Windows 7 - Windows XP compatability mode Vs VMWARE

**Ex_Brit** · 05-04-2009

I'm getting somewhat confused with the plethora of Virtual this-and-that & all the associated terminology, Windows VM and Virtual PC 2007 etc. etc.

My M/B wont support hardware virtualization so am assuming that, should I ever want to go the virtual route for any reason, I would have to use VMWare or Virtual PC 2007 or similar?

**z3r010** · 05-04-2009

Yes

**Ex_Brit** · 05-04-2009

You're a man of few words. Thanks.

**LouisinLondon** · 10-25-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by z3r010

Quote: Originally Posted by jimbo45

People have very much missed the whole point of "XP compatability mode" if they are comparing this with stand alone software such as VBOX and VMWARE.

TBH from what i'm reading around here, I think almost everbody has missed the point lol

Hi guys, I don't think anyone missed the point... most are actually quite spot on,

XP mode is nothing other than standalone software that you need to download and install, which comes with a copy of Windows XP and even a text file containing the serial...,. It's also only available in some editions, and Virtualization has to be available on your hardware... (why make this more difficult route than VMWare server or Virtuabox?)

Quoting the Windows 7 "XP mode" Features webpage

Quote:

Windows XP Mode also requires virtualization software such as Windows Virtual PC. Both are available free on the Microsoft website.

To download Windows XP Mode or learn about its system requirements, visit the Windows Virtual PC website.

OK, so this means:
---------------------
1) Its just the same as standalone alternatives, need to download, install windows etc...or throw a pre-configured windows VM onto it.
2) The features that Jimbo45 pointed out to are available in all the other alternatives
3) It "new features" (Windows integration) has been available in VMware, Virtuabox or Parallels (on Mac) for 3 years
4) Its free, but still just Virtual PC, just like many others.

At the University where I've implemented Virtual machines (server side but also client side to facilitate teaching of some courses) Virtual PC 2007 just did not suffice.

Problems with Virtual PC 2007:
-----------------------------------
Doesn't run Linux virtual machines well, which Windows7 students will need to run if you're teaching networking or security in heterogeneous environments.
Proprietary file format, so tough to move around if you moved to another OS (even just temporarily)

Not sure why Microsoft calls it "XP mode" -
===========================
They should rather call it:

"Download, install and run Virtual PC 2007, then install a full installation of Windows XP as a virtual machine, have all the hassles you've always had with XP, but at least you will accommodate your older software because developers coded really badly so the software can't be ported" -- mode

Maybe CodeWeavers delivers Compatibility for Mac and Linux. Your Windows Mac and Linux Crossover solution - CodeWeavers - who brought out products like Crossover for Linux and for Mac (which installs a very small virtual Windows environment bottle -commercial version of Wine) should bring out a Crossover for Windows 7.

CrossOver Bottles Features - CodeWeavers

BENEFITS of a setup like that includes:
========================
Basically from their page, to give the general idea.

Quote:

CrossOver allows you to maintain multiple bottles in one CrossOver installation. This is like having several different Windows machines operating together on your computer.

This is useful anytime you want to install multiple applications yet prevent them from interacting or damaging one another. For example: Typically the Internet Explorer 6.0 installer upgrades any existing Internet Explorer 5.0 installation. Using bottles it is possible to install Internet Explorer 6.0 into a new, empty bottle, while leaving an existing install of Internet Explorer 5.0 intact and untouched, thus letting web developers run both simultaneously.

I'm disappointed in XP mode, because I believed they would follow this Wine route, instead of just a VM install which will require its own AntiVirus (as Windows does) etc etc etc .

For a Clear understanding of the differences :
CrossOver Differentiators - CodeWeavers

(Wow, I wish they had an affiliate system , cause I do sound like a salesman don't I, not the intention, Only presenting my views on "XP-mode")