Compatible Virtual Machine with Intel HD Graphics / best XP emulator?

Wise Game Booster is a load of crap. Ditch it.

CPU instruction sets can be seen with the free and small program CPUz.

You can also search in your favorite search engine your CPU model and if it's Intel you can view their "Ark" webpage and see the CPU capabilities.

Gaming in a virtual machine is NOT recommend (at least today). You want bare metal. Old hardware can be had on eBay for next to nothing from companies that want to save planet Earth (dirt) and recycle E-waste.

Use the program Autoruns from Microsoft as an advanced MSConfig... The version of Autoruns you use to enable/disable items is the one that can only re-enable that item. Other subsequent versions of Autoruns may not be aware of disabled items from a different version of Autoruns. So just heed my advice otherwise you'll find yourself in the AppData folder, registry and whatnot.

Addendum:

Any "booster" is a load of crap. Learn the art and mastercraft of "boosting" your own computer for the sake of your privacy and the applicable shenanigans these programs will have on your PC. Like royally screwing the thing over. There's a program called Process Lasso. It's withen the same snake oil trade.

- - - Updated - - -

The games work perfectly on my Windowx XP real machine, but I would like to run them on my Windows 7 machine for better performance and less stress.

This statement doesn't make any sense.

Less stress? Explain? LOL!

I can tell you right now you'll have better functionality in a top of the line dedicated XP machine than you will Windows 7 for a game made in the before time of XP's days. A perfect example is Flight Simulator 2004 or Flight Simulator X. Yes, they run in Windows 7, but not without some hiccups. And God forbid you use Windows 10 or 11. It'll run, but you have to make it work. Native XP is where you want to run these old games or programs. I used to run XP 64.

Here's another example. I used to play BF2 with the AIX mod in Windows 7 ¹. (In fact, the thing is still installed). But just trying to get BF2 to work in 7 was a bit of a trick. And my beloved Command And Conquer Generals Zero Hour has some minor issues in Windows 7 as well. Though it runs. I shun to think how the aforementioned BF2 or Zero Hour would run in 10 & 11. LOL!


¹You use a third-party program for server access since Gamespy is dust.

Well, to begin with Wise Game Booster, it actually worked, I mean: it gets rid of some processes which may use CPU and since my PC only uses integrated graphics, it's a good thing (I guess).

Also Drivebooster helped me out with downgraded drivers, while ... yeah, sometimes it messed it all up, forcing system restore. Lesson learned: if it works, don't touch it.

Old hardware, yeah, I like it, but it's less performing as regards my experience, considering my current 7 PC has 16GB of Ram and 512mb of graphics... while my older PC has 128Mb (no Pixel Shader 2.0 which some DirectX9.0 game support or even force by default) and 512mb of ram (or something). I've tested a lot of compatible games (from GTA:SA to RTCW) and they actually run a lot faster.
The problem is of course, some hidden "gems" (which I usually discover to be very disappointing, except for Contract Jack, Blood II, etc.) aren't just compatible so they force me to (this is the stressing part):
1. load the iso on a usb drive, since sometimes the older DVD drive doesn't work.
2. move the keyboard/mouse of the older PC to the desk, moving away the newer ones
3. switch the input of the screen
4. shutting down 7
5. starting off XP
6. install the game
7. play it with lower resolution on a widescreen

While, if they were just compatible with 7 it all would be like:
1. Double click on the desktop shortcut.

But it's not a bad case, I mean: they're not so great games most often and I do not mind switching to the hardware they were supposed to work on. I'm just curious if there was a way to include them as well in the "newer" one, without spending extra (since older stuff has magically turned into "vintage"... ergo: overpriced on the second hand market).

I'll get informed about Autoruns though, seems interesting, I often used just services.msc and msconfig of course

F22 Simpilot said:

Gaming in a virtual machine is NOT recommend (at least today).

Virtual machine haters gonna hate.


Marine Heavy Gunner Vietnam







Serious Sam



3D Windows XP Screensaver - only works in XP, can still be downloaded from Microsoft:
https://download.microsoft.com/downl...DwindowsXP.exe



So yes, you can buy another machine just to run XP. Or you can just use the one you have now.

mulambo said:

Old hardware, yeah, I like it, but it's less performing as regards my experience, considering my current 7 PC has 16GB of Ram and 512mb of graphics... while my older PC has 128Mb (no Pixel Shader 2.0 which some DirectX9.0 game support or even force by default) and 512mb of ram (or something).

This is a problem with your HARDWARE, not the OS.

I ran XP and then latter XP 64 with 8 (could have done 16) GB of RAM using a Q6600 Intel CPU and a GTX560TI (a pretty good GPU back in the day)

Like I said, eBay would be a go-to source. You could get a QX6850 for around 40 Euros.

- - - Updated - - -

YmodemYNot said:

Virtual machine haters gonna hate.

I've used VMware since circa 2007. I know what its capabilities are, and bare metal beats all. But if you're so inclined, here's ten instances of XP for a project I did about two years ago.

F22 Simpilot said:

This is a problem with your HARDWARE, not the OS.

I ran XP and then latter XP 64 with 8 (could have done 16) GB of RAM using a Q6600 Intel CPU and a GTX560TI (a pretty good GPU back in the day)

Like I said, eBay would be a go-to source. You could get a QX6850 for around 40 Euros.

- - - Updated - - -




I've used VMware since circa 2007. I know what its capabilities are, and bare metal beats all. But if you're so inclined, here's ten instances of XP for a project I did about two years ago.

yeah I suspected so, probably something about Win 7 conflicting with my hardware and drivers, either my hardware being faulty somehow, I can't really waste time digging for the real cause as I've already gone through too much frustration for now (and too many system restores).
As regards the mentioned QX6850 all I get on eBay is separated CPU which I cannot install since I'm not an hardware expert and I cannot buy since I would spend 40€ only on a whole PC (and that would mean spending money for a bunch of usually low-quality games which I'm just curious about, not actually so interested about).
Yeah, there should be definitely the opportunity of some open-source XP edition compatible with newer hardware, for nostalgic gamers, but all I got in the net is the discouraging view on an unsure path that makes me think I'll just waste more time and hope.

Atm, the nearest solution is just using my older XP machine. Not great but at least it does something.

That's exactly my point - ideally having a separate XP computer is recommended. That's not always possible so the next choice would be a virtual machine that supports 3D acceleration. When I migrated from XP to 7 I was fortunate that all my favorite games had mods/ports for Windows 7 or would just work without any modification.

I've been very lucky so far - would my luck hold out with Marine Heavy Gunner Vietnam in Windows 7?

Yes. (Shown here in a window, also works in full-screen)

mulambo said:

yeah I suspected so, probably something about Win 7 conflicting with my hardware and drivers, either my hardware being faulty somehow, I can't really waste time digging for the real cause as I've already gone through too much frustration for now (and too many system restores).

Yes. That's exactly what happens when you load your PC with garbage programs (Magic Driver Booster, Sooper Dooper Game Optimizer, Fantastic Registry Wizard, Ultimate PC Tweaker Faster PC Maker etc.).

PC experts don't use those things for a reason.

Usually when someone gives me a computer with the kind of problems you are having I wipe the drive and do a fresh install. That's exactly what I recommend for you after you backup all your data. Download all the drivers from the vendor's website, not some driver software. Once your install is complete image the drive, more reliable than system restore.

Yeah, but " In order to stand, one must often fall first " (just heard this today on a TMNT episode by master Splinter). That's how you become an expert, I guess. Anyway, I've never installed anything that wasn't from official sources (or so it seemed by the configurators of such devices who seem official releases and not garbage-custom). "Not all garbage is waste" I may add to that quote.
Cartoonish wisdom aside, yeah a fresh re-install would be best solution but I just spent 4 hours last day backing up data (again I don't know if I can trust Macrium Backup as much as I fully trusted NTBackup) and I've gone through too much hussle recently, so I'll think I'll consider that after a long time (let's see... when the war in Ukraine will be over, lol, just betting).
Thank you all for your kind suggestions.