I use virtual box now and it seems pretty good. I miss the drag and drop between windows/machines, but the shared folder functionality works pretty good.

The VM can even see the shared folder when I'm VPN'd and Network Connected into my work.
 
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Just to point out (in case it matters) that USB passthrough is broken in VirtualBox when it's running on a 64-bit host (or it was the last time I used it).

Not really an issue with a FreeDOS VM though presumably...
 
When was that broken? It was fine for me the other day running virtual box 3.1.0. Using Win 7 64-bit as host and XP as the guest.

Ive not tried it since upgrading to 3.1.2
 
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VirtualBox works a treat thanks guys:)

Is it possibe (and legal ofcourse) to use my "XP Mode" license key in a VB machine instead of the MS virtual PC?
 
i have ubuntu 9.10 running in Windows Virtual PC. Runs fine.
I also have xp runnimg on Ubuntu in virtualbox which runs much better.
 
PlumpMonkey said:
When was that broken? It was fine for me the other day running virtual box 3.1.0. Using Win 7 64-bit as host and XP as the guest.

Ive not tried it since upgrading to 3.1.2
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I tried it a few weeks back and couldn't get it to work (Win7 x64 host, XP guest). Not sure what virtualbox version.
Other than this though Virtualbox is awesome. Especially seamless mode.
 
Guys - you might want to consider VMWare, the freebie "Player" version, if you want to get your USBs working. I'm a DMX hobbyist (yeah disco lights!) which uses a fairly obscure USB hardware interface. This worked fine in Windows 98, 2000 and XP, but not in 7. Virtualbox and Virtual PC don't have the USB pass-thru, but VMWare does, and it got my DMX interface working perfecto again.
 
Monserrat said:
Guys - you might want to consider VMWare, the freebie "Player" version, if you want to get your USBs working. I'm a DMX hobbyist (yeah disco lights!) which uses a fairly obscure USB hardware interface. This worked fine in Windows 98, 2000 and XP, but not in 7. Virtualbox and Virtual PC don't have the USB pass-thru, but VMWare does, and it got my DMX interface working perfecto again.
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I second the suggestion of VMWare Player. I downloaded the latest version and it even allows you to create new VM's much like SUN's virtual box software.

It was suprising the first time i plugged in an ext hdd with a VM running as the VM picked up the hdd straight away.
 
I had discounted VMPlayer as the last time I used it (about 12 months ago) you couldn't create new machines. You had to get the paid for version of VM to make them.

If they have relaxed this restriction then I might give it a blast. I use VMware at work and I much prefer VMwares ability to drag and drop between the host and guest.
 
I just tried a USB key on pass through from Win 7 x64 host to XP guest. First time i plugged the key in to a USB slot and selected the device in the VM, Win 7 tried to install a diver and failed.

I then put the USB key into a different USB slot, and tried again, and it worked ok. No driver install. So it does appear that there is still something kooky going on.

Ill have a play with VMplayer tonight I think.
 
OpenGL seems to run quite well in Virtualbox using Ubuntu as the guest. Do any VM's support direct3D in the guest OS yet? Doesn't in Virtualbox with xp as the guest.
 
marc2003 said:
i see from an earlier post you're going to try vmware player. when you do, you'll see it's directx support dumps all over virtualbox from a great height. :p
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You're not kidding. I just tried VMware Player and a D3D app I tried ran great, didn't find any 3d modes in Virtualbox so refused to run.
 
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