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Microsoft announced today via its Windows Blog that it has released the final version Windows XP Mode to manufacturing, and it should be available for download on October 22nd, the day of the Windows 7 launch. Presumably the new version of Virtual PC is included in this RTM, curiously however, no mention of this was made. Microsoft has also not indicated if this would be available early for MSDN or TechNet subscribers, but let’s face it, October 22nd isn’t as far away as it used to be.
For those who haven’t yet hard about Windows XP mode, it’s a way for Windows 7 users to run applications within a virtualized Windows XP shell for compatibility reasons. Windows 7 RC users who want to give the beta version a test drive can still download the technical preview at the Microsoft Download Center up until the new version is released on launch day.
Want to learn more about Windows XP Mode? Check out our feature focus series which helps you make sense of all the new features.
Comments are closed on this article
frizzly
October 04, 2009 at 7:09pm
the best XP enviroment is XP itself. I have my main system running Vista home premium, waiting for my copy of win 7. then a second system networked with XP. . . and sadly my wife has her laptop via wireless with Mac.
Frizzly Mejere "Once you go down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny."
Master123
October 04, 2009 at 4:52pm
I never bought into the Vista sucks campaign until I tried it. After using the OS for a few hours, I quickly slapped on XP. I've reinstalled all my apps that cause any type of problem countless times each, and I've reinstalled Vista 4 times. No matter what, Compatibility Mode seems to not do anything, and any Source Game crashes/ BSoDs half the time I play it.
Windows 7 gave me compatibility right off the install. I didn't set anything and all my apps ran perfectly fine and actually setting Compatibility Mode made them run even faster. I mod for all CoD games and all the tools on Vista crashed constantly. I've been using Win 7 since the beta (and am now on the RC) and have never had one of them crash. The CoD4 tools are stated to be incompatible with Vista, and I hoped Win 7 would yield positive results. They run perfectly fine with no Compatibility Mode. Only problem I have had was solved by rolling back my nVidia drivers.
For me, Windows 7 works flawlessly. Everyone will get different results, but in what I have read and what I have seen from the dozens of people I know who ran the beta and RC, Windows 7 is the OS of our dreams. Adding this XP Mode environment only sweetens the deal for those of us who use a version that can use it, and I expect to use it.
Now if only MS can work on lowering it's prices some more....
big_montana
October 05, 2009 at 5:12am
Frankly, the problem is not Vista but drivers or the apps themselves. You even said so your self when you mention every time you launch COD tools they crash. That tells me they are poorly written for Vista. As far as the tools working on Win 7, well I got news fo ryou, Win 7 IS based on the Vista code. I have used Vista since it was in beta and the crashes I experienced were due to two manufacturers releasing crappy drivers, Creative and Nvidia, I ended purchasing a Razor sound card and an ATI graphics card, end of crashes. I have intsalled Vista a few times, one, when I installed the Beta, two, when I installed the 32 bit release and three, when I installed the 64 bit edition of Vista. It has run stable for me (as has Win 7, which does run much quicker). And a couple hour test is not enough if you to determine what the problems were, as I said probably crappy drivers from vendors and apllications not written for Vista. You rave about teh stability of XP now, but XP had the same problems when it was released, and fewer compatible apps.
Master123
October 05, 2009 at 6:54am
You are correct in saying Win 7 is based on Vista code, and I already knew that. But I am intrigued as to why something that crashes often in Vista runs exactly the way it should in Windows 7 without compatibility mode. That tells me that Vista was poorly written, and they have fixed and optimized the compatibility aspect of the OS. I backed up Vista even when I first had it, because I knew that old apps and poor drivers where the problem. In fact I wrote the only problem I had that was solved perfectly was by using my older nVidia drivers (nVidia really seems to be dropping the ball with its drivers lately, I even had issues on Win 7). Infinity Ward says that its COD4 tools are incompatible with Vista, and even though they tell you to try Compatibility Mode and pray, that didn't work for me. The other COD Tools are over 5 years old. I'm talking CoD1 and United Offensive and such; when's the last time someone decided to update those for Win 7? Everything runs perfectly in Win 7 with no Compatibility Mode set. So yes, in my case, I will blame Vista for my shortcomings. Hell, I STILL get PB issues in Vista because of Vista (and yes, I know it's Vista since the console for the game spits out errors pointing to the OS). Evenbalance, the guys who head PB, say they do not support PB on RC systems and if you don't like it, you can screw off. PB ran automatically after I installed my games, without needs to set it up or anything. And I have not been kicked for an OS problem with PB yet. Ironic isn't it?
I've had Vista since May last year, and even though I installed XP within hours, I still used Vista a lot.
rseding91
October 04, 2009 at 9:23am
I've been using vista now for about 2 years and i've yet to come across a program that I can't just compatibility mode to get working, and as far as I can tell, windows 7 is almost the same compatibility wise as vista.
What would one need to run in a windows xp environment that they can't run on windows 7?
Maybe a 16 bit app in a 32 bit virtual pc on a 64 bit pc?
Taz0
October 04, 2009 at 4:25pm
Legacy business apps, which is why XP Mode only available on the business versions of Windows 7:
[From http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10365250-56.html]
Microsoft said back in April that it would offer the XP Mode. Aimed primarily at small businesses, the virtualization layer is designed to help ease the transition for those still running programs that don't work properly with Windows 7 or Windows Vista.To use the compatibility layer, users need to be running Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
alanmc76
October 04, 2009 at 8:30am
The only Win 7 incompatibility that I have found so far that really affects me is WireShark. Downloaded and installed VXP and WireShark runs like a champ in the virtual environment. Kudos to MS.
______________________________________
-- "What am I, MacGyver? Fix it with what?"--
Max PC Rox
October 04, 2009 at 6:17am
When you click the link that says "our feature focus Series" the link brings you to:
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/windows_7_feature_focus_virtual_windows_xp_aka_xp_mode'
It should have no "'" at the end. That is what is making the error.
it should be:
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/windows_7_feature_focus_virtual_windows_xp_aka_xp_mode
Everyone makes mistakes!
------------------------
Running a Phenom 9600 BE OCed @2.4
GTS 250 OCed
2 GB RAM
And Window 7 Ultimate Signature edition (Hosting a party)
Built with the help of the Msximum PC "Building a PC" video
Taz0
October 04, 2009 at 2:45am
I only see this being useful for business application, not for consumers. Any consumer application worth its salt would have released a Vista (ergo Win7) compatible version of its software during the past three years. Any consumer product that is still XP-only is probably not worth using anyway, and there are probably better (compatible) alternatives.
Lueke2006
October 03, 2009 at 10:59pm
I find my Virtual Box to be a much better then any compatability mode.
arch-chancellor
October 03, 2009 at 9:39pm
My beef with CM is that it doesn't work, at all. XP Mode does work with one program: a corporate version of Norton. But, it only protects the virtual C drive. Every other program I have that only works with XP won't work in XP Mode. Plus it takes forever to start up. In fact I think it takes longer to start than my currently overly bloated XP machine. So my best bet is to fire up an actual XP box when I need to, and network Win 7 and XP together.
COMMANDER_COOK
October 03, 2009 at 10:20pm
I never thought it wouldn't work. Could someone else give their input.
