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Forget XP as Guest -- Run Windows 2003 Server
Hi all
Particularly those running XP as a Guest VM.
I'd switch to running W2003 Server Standard edition instead - there's very very few programs that won't run on W2003 compared with XP and since its a server it's lightning fast compared with "Bog standard" XP.
The standard version defaults to 4 concurrent users BTW.
(I haven't tried Windows server 2003 R2 - just the bog standard Windows 2003 with SP2 and fixes plus IE8).
Even Photoshop CS4 installs and I tested it with 2 concurrent users -- still faster than ONE user on XP. (I know photoshop CS4 runs really well and fast on W7 X-64 and in 64 bit mode too - but I need more licenses to install on other machines -- after XMAS).
Office 2007 also installs -- no probs.
Note that MSE won't work in it but malwarebytes antimalware is fine.
There are some issues running a server as a workstation - however if you follow the linked instructions you can make it behave like a normal workstation OS and its fine.
How to convert your Windows Server 2003... to a Workstation!
I still need some XP stuff which is why I'm running Windows 2003 server rather than windows 2008 server.
All your XP drivers (old printers etc still seem to work). RDP works much much better (It is after all a SERVER).
Running a 1.6GB ( even that's debatable whether I need that amount of RAM on W2008 server for my use) Guest on Windows x-64 host seems to be a great combination
Finally Bye Bye XP completely.
W2003 server guest performs for me as a VM much better than XP does in NATIVE mode.
(Acronis users - For backups just use vmware clone virtual machine or run from the stand alone bootable media as Acronis knows its a server and won't install the desktop product. But as I said the stand alone backup works as well as "Cloning" your VM ).
Cheers
jimbo