upgrading XP to Win 7 inside Virtual Windows xp?

user659 · 09 Dec 2010

I'm running Win 7 Professional and have Virtual Windows XP set up.
I want to use a screen capture program so that I can create a demo
on how to upgrade from XP to W7.

Is it possible to use my Win 7 Upgrade CD and go through an Upgrade
of XP within the Virtual Windows XP? I realize that I won't be able to
activate W7 after the install (because I don't have a second licence)
but that's OK. I just want to capture the process.

What would be really great about this is that I can run a screen capture
program outside of the Virtual XP and then be able to capture the upgrade
process live. Even the Win 7 installation restarts would be captured because
the capture program would just be capturing the contents of a Window.

pricetech · 09 Dec 2010

I haven't done it, but you should be able to. What are you using to virtualize XP ??

user659 · 09 Dec 2010

Nothing special. Just what came with Windows Professional.

Luckystar · 09 Dec 2010

I'm not so sure, maybe, try it.

I will be skeptical though as the XP mode (If thats what you are using) version of XP has a special License i do believe so it may or may not let you, best thing is to try it first, if it works, uninstall and reinstall XP mode and then do your project.

Lucky

pricetech · 09 Dec 2010

I don't it would be supported in XP Mode since I don't think that's a true virtual machine.

I believe it would under something like VirtualBox though.

Kari · 09 Dec 2010

pricetech said:

I don't it would be supported in XP Mode since I don't think that's a true virtual machine.

I believe it would under something like VirtualBox though.

Not a true virtual machine? What an odd statement to make, a good example of that you should never offer your assistance on a tech related forum if you really don't know an answer, only based on what you think. Simply by Googling you had easily found how wrong you are.

Windows XP Mode is of course a fully functional, real and true virtual machine running a complete Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 on Microsoft Virtual PC. It can be upgraded as any other computer running XP.

To the OP's question: Yes, you can do that. However, I really do not see the point because as you certainly know, you can not in-place upgrade to Seven from XP, so it would be a clean install, making your video tutorial as any of the large number of "How to install Windows 7" tutorials already available.

Only valid and 100% sure working method to in-place upgrade XP to Seven is via Vista (in-place XP to Vista and continue with in-place Vista to Seven).

Just to show this is possible, I in-place upgraded one of my XP Mode virtual machines to get screenshots:

Starting as any normal in-place upgrade, from desktop of old OS:

upgrading XP to Win 7 inside Virtual Windows xp?-xp_to_vista_in-place_upgrade_0.png

Advance as in any installation:

upgrading XP to Win 7 inside Virtual Windows xp?-xp_to_vista_in-place_upgrade_1.png

upgrading XP to Win 7 inside Virtual Windows xp?-xp_to_vista_in-place_upgrade_3.png

upgrading XP to Win 7 inside Virtual Windows xp?-xp_to_vista_in-place_upgrade_4.png

And the final product, already installing service pack to make installing Virtual PC integration components possible:

upgrading XP to Win 7 inside Virtual Windows xp?-xp_to_vista_in-place_upgrade_5.png

That's it. Everything is as it was, including user accounts from XP Mode. Only the OS has changed. Only important thing to remember is to uninstall Virtual PC integration components from XP Mode before upgrading, and then re-install them after upgrading.

Kari

user659 · 09 Dec 2010

Thank you very much Keri for going to the trouble of showing me your screenshots.
I'll give it a try.

Although others have produced upgrade guides, I want to create this one as a live video by using Wisdom Autoscreen Recorder 3. I can add my voice narrative to the process as it proceeds.

user659 · 10 Dec 2010

Well, I gave it a try. The jury is still out.

The first odd thing was that the system rejected my 64 bit Win 7 Pro Upgrade CD, claiming system incompatability. But it then accepted the 32 bit CD.

Is Virtual XP just a 32 bit system, regardless of whether the native Win 7 Pro currently installed and the PC are both 64 bit?

The next thing that scared me was that the partition that was identified for installation was the only one on the C drive and was very large - well over 100 GB.
I began to fear that the intallation might end up replacing my current Win 7 installation and sticking it into a Windows.old folder. Would I end up with a new but 32 bit Win 7 installation? So, I cancelled the installation.

Any thoughts, anyone?

Kari · 10 Dec 2010

Microsoft Virtual PC can only run 32-bit virtual machines, so each and every virtual machine (including XP Mode) you have running on Virtual PC is always automatically 32-bit. You can not install a 64-bit OS to Virtual PC vm. It's possible on vm's running on VirtualBox or VMware.

If you were running the Seven installation on XP Mode, the C: drive shown is the virtual one belonging to XP Mode, not the physical one of your host computer. Check the actual size of XP Mode's virtual hard disk from XP Mode's settings.

Kari

user659 · 10 Dec 2010

Once again, Kari, thanks. You must sit up nights, watching for posts. ;-)

I've been scanning websites to educate myself and just saw the statement that Virtual PC only supports 32 bit viirtual machines. OK on that.

Some of the web postings are bit old and can be misleading, but I gather
that I should stick with the default - differentaing disk method.

So, I'm reading your reply that the C drive and its large partition that
was reported when I was going through the Win 7 upgrade attempt
only refers to a virtual drive.Indeed, I just checked the Properties for the XP C drive and see that it is, indeed, stated as a Virtual HD.

Is the size of that Virtual drive set by default?

Anyway, I'll now try the XP to Win 7 Upgrade again, without sweating.