XP Mode or VMWARE

OK, just got my XP Mode working. I looks nice and all, been putting it off a bit, anyway, I have a VMWARE license for 6.5.3, and am wondering what XP Mode would bring me over VMWARE. And yes, I have a separate licensed copy of XP here I could toss in vmware.

So in the end, what benefits over vmware workstation would I see with XPmode ? I just don't see a good reason to have 2 visualization products on here.

Agreed. If you want the seamless app integration, go with XP Mode. If you want stability, performance, and versatility, go with VMWare / VirtualBox

The larger advantage then simply seeing a boost performance wise with an alternate VM ware is being able to run a 64bit OS whereas the XP mode is the 32bit Pro as well as the Virtual PC itself limited to the 32bit Windows there. Custom installing Windows on a vhd to run on the VPC is also rather limited in other ways where the XP mode is preferred there.

The XP mode is seemless as mentioned for things like access to all internal physical drives as well as now supporting usb pen/flash drives making those available. A custom install of Windows on a vhd for the VPC sadly lacks there. The other 3rd party VM wares may see floppy/dvd access only while offering a better performance value to make up the difference.

That's where most the intent is focused is towards the commercial not private home orientation. The XP mode itself is mainly intended for business application in order to provide a means for business to upgrade into 7 and even Server 2008 while not losing time in the process trying to update all the softwares and other things they use.

The other VM wares have been out there much longer to start with having already gone through their betas and tweaking stages. As far as OS performance that sees a gain there while you still find things will lack at times.

Integration or flexibility would seem a better analogy in some ways when comparing the XP mode and 32bit RC install on the VPC to the multiboot of 3 distros with the 64bit RC on the Portable version of Virtual Box there.

The XP mode offers the full integration as far as access to internal drives/usb flash drives over uploading files by way of the WLM SkyDrive where file sizes as well as volume is a concern for the slower transfers there. The same can't be said for the 32bit RC on vhd there however where you still need something live SkyDrive.

The one that seems to be slow with the VPC is the startup time there over what is seen with the Portable VBox which loads any of the OSs right away. But you are cut off and again need something like the SkyDrive bringing you back to square #1 despite the speed boost gain seen when loading things.

Gaming is out for the most on either or all of them since you run into no OpenGL support being limited to the virtual video card there. Some initial problem with sound on the VBox were resolved later while no sound heard on the few games that will start up is typical while multimedia playback(audio mainly) in stereo not surround has worked for the most part without problems.

swarfega said:

Trouble with vmware is that its commercial. You could consider giving virtualbox a go which is free.

I dont see that as a problem, it being commercial, as I already own it, even if I dident, I would buy it if it was the superior solution.