can't find virtual PC or XP mode after uninstall/reinstall of them

Hi. :) I think i bungled my XP Mode and Virtual PC - was working until i re-installed.

After re-installing XP Mode & virtual PC i am unable to find them listed in start/programs, so i think am unable to run XP mode - no Virtual PC folder any more.

I do see 'Windows XP Mode' in the control panel/programs and features. However i do not see 'Virtual PC' there.

Then when i tired to install them again, without un-installing them first [this time], windows alerted me that XP Mode "WindowsXPMode_en-us.exe" is already installed - Good. However it alerted me that 'this application is not applicable to your computer' when i attempted to re-install Virtual PC "Windows6.1-KB958559-x64-RefreshPkg.msu" - the program that is missing in control panel/programs and features.

Please can you help?

I got the XP Mode and Virtual PC from this web page:
Download Windows XP Mode

Some background:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Now, in case you are wondering why i would re-install these - although i was able to get the two working on the first install, i was unable to get my winXP application to run, and instead got an error message about a missing DLL, so i did the following:
Thinking that the problem might be permissions or password, i selected to use a blank password. From that point on i was not able to get past the permissions and use XP Mode because neither a blank password or my previous password was accepted. After massing around for hours with permissions and password stuff i decided my only recourse would be to simply re-install XP Mode. When i read up on removing XP Mode, the author said to remove Virtual PC too, so i did.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

More info: When i un-installed the programs the first time i also deleted the Virtual PC folders in start/all programs/ [presumably empty folders that might mess with a re-install]

I hope and pray someone knows how to help me get back to normal!
Thanks.


UPDATE: I found another instance of virtual PC [KB958559] in the 'updates' tab of control panel/programs & Features section dated 2007. It was at the end of the chronological list and the one i installed and re-installed was at the top of the list, but is no longer there after latest install.
Should i try un-installing the 2010 instance and then re-installing my DLed Virtual PC?

Hello ApeMan Welcome to SF!

Have you restarted the system since you uninstalled the original XP Mode install before trying to get it back on again? This is a requirement seen during the initial install as well as when going to uninstall. That finishes up the removal process.

There are also two different types of downloads available for the XP and VPC. The beta and first release are two separate downloads while the updated release sees both conbined together in one setup file. When at the page you linked notice the "Don't need XP Mode and want VPC only? Download Windows Virtual PC without Windows XP Mode" link above the OS and language selections.

When going to the next page for that you will also find another link for downloading the XP Mode without VPC. You may have to go that route by downloading the two separate packages to see the VPC go on first as it was originally followed by a full system restart before running the installer for the separate XP Mode download.

The alternative option for the XP Mode besides the MS VPC is the VMLite Workstation for XP Mode that runs well on the Windows 8 Release Preview as well as on 7 without even needing the Virtualization Detection tool since the VMLite program will run on an old single core cpu that lacks any virtualzation support! VMLite XP Mode Overview

If success attempts fail to see the VPC go back on checking the sub folders under your user account>AppData>Local this would be the working solution for getting the XP Mode back on there.

The other thing I should mention here is that you likely downloaded the 32bit not the 64bit XP Mode installer! That would immediately result in a failed install. Once I get booted back in the 7 host I can look that up since there was a release for each. Presently I am replying here on a 7 VM but not on a Windows host!

Since you remember selecting the OS as well as language the next thing to look back at is which download button did you click on? Step 2 =XP Mode/VPC 500mb, Step 3 = VPC,only plus Step 4 XP Mode stand alone SP1 installed option.

If you installed the XP Mode before SP1 you would have needed both the VPC and XP Mode being two separate items seeing the VPC go on first with restart before going to install the XP Mode itself. Following the SP1 release virtualization support was then already on 7 no longer needing the two with a different installer there.

With the beta and later the first final release you used to see two links for each, one for the 32bit and the second for the 64bit without any edition selector since you needed Pro or Ultimate to use it anyways. Hardly anyone would be running the Enterprise edition for single user home desktop use anyways.

The other thing is to look in the "C:\users\user account\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Virtual Appliations\" to see if the XP Mode folder is present as well as loooking in the Virtual Machines folder.Those will have the files where you can grab the VHD and back that up. The vmc app file however will be made new once you see a fresh install of the XP Mode itself.

You wouldn't run it from the Control Panel to begin with. You go to Start>Progams>Windows Virtual PC to see the XP Mode item there and click on that. Once you click there the initial setup begins.

That will take you through the configuration wizard until finished before the VM will run. I have a few screens to show how the main folder under your user account should be found with a complete install as well as a few from the setup to look over. I think you know how that goes already having had it on before.