Windows 7: Add shortcut to host to launch from VM

I need a way to add a shortcut to programs that didnt register, and windows programs, to show up in the start menu of my Windows 7 host, for my Vista SP1 VM. I only see the XP Mode menu under my host. So is there a way I can create shortcuts for the Vista VM?

By default, all applications installed to a Virtual PC machine create a shortcut in the Start Menu > Windows Virtual PC > Virtual_Machine_Name Applications, e.g. Windows XP Mode Applications, Windows Vista Applications etc.

These shortcuts are only created for additional applications, not for built-in Windows applications.

Virtual machines other than XP Mode do not create a shortcut to launch themselves from Start Menu, so a typical Windows Virtual PC submenu in Start Menu looks like this:



If you want to add shortcuts to other virtual machines, to start a virtual machine directly from Start Menu, follow these steps:

• Go to Your_Usename > Virtual Machines folder
• Right click the virtual machine in question, choose Create a shortcut from context menu
• Copy the newly created shortcut
• Click Start, right click All Programs, choose Open All Users:
  
  .
• Open the Programs folder
• Open the Windows Virtual PC folder
• Paste the shortcut

Now you can launch a virtual machine from Start Menu:



Kari

Ok, but what If i installed any random app, then replaced it with the windows app I want to see. would that work.

And it worked for me Using Windows XP Mode on HP. I just deleted all the entried from VMAppExcludeList in the registry (HKLM/Software/Microsoft/WindowsNT/currentversion/Virtual Machine/VMAppExcludeList) and they showed up in the start menu.

There are different ways to work around this. If registry hack worked for you earlier, I'll recommend you stick to it. Simply creating a shortcut to C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Virtual Applications\ is not enough, that I have tested.

Kari

I heard that as long as the app isnt in VMAppExcludeList, you can jsut create a shortcut to it in %allusersprofile% in the VM, and it will show up. That works for XP but not for Vista as far as I know.

Because I always prefer not to use register hacks, I tried to find a simple solution. To my minor surprise, I found it.

It's really so amazingly simple I should have thought it long ago. Just right click Start (in Vista and XP virtual machines) or right click Start > All Programs (in Seven virtual machines), and choose Open All Users. Open Programs and add the shortcuts you want to to start directly from host's Start Menu.

I tested this with a Vista virtual machine, adding virtual machine's Internet Explorer and Tinker game, and as you can see it works:



No need to play with VMAppExcludeList or AppAllowList.

Kari

didnt work.

could it be because of this error i get every time i start up the vista vm?

I tested it both integration disabled and enabled, no difference. However, that error message tells that something is not right. I would first concentrate to fix that issue.

You don't have to use integration features, but being not able to install or turn them on tells that the installation was not completely successful, or that something has changed. In my opinion it is essential you solve first that problem.

So what should I do. Should I uninstall it, then try to reinstall the features?

You could try to uninstall (VM's Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall) integration features and then reinstall).