How to use XP and 7 at the same time

[huisinro]

MyOldPCs does support converting virtual disks between .vhd. .vmk, .vdi, .hdd. You
select a virtual disk format from 1st drop down, then select the target format from 2nd drop down, and it will does the conversion. To the best of my knowledge, MyOldPCs supports the most disk format conversions.

Let me know if it does not work. We have thousands of people testing it at the moment.

 

[Kari]

Those vhd formats you mention are exactly that: virtual hard drive formats. Each of them needs different settings and configuration files to work with VPC, VBox or VMware. To VPC and VBox you can mount a vhd without these files, they are created when the virtual machine is booted first time.

But those two are exactly the two our OP can not use. That's why I wanted to test all possible scenarios, to get the virtual image mounted on VMware. And that can not be done with your convertion program.

An example: to mount a virtual hard drive to VMware Player, it needs not only the vhd itself, it also needs the configuration file (.vmx, .vmc, .sv2, .sbf, .tib, .ovf or .ova, depending on what type of vhd we have).

MyOldPC creates a working virtual hard drive, OK. But it does not create configuration file, it is normally created only when a new virtual machine is booted first time.

If I want to mount a vhd which does not have settings and configuration files to VMware Player, I have to first mount it to Virtual PC. When I then boot this new virtual machine in Virtual PC, it creates the settings file .vmcx, and a configuration file .vmc. I shut down the machine, and now I have the configuration file needed to mount it to VMware Player.

A bit too complicated, and for OP it's out of the qestion because his rig does not support virtualization.

I am very happy if you show I'm wrong but I'm afraid I'm not.

Kari

 

[huisinro]

you are right that MyOldPCs does not create configuration files for vmware/vpc at the moment. It generates virtual disk files. Only for VMLite, it can parse the .mop file emitted during conversion.

However, once you have a bootable .vhd/.vmk/.vdi file, it's very easy to create a virtual machine. You can use the corresponding vm software to create a new vm, then use the converted virtual disk.

 

[Kari]

I'm home alone this weekend, rest assured I am going to play with different scenarious

 

[severedsolo]

might be worth pointing out that Virtual PC now supports NON virtualising hardware: http://www.sevenforums.com/news/71841-windows-xp-mode-now-accessible-more-pcs.html as of today im running it myself on a non hardware virtualising processor

 

[Kari]

might be worth pointing out that Virtual PC now supports NON virtualising hardware: http://www.sevenforums.com/news/71841-windows-xp-mode-now-accessible-more-pcs.html as of today im running it myself on a non hardware virtualising processor

I just posted this on that thread:

Does anybody know if other virtual machines still need virtualization technology enabled? I mean, is this No-VT update something separate that makes XP mode to run without VT, but Virtual PC itself still needs it when other vm's are run?

Kari

 

[kittleboy]

Got the download link from VMLite, installed MyOldPC Converter. Had to meet my real life friends, too, so I went first to pub. Back now, testing.

Very first, I just checked which file formats MyOldPC supports. After 30 seconds it was clear you can not use MyOldPC to convert your existing system or an image to any format supported by VMware.

See here. First, you can convert an image or existing system using MyOldPC to these virtual HD formats:

View attachment 61632

But to be able to mount a vhd to VMware, it has to be one of these formats:

View attachment 61631

(click images)

The problem is, MyOldPC creates virtual hard disk. But VMware needs a configuration file to mount existing vhd. These configuration files are only created when the new virtual machine is booted first time.

I really do not now how to create this settings file manually. These files contain so much individual information about vhd (MAC addresses etc) that it is not possible just copy it or write a new.

Next, i tried to convert an existing vhd to some other format. it was a no go, as this error message tells:

View attachment 61636

Next I tried to convert my second Win7 rig to vhd using MyOldPC. It worked, and I mounted it succesfully to both VirtualBox and Virtual PC, but this does not help you because you don't have hardware virtualization.

Next step was to download and install VMLite, and to try to mount the vhd I just created to it. No luck there, VMLite installation failed two times, I have no more patience to play with it today.

So our saga continues. This issue interests me quite a lot, so I'm going to test all possible scenarios. I have enough old comuters with different OS's, so I'll find something.

Kari

Oh, man;
That's really nice of you,
THANKS A LOT.

 

[severedsolo]

might be worth pointing out that Virtual PC now supports NON virtualising hardware: http://www.sevenforums.com/news/71841-windows-xp-mode-now-accessible-more-pcs.html as of today im running it myself on a non hardware virtualising processor

I just posted this on that thread:

Does anybody know if other virtual machines still need virtualization technology enabled? I mean, is this No-VT update something separate that makes XP mode to run without VT, but Virtual PC itself still needs it when other vm's are run?

Kari

sorry kari didnt see that i will put my ubuntu ISO into a VM see if it works

 

[Kari]

I just wanted to tell about my suspicions, as long as nobody tells other I believe this no-VT XP Mode is just the XP Mode, but if you install some other OS's to virtual machine you still need to have VY enabled in bios.

Kari

 

[severedsolo]

nope, iv just tested it, it loaded Ubuntu no problem, hope it helps

 

[Kari]

Virtual PC? And you have no VT support?

 

[severedsolo]

sorry kari, looks like i may have been a bit premature.... it showed the ISO boot screen but it seems to have stuck on the installation

edit: never mind its loading now, just seems to be a bit slow, and yes i have no Hard ware virtualization

it works, its just slow as sin and doesnt have desktop integration

 

[Kari]

Please forget VMLite. Read this before installing it.

 

[kittleboy]

How are the tests going on my friends?

 

[Kari]

About a whole day of testing VMLite as an alternative to you, check the link in my previous post (number 33).

Testing now how to create a virtual hard drive configuration file manually. Problem is this:

A virtual machine is a set of files which acts as a real computer. For instance a Microsoft Windows Virtual PC virtual machine needs these files to be functional:

• .vhd = Virtual Machine virtual hard drive image
• .vmc = Virtual Machine settings file
• .vmcx = Virtual Machine description and registration settings
• .vsv = Virtual Machine saved state file
  (.vsv file does not always exist, it is created when you hibernate a virtual machine and deleted when vm is restored)

There are plenty of alternatives to create a vhd, the two I have tested now for you (Disk2vhd and MyOldPC) both did the job well. These programs create only the vhd, though, which can then be directly mounted to VirtualBox and Virtual PC. These two virtual PC applications create needed settings and configuration files when a new virtual machine is created and vhd mounted.

However, your problem was that because you do not have virtualization technology in your BIOS, you need to use an alternative virtual PC application, one which works without VT. WMware would be a good alternative, but it can not mount the vhd without existing configuration file (notice please: this might not be the case, but I have not found a way). Messages I've sent to other Seven Forum members who I think could bring something new to this our discussion have not answered.

But I think our, your luck is about to be changed. After you started this thread, Microsoft announced it has changed the policy regarding Virtual PC, XP Mode and the need of virtualisation technology. Virtual PC with XP Mode is now available also to computers without VT (http://www.sevenforums.com/news/71841-windows-xp-mode-now-accessible-more-pcs.html). I suggest you download and install Virtual PC and XP Mode one more time, in the mean time I test how we would go further from that.

Please notice this: Ýou mentioned earlier you have downloaded Virtual PC, only to get the error message telling it does not work on your computer. Before reinstalling, follow instructions in this post to check that both Virtual PC and XP Mode are not present in your system. Go then and download the Virtual PC and XP Mode again, do not use those files you've already downloaded. Notice that there are now three files to download, instead of two as it was until a couple of days ago: Download Windows XP Mode.

I'll be back

Kari

 

[umesh2063]

But in dell Laptops we cannot install Windows Xp.
They do not support other than Windows7 and Windows Vista.

I had tried a lot to install Windows xp on my machine. but i could not, even using virtual pc.

If any other way is there please suggest.

 

[wfor1pilot]

But in dell Laptops we cannot install Windows Xp.
They do not support other than Windows7 and Windows Vista.

I had tried a lot to install Windows xp on my machine. but i could not, even using virtual pc.

If any other way is there please suggest.

Is it a newer Dell that was designed to only run w/ win7 - Vista ?

You might want to check the Dell sight, enter you're service tag#, select you're operation system and see if you can get drivers for XP.

I'm running two XPS M1710 one w/ win7 (using vista drivers) and one running XP Pro (for that machine "M1710" Dell offers drivers for both but; not yet Win7 drivers).

As a side note: if you're machine came w/vista or win7 you will have to totally format the hard drive before trying to install XP. Did you try that? Win7 & Vista leave traces that won't let you install win XP until you format the drive...?

Which model Dell are you using?

 

[umesh2063]

Thanks for your reply.

Yes its a newer Dell machine that was designed to run Vista/Windows7 according to Dell customer care.

I have tried on Dell site also but my machine is Dell Studio 15 32 bit. And there is no drivers . I have clicked on download link its showing nothing.

I just want to roun WindowsXp and Windows7 on my machine but dont know how.

Will formatting my harddrive completely resolve my issue?? I haven't done that till now.

 

[kittleboy]

About a whole day of testing VMLite as an alternative to you, check the link in my previous post (number 33).

Testing now how to create a virtual hard drive configuration file manually. Problem is this:

A virtual machine is a set of files which acts as a real computer. For instance a Microsoft Windows Virtual PC virtual machine needs these files to be functional:

• .vhd = Virtual Machine virtual hard drive image
• .vmc = Virtual Machine settings file
• .vmcx = Virtual Machine description and registration settings
• .vsv = Virtual Machine saved state file
  (.vsv file does not always exist, it is created when you hibernate a virtual machine and deleted when vm is restored)

There are plenty of alternatives to create a vhd, the two I have tested now for you (Disk2vhd and MyOldPC) both did the job well. These programs create only the vhd, though, which can then be directly mounted to VirtualBox and Virtual PC. These two virtual PC applications create needed settings and configuration files when a new virtual machine is created and vhd mounted.

However, your problem was that because you do not have virtualization technology in your BIOS, you need to use an alternative virtual PC application, one which works without VT. WMware would be a good alternative, but it can not mount the vhd without existing configuration file (notice please: this might not be the case, but I have not found a way). Messages I've sent to other Seven Forum members who I think could bring something new to this our discussion have not answered.

But I think our, your luck is about to be changed. After you started this thread, Microsoft announced it has changed the policy regarding Virtual PC, XP Mode and the need of virtualisation technology. Virtual PC with XP Mode is now available also to computers without VT (http://www.sevenforums.com/news/71841-windows-xp-mode-now-accessible-more-pcs.html). I suggest you download and install Virtual PC and XP Mode one more time, in the mean time I test how we would go further from that.

Please notice this: Ýou mentioned earlier you have downloaded Virtual PC, only to get the error message telling it does not work on your computer. Before reinstalling, follow instructions in this post to check that both Virtual PC and XP Mode are not present in your system. Go then and download the Virtual PC and XP Mode again, do not use those files you've already downloaded. Notice that there are now three files to download, instead of two as it was until a couple of days ago: Download Windows XP Mode.

I'll be back

Kari

I tried to download Windows XP Mode ( first item ) but it first downloads a file for checking whether windows is valid or not; but
it doesn't pass this step .... :sarc::sarc: ?!
is there another place for downloading these three files?!
please give me another source

 

[wee]

The thread is to long to read everything, but I would use the Sun Virtualbox get the puel version. There are conversions to it's format, but if it was me I would just do a fresh install, after saving whatever is appropriate in XP. Then just put it back in via a shared file with W7. A fresh install can make life easier at least for me, but I am primarily a open source user. Downloads - VirtualBox