XP mode taking forever to load

[paul3200]

hi i have just got xp mode cos just found out i dont need Virtualization technology (sorry if in wrong place but couldnt find where else to put it) but it is taking like 5 mins for xp mode to start and then another 3/4 mins to let me do anything is there an easy way of fixing this at the moment i am doing all the (useful) updates

cheers

 

[Kari]

Two simple tricks that should increase the time it takes for XP Mode and other Virtual PC machines to start.

First, increase the amount of RAM assigned to a virtual machine. Looking at your specs, I would give 1 gig of that 3 you have to XP Mode. Go to XP mode's settings and change the amount of RAM:




Second, do this:

• Open C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Options.xml with Notepad
• Add this somewhere between the Preferences tags:
  

  <virtual_machines>
  <enable_idle_thread type="boolean">true</enable_idle_thread>
  </virtual_machines><br/>

• Save the file

Here's an extract from my options.xml file, to show how and where to add those three lines:



Adding these lines to options.xml let's Virtual PC use the processor more effectively, using more of the host's resources. Performance increase is especially clear in laptops because this also prevents laptop entering to the low power state every time the processor is idle.

Notice that to increase the RAM and edit options.xml, XP Mode and other virtual machines must be completely shut down, not just hibernated.

Kari

 

[paul3200]

cheers for your help but it is still taking the same amount of time (if not longer!!!??????) but i was wandering if there is a way of using XPM in virtual box???

 

[Kari]

No. XP Mode includes a XP Professional SP3 license to be used on Virtual PC. Any other use of XP Mode vhd is against EULA. If you mount XP Mode or copy of it to VirtualBox, it wont work. To install XP on VirtualBox you need an XP install media (disk or ISO-image) and a valid XP license.

Kari

 

[agunslinger]

I agree, this is a long startup even with the changes made (and I have it on mid-high end new PCs). Not quite a deal breaker but my staff complain a lot about it. And on a test run with VMWare it fires right up prety fast - which makes me feel like Im msising something. I want to stay with Microsoft but sometimes thye make it so hard