32-bit Vista running under 64-bit Windows 7 - Device Driver question.

[Tinkerdog]

I have Windows 7 64 bit Ultimate running on my PC.

I also have a Movie editting program that uses a 32-bit driver for capturing video from outside sources (that runs under fine under Vista 32-bit).

Would I be able to load Vista 32 bit in a VirtualBox environment, and load the 32 bit driver in the Vista 32 bit, and have it work properly under Windows 7 64 bit?

Thanks!

 

[Compound1080]

I say you just be fine. I haven't used Virtualbox but I use VMWare workstation and Virtual PC with 32bit OSs and yes I can install any 32bit software out there on this image.

When you install Virtualbox x86 version you're already ensuring that a 32bit software/program can be installed on an x64 based architecture.

Have you tried installing this movie editing software right under your W7x64 as most 32bit based software get installed in ...\Program Files(x86)\.... folder anyway?

 

[Tinkerdog]

I say you just be fine. I haven't used Virtualbox but I use VMWare workstation and Virtual PC with 32bit OSs and yes I can install any 32bit software out there on this image.

When you install Virtualbox x86 version you're already ensuring that a 32bit software/program can be installed on an x64 based architecture.

Have you tried installing this movie editing software right under your W7x64 as most 32bit based software get installed in ...\Program Files(x86)\.... folder anyway?

Yes, I have, but the 32-bit driver for the Video Capture hardware will not work under 64 bit Windows 7.... sorry.

What I have done in the past is to dual-boot the Windows 7 64bit and Vista 32bit and run the Video Capture under the Vista 32bit and then boot to Windows 7 to do the Editting. Worked, but clunky.... would like to boot to one environment (well, I would have to boot into the Virtual Environment too so it is sort of the same)....

 

[cluberti]

Does the driver work under 32bit *Windows 7*? If so, you can consider installing the 32bit Windows 7 VM inside a VHD, and boot to that (natively) without having to have separate partitions for it, etc. Note that doing this would require Windows 7 Enterprise or Windows 7 Ultimate, but as you said you already have Ultimate this could be a real option.

You cannot (for most things, excluding USB, print devices, and *some* PCI devices that software like VMWare Workstation, which is non-free, supports) add hardware into a VM, nor can a driver go outside the VM and touch hardware in the physical machine. I think perhaps outside of doing a VHD boot to Win7 32bit (assuming the driver and software works in Win7 32bit, of course), you probably will have to go back to Vista.

 

[carwiz]

What am I missing? Why not just load the program to Windows 7-x64 and do your editing?

 

[cluberti]

It's video capture, so the driver is kernel-mode. It's a 32bit driver. You can't load 32bit kernel-mode drivers on a 64bit system.

 

[Duzzy]

Might be a stupid question but have you checked if theres a updated driver for Win 7 64 bit?

Did the program come with the video capture card?
What program is it and what capture card are you using?

 

[carwiz]

Video capture from what--A USB port? If it's for the MMC cards, you don't need kernel drivers for that. In most cases, you don't need to add any drivers with Windows 7. If the program needs drivers, they may be just functional/user drivers. I'm with Duzzy. I think a clarification is needed on exactly what "card" and what program. I'm not up to speed on video editing but it sounds/looks like the OP is using MMC cards via a USB connected card reader.

 

[Tinkerdog]

The video capture device is a USB connected device..... and connects to the video output of the VCR and/or other devices via ANALOG video and SOUND.

And the maker of the 32bit driver and USB capture device is Pinnacle Software (now AVID)... and they made it clear years ago that they don't intend to support THIS hardware with 64 bit updates (and this hardware was still being sold on the market when they came out with 64 bit updates for many of their OTHER hardware... just NOT this one which they were still selling.... sigh... so I don't USE or BUY any of their other software or hardware...... beware of Pinnacle and AVID.

 

[carwiz]

They do show x64 drivers for many devices. You don't say which model but did you look here:
Pinnacle - Dazzle* Hardware Installer for Studio 10

 

[Tinkerdog]

The hardware is the Pinnacle Dazzle Video Creator Platinium (DVC170)

The only have the 32 bit driver for it.

Driver 14.0.0.162 (32 bit)

 

[Duzzy]

You are diffently out of luck for a 64 bit driver but I found a video that shows you can use Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode with this device. It appears they have already installed the driver and software so it won't help with installation but it shows that it works. You can find the video here How To Use A Dazzle Dvc170 On Windows 7 64bit

Because it's a USB device you should be able to use it with any Virtual PC software that supports attaching local USB devices and install either XP 32 bit or Vista 32 bit, you shouldn't have to use XP Mode. Microsofts Virtual PC (excluding Virtual PC 2007) can support USB and I'm 99% sure VMWare Player can, I've never used VirtualBox so I don't know if it can but if you are familiar with it then you probably know if it can.

You might find a Virtual PCs performance to be a little underwhelming. If you do I suggest you do what 'cluberti' suggested in post #4 paragraph 1.

Hope this helps.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi all
I'm surprised how in these economic times people just glibly say buy a new piece of kit -- if the old hardware works fine -continue using it -- I have some expensive hardware that's almost 15 years old and I have no intention of replacing it -- works fine on an XP VM.

Your USB devices should function perfectly on a Virtual Machine -- I don't know about VBOX but VMWARE'S latest release (vmworkstation rel 8 -- paid for software or vmplayer rel 4 FREE) has made running video apps on Virtual machines quite OK now (provided the app doesn't do too much with the real hardware and uses proper API calls).

You'll find VLC for example plays most DVD's perfectly now on a VMware vm -- didn't before- so I suspect your USB device should work fine.

The time where this stuff gets tricky is if you use PCI cards -- some Virtual Machine systems allow certain PCI cards to be "passed through" to the Virtual machine enabling the virtual machine to access the basic hardware of the PCI card rather than using the VM's Virtual BIOS".

Performance should be adequate -- don't bother with XP mode however --use a fully separate Virtual Machine.

Incidentally you can (so long as you don't use more than 4GB RAM for Host AND VM) run 64 bit Guests on a 32 bit Host.

I tested some x-64 W7 variations and the newer W8 developer edition x-64 using an XP host --works great.

Cheers
jimbo