More About XP Mode for Windows 7
More About XP Mode for Windows 7
Posted 04/29/2009 at 2:58pm
| by Mark Edward Soper
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Tuesday, Microsoft clarified exactly what Windows 7 users will need if they want to run XP Mode (officially known as XP Virtual Machine). Although it appeared initially that XP Mode would include Windows XP SP3, Cnet's Ina Fried reports that users will need to supply their own licensed copies of Windows XP SP3 to go along with the free XP Mode download for Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate editions.
As we reported Monday, XP Mode will indeed require hardware virtualization support in the processor, meaning that low-end processors as well as some older mid-range and high-end processors from Intel and AMD won't support XP Mode. Microsoft also states that computers will need at least 2GB of memory to run XP Mode. Thankfully, potential XP Mode users won't need to wait until after Windows 7 ships to see if XP Mode works for them: Fried states that Microsoft will roll out a beta of XP Mode at the same time as Windows 7 RC - May 5th for most of us.
So, who exactly is XP Mode designed for? If you haven't guessed already, it's designed for businesses using Windows XP. Here's why (from the Microsoft PressPass Q&A):
Windows XP Mode is best suited for older business and productivity applications such as accounting, inventory and similar applications. Windows XP Mode is not aimed at consumers because many consumer applications require extensive use of hardware interfaces such as 3-D graphics, audio, and TV tuners that do not work well under virtualization today.
In other words, if you want hardcore gaming on Windows XP, virtualization is not for you.
If you need to manage XP Mode on your business PCs, though, Microsoft is rolling out an update to its MED-V management tool for Virtual PC. MED-V 2.0 will be available in beta form within 90 days of the general release of Windows 7.
Keep tuned to Maximumpc.com for more about Windows 7 RC and XP Mode.
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PsiSoldier
October 06, 2009 at 7:09pm
Ok let me point out that if the only reason you are thinking about upgrading to the professional version over the Home premium is because you are afraid some of your XP programs will not work in 7 then it would be kind of stupid to even go with the Professional version instead of the Home premium.
Why?? Because you probably already have a full version of XP and if you do you can buy a full version of Home premium for the same price as the Professional Upgrade version.
What does that mean? It means you can upgrade to windows 7 without invalidating your old copy of XP and then dual boot or have XP on one computer and 7 on another and both copies will be valid according to microsoft. So for the price of an Professional upgrade you instead get Windows 7 and get to keep your old copy of XP which you appearantly would loose if you tied it to an upgrade version of 7. And I'm pretty sure an actual copy of XP would be more compatible with XP programs then a Virtual XP. And you get it all for the same price...
While if you instead pay for an upgrade copy of Windows 7 Professional you will loose your ability to go back to Windows XP or use it on another computer. Seems like a loose loose situation to me.
So yeah it seems pretty much like a no brainer to me if the XP mode is all you are worried about
RavenStandsAlone
May 07, 2009 at 5:57pm
Q: "If humans are evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?"
A: I case of failure of the experiment, nature does not want to give up the "fallback" position.
These are the InterWebs? Where's the bicycles, babes and beer?
MeTo
April 30, 2009 at 6:31am
I thought Microsoft learned a lesson guess not. You have to buy a very expensive version Win 7 and have your own copy of XP with SP3. Why not just keep XP SP3 and forgo Win 7? They did it to vista.
MyMojo
April 30, 2009 at 5:39pm
Excellent point! MS not so smart with this move!
If humans evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?
Seana7a7
April 30, 2009 at 12:57am
I have a simple solution its XP and if you really want Windows 7 just setup a dual boot.
anonuser
April 29, 2009 at 8:53pm
Virtualbox (free) already does this, and has for some time. This is very dumb move by MS. I thought it was going to be something like OS X did with rosetta, but they are just trying to sell more XP licenses is all. Bah.
DoctorX
April 29, 2009 at 7:15pm
ok... this is nothing than marketing speak for VirtualPC. If you have to supply your own copy of xp... Then WTF is the difference of downloading virutalpc and loading winxp yourself?
Or better yet, why not use Virtualbox? It runs about 98% native speed plus 3D to boot.
xs0u1x
April 29, 2009 at 6:02pm
but is it really -that- groundbreaking?
i mean come on, i can get a virtual machine NOW. granted this is geared toward businesses, i really see no need for this to be shipped in home editions.
im not knocking windows 7, im just being realistic.
have they announced if we'll be able to get a bare bones edition with no extras like virtual machine?
Marcus_Soperus
April 29, 2009 at 6:54pm
Two things about XP Mode make it much more interesting than running Virtual PC 2007 along with a copy of Windows XP:
1. XP Mode supports (requires) hardware virtualization, which makes for much better performance (VPC 2007 doesn't). It should be noted that you might need to enable hardware virtualization in the BIOS on systems with a suitable processor - it might not already be enabled.
2. XP Mode runs each legacy program in its own virtualized window. With VPC 2007, legacy programs must run inside the virtualized window for the operating system.
For anyone who must rely on fussy legacy software that won't run right under compatibility mode, XP Mode will be a godsend.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's amazing how illogical a business built on binary logic can be.
scdlin
April 30, 2009 at 9:03am
What you've mentioned has been done with the currently available virtualization product, such as VirtualBox, for free.
For example, VBox has a feature called Seamless Mode where the individual applications run inside the guest operating system appear as individual windows on the host (not completely the same, but works ok). So this is really nothing new.
Also, hardware virtualization (by using AMD-V or Intel's VT-x/VT-d) has been supported by VBox too. Bear in mind that it is not necessarily faster than software solution, dependent upon the underlying architecture. Ultimately it is all about the tradeoff of capturing instructions and shifting priviledge levels of the guest OS. Older processors' hardware solution can impose a huge clock cycle penalty than some clever software solutions.
MS should just really put up a very compatible WOW64 (or even in 32-bit Win7, a "WOW32" just to handle all old applications' peculiarities) so to allow all XP applications to run.
Caboose
April 29, 2009 at 5:18pm
I am absolutely LOVING Windows 7. I don't want to go back to Vista now. The redesigned task bar is awesome! And the new "tab' windows is so nice. Even the smallest thing, such as icon view size in a folder has been tweaked and much nicer. Once XP mode is released, I'll be giving that a go. I might be able to play a few of my old games easily then (Star Trek Armada 1/2 and Final Fantasy VII anyone?).
I really think that Windows 7 is going to become the new XP. XP changed a lot with how we use an OS, and for the better. Things were easier, more streamlined and smoother. Windows 7 looks to be doing the same thing! I can't wait until the final build is released.
I think I'm going to use Build 7100 until that time!
Now ghot, tell us how shitty Windows 7 is, and how Microsoft should scrap it and make it a service pack for Windows XP and stop trying to replace an 8 year old OS that is showing its age! Please tell us all how stupid we are for liking what Microsoft is doing with Windows 7 and how we all suck and are geah for liking Windows 7, even in it's RC state!
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
AndyYankee17
April 29, 2009 at 3:37pm
if you're playing a game that's so old it's not compatible with vista or windows 7 I'm sure you're hardware would be fast enough to run it virtualized
yogurt80
April 29, 2009 at 3:23pm
I would hope that anything I've nought which was "vista compatible" is going to be "win 7" compatible as well. We'll see.... I'm very anxious to try the full version of 7, as long as it gets support and doesn't become the next "ME."
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