Windows 7: Virtual XP Machine - Copy

Thanks for the reply Kari. I did not change the integration features settings although they are different in that the drives are not checked in the copies.

When you run your virtual machines, original or copies, did you also check if integration really is enabled? I mean, I am 100% sure you can not change the resolution from display settings if integration is enabled.

Kari

This worked flawlessly. The name of the VM is totally flexible too, in case anybody cares to rename the copy. Also, the disk location for these VMs can be anywhere rational.

Copying saves the entire OS installation process, so this is a huge help.

Kittoksia, Kari.

Hi Salvelinus, welcome to the Seven Forums.

Nice it worked for you.

Kari

I tried not to think too much and followed the instructions. I am wondering if some folks do not have the right flavor of Windows 7???? Mine is Ultimate 64, no patches or whatever.

Anyway, worked for me as advertised.

Hello all,
Very nice tutorial.
I'm setting up a brand new 7 Pro machine, and made a mistake installing virtual XP machine in a test account. And wasting a security suite license if I recreate under the good account.
So, I'm trying to move this machine from the test account.

Stopped the machine, copied the "Virtual Machines" folder itself to a backup unit. But only .vhd, .vmc and .vmc.vpcbackup are visible, no vmcx file, although it said "4 files copied" ?
So I opened Start Menu "Windows Virtual PC", and copied .vmcx by right click > copy.

Logged to the good account, copied and renamed the 4 files to "Virtual Machines" folder, and did the updates to .vmx and .vmcx.
Opening Start Menu "Windows Virtual PC" didn't show the machine ?
So, created a new one, browsing to the copied .vhd file to use it.

Well, it works, although copy / paste was not active at 1st boot. I now have a true clone of the VM.
- Virtual applications start successfully
- Antivirus software successfully updates.
(I can resize window)

But :
- this machine does'nt appear in Windows Virtual PC menu, although the virtual applications are there. How can I add it ? (Seems to be just a shortcut to add, but ...)
- why can't I see any .vmcx file in explorer, only in Virtual PC window ?
- have I missed something that could cause problems later ?

Many thanks

Is there a way to install vm in public folder so everyone can access it? currently we have setting with novell logging where user profile get deleted once they log off. so every time user log in they need to install windows xp mode from the start. any suggestion how to save xp mode in public folder?

Thanks

Can I use the same virtual on 2 or more host PCs? on a domain environment?
I need to use the same virtual that is joined to a domain, on multiple PCs.
I can change the name and then rejoin the domain however what about SIDs?
Is that even possible or am I stuck to creating a virtual from scratch on each physical PC?
Thanks

Thank you to Kari for starting this thread. It has been very useful in helping me resolve my Virtual Machine woes.

I was having the same problem as 'JackStockton' in that whenever I tried to copy, rename or otherwise alter a .vmcx file, it would throw up an error message and disappear.

I was able to create new VMs pointing at old .vhd files (as described by 'rfeague'), but I noticed that there are some differences between the VM that is automatically created when a user first installs XP Mode and subsquent user-created new VMs (even if they are pointed at the same .vmc and .vhd files.), such the lack of a 'Shut Down' button on the Start Menu of the VM.

In the end I have found a good solution that works for me. I simply associated the .vmc file type with 'VMWindow.exe' in the System32 folder. This now means that I don't need to deal with the troublesome .vmcx files and can replicate and copy machines at will using Kari's instructions. The only difference is that to start a VM I have to double-click on a .vmc rather than a .vmcx file.

For those who don't know how to change file type associations, an easy way is to right-click on a .vmc file, go to 'Open with' on the menu and select 'Choose default program...' In the dialogue box that appears, make sure the 'Always use the selected program to open this kind of file' is checked and then click the 'browse' button. Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\ then scroll down the list, select 'VMWindow.exe' and click the 'Open' button. The Windows Virtual PC Shell is now associated with .vmc files on your profile.

Now follow Kari's instructions to replicate machine, but to run a machine double click on the .vmc file, rather than a .vmcx file in the Virtual Machines folder.

I have several vhd's that I have setup on Virtual PC. I keep them all on my D drive in a virtualdrive directory.
I copied my .vhd's from the old vpc from xp and that is the only file I copied.
When I copy them to a new computer. I install the VPC and then create a new vpc and say that I am
importing an existing vhd. I have windows98, dos 6.22 w windows 3.11 along with ubuntu.
You do not have to keep them in the users\virtualharddisks directory.

As someone has noted, you just can't copy all the files to a new position as the full access path is imbeded
in the vmcx file so you end up pointing to the original vhd.

YMMV
Rich