Windows 7 Feature Focus: Virtual Windows XP (AKA XP Mode)
Posted 07/14/09 at 01:30:00 PM by Mark Edward Soper
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Networking in XPM
Normally, if your Windows 7 host PC is able to connect to the Internet, so can your XPM VM. However, if you want XPM to use the resources of other physical PCs on your network, you might need to tweak the normal network settings. If you are unable to view other network PCs from XPM's My Network Places menu, check the following:
1. Make sure the workgroup name in XPM matches the name of your existing workgroup. To see the current setting, right-click My Computer from the XPM Start menu, select Properties, and click Computer Name. If the workgroup name needs to be changed, click Change, click Workgroup, and enter the correct workgroup name. Click OK, and restart XPM to finish the process.
2. If you are still unable to "see" other PCs on the network from within XPM, click the Tools button at the top of the XPM window, click Settings, and look at the Networking setting. The default setting is Shared Networking (NAT). If this setting does not permit you to see workgroup computers, select the physical network adapter in your system:
You can still access the network and the Internet from the physical PC hosting Virtual Windows XP as well as from within XPM.
Working with USB Devices
XPM is way ahead of Virtual PC 2007 in its handling of USB devices such as printers, scanners, and mass storage devices (VPC 2007 didn't support USB mass storage at all). However, using USB devices in either XPM mode requires that you understand how to attach and release them as needed.
Open the USB menu to see the USB devices available to Virtual Windows XP. The devices are listed in two categories: Attach and Shared. Devices listed in the Shared category are supposed to be available automatically to both the Windows 7 host and XPM. However, in my tests, I found that both types of devices needed to be attached to XPM to make them available to XPM in either Desktop or Seamless modes.
Reminder: when a device is attached to XPM, it cannot be used by your host Windows 7 operating system.
Attaching/Releasing a Device
To attach a device, open XPM's USB menu and click a device with the status of Attach or Shared (if the device status is listed as Release, it is already attached to XPM):
XPM detects the device, and if you are attaching it for the first time, XPM will prompt you to search for drivers with the Found New Hardware Wizard, or you can install drivers manually. If the wizard is unable to install drivers automatically, download the latest Windows XP-compatible driver for your device within XPM and install it. You might be prompted to reboot XPM to complete driver installation.
Tip: if you are installing a multifunction device, do not reboot XPM until you have finished installing all of the drivers and utilities necessary.
After drivers are installed, you might need to open the USB menu again and attach the device before you can use it. In this example, we're using the Epson Scan feature of the Epson WorkForce 600:
When you are finished with the device, open the USB menu again and click the device to release it. The device can then be used by the host Windows 7 session.
Reminder: You must attach devices with XPM Desktop mode before they can be used by applications running in XPM Seamless mode.
So, is XP Mode for you?
If you're trying to run 3D games that don't get along with Windows 7, the answer is 'No'.
But, if you need to get more life out of peripherals or applications that don't run under Windows 7, or you need to run Windows XP without rebooting your Windows 7 PC, the answer might be 'Yes.'
XP Mode is free to try right now with Windows 7 RC, and if you want to use its final version after Windows 7 goes live, be sure to upgrade to Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, or Enterprise editions (it will be free for those editions, but will not work with Home Premium).
Tell us how you're doing with XP Mode - click Comment to get started.
XP Mode problem - Help Please
Submitted by AzMonguse on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 8:02am
I just installed Win7 and XP Mode - yet when I try to run XP Mode I ger this error: "Cannont start virtual pc while another virtualization software is running. Please close the other vistualization software and try again."
I have uninstalled both files needed to set-up XP Mode searched the hard drives for any other copy and I cannot find any. Can anyone help me out with this problem?
Submitted by dcutter on Sun, 10/11/2009 - 10:40am
In 64 bit Win 7, does Virtual XP also run 64 bit so that my older 32-bit drviers will not work? Thanks.
Submitted by Shalbatana on Wed, 07/15/2009 - 6:54pm
Okay I apologise for being a max PC reader and having to say this, but I haven't tried Windows 7.
That out of the way, my big question that needs answering is "what are the issues in windows 7 that makes programs/hw not work? From 98 to XP it was the 8bit programming limitation. But no one has yet to say what criteria we should look for in our current HW/SW to say "this probably won't work", or "I'm ok, none of this applies to me".
If I don't know what the issue is, then I'm afraid to even try upgrading.
Column anyone???????
_______________________________
"There's no time like the future."
Submitted by Founck on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 10:03pm
Just so you know, XP mode will only recognize one optical drive. This disappointed me and I thought I'd let you guys know.
Submitted by aviaggio on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 8:40pm
I guess if you have a lot of XP programs that won't run in Win7 this could be useful. But it just seems to me it has so many limitations. You must have the professional or better version (an extra $50 for the pre-order; an extra $70 later) and have a processor that supports HV.
And I have to question some of the "cons" presented in the article about generic VPC. I've been using it for many years now, and it works flawlessly once the additions are installed (and why on earth wouldn't you install them?). I can drag and drop from VPC to my desktop, share all my USB devices (even use devices that don't have Vista or Win7 drivers like my scanner and Skype box), print to my printer, connect to the Internet -- pretty much do anything and everything I need to do except things that require Direct3D.
I don't understand why we should have to pay for the more expensive version of Win7 AND be limited by the hardware when the free version of VPC works just fine without either of those things. Ok, you don't get the "seamless integration", but from what I just read it's not all that seamless anyway.
I just don't get it. Why bother? If you've got that many XP programs you need to support, stick with XP.
Virtual PC 2007 doesn't support USB storage devices
Submitted by Marcus_Soperus on Wed, 07/15/2009 - 8:32am
Aside from being stuck inside the Windows XP desktop, the biggest limitation I see with Virtual PC 2007 + Windows XP is the lack of support for USB storage devices. The inability to access card readers, flash drives and backup drives that use USB ports with VPC2007+Win XP is a big limitation for many users.
I'm glad Virtual PC 2007 + Windows XP is working well for you, but a lot of business users need a more powerful virtualization solution.
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It's amazing how illogical a business built on binary logic can be.
Submitted by jimgreig on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 5:56pm
siginter
And I was soooo hoping to be able to run Vista in Windows 7. I hear tell they are going to take the ease-of-use of NT, the stability of Me, and the mobility of Ce to release Windows CeMeNT ! All hail the brick!
Now that is a mashup worty of release
Submitted by Havok on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 3:37am
I soooooo wish that coud be released, if not for usability, just for fun!!! LOL CeMeNT.....
OMGWTFBBQ
Submitted by Havok on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 3:38am
n/a
Submitted by bose2009 on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 5:33pm
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Submitted by FRAGaLOT on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 5:28pm
I've been running Windows 7 since it came out on beta.. so where IS this XP mode located? Using serarch in Win7 is tottally pointless looking for this.
Submitted by Marcus_Soperus on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 6:09pm
Take a look at page 2:
Q. How do I get XP Mode?
A. There are two files you need to make XP Mode a reality:
First, download the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows Virtual PC (choose the same version as your edition of Windows 7 supports). Second, download Windows XP Mode.
Both are available from the Microsoft Virtual PC website.
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It's amazing how illogical a business built on binary logic can be.
Submitted by Vegan on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 4:40pm
Q. Is XP Mode designed for 3D gaming?
A. No. XP Mode does not support 3D graphics APIs such as DirectX. If
you need to play 3D games that will not run in Windows 7, set up a
dual-boot environment.
Crap. Looks like I wasted 50 bucks. Oh well, maybe it'll come in handy for REALLY legacy games that Win7 flat-out won't run.
Submitted by ebeale on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 12:43pm
Thanks for the tips. I was having trouble getting it to shut down so I could increase the memory
Submitted by tehR0XX0Rz on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 11:21am
Sounds as though the best thing to do is just keep an XP rig around. Problem solved.
XP mode doesn't work in
Submitted by ZayLay on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 11:09am
XP mode doesn't work in virtual windows 7. I haven't wanted to install the beta on a computer and have been testing in virtual pc, but xp mode won't work. Virtual PC won't work within a Virtual PC, aww man that sucks.
Submitted by Zoomer on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 2:47pm
I heard you like windows so we tried putting Virtual XP in your Virtual 7....but now you just fail while you fail. Sorry about that.
Hardware virtualization!!
Submitted by wk on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 10:59am
so if processor doesn't support HV like mine (T5800). is that means XP mode will not run on my laptop?
Great!! i had just bought this lap few months ago.
MPC is my home page
Submitted by Marcus_Soperus on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 11:16am
XP Mode requires hardware virtualization (HV), and I find that Intel's "some have it, others don't" attitude about HV pretty frustrating. Although Intel's fastest CPUs beat AMDs, virtually all recent AMD desktop and laptop CPUs except for the ultra-cheapo Semprons support HV. That's one of the reasons my next laptop will probably be an AMD-based model. For more information about HV support in Intel and AMD processor families, see the end of this early story on XP Mode: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/some_windows_7_editions_offer_free_virtualized_windows_xp
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It's amazing how illogical a business built on binary logic can be.
Submitted by arch-chancellor on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 10:30am
XP Mode does work, mostly, where Compatibility Mode never has, despite what some nationally syndicated talk show hosts say. However, XPM is extremely slow to start, and even just using the apps pinned to the Win 7 start menu take forever. I can't just copy from desktop to desktop, I have to find the file on the networked 7 host drives within XPM and copy it to the XPM drive. Is anybody still following me? I have corporate version of Norton. It doesn't work with Vista or 7, but it does work with XPM. However, it only protects the XPM drive, not the 7 host. Pretty much, I'm going to keep an XP box running on a network for those one or two occasional XP only apps while running teh latest and "greaty-est" Win 7 stuff.
Submitted by tkddan87 on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 8:56am
i can deffinatly see VWinXP being usefull. i can think of more than a few apps i would like to run..
I am curious though how MS is dealing with the resources with each instance of a XP program running in its own VM. it is not hard to see 3-4 gb being used by a few apps. better make sure you have alot of RAM and no limit on the virtural memory size
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