Windows 2000 in VM Under Win 7??

Jeffs · 08 Jan 2010

Is this Possible?

I have just received a new system at work with Windows 7 Professional.

My old system is a Windows 2000 system that I am migrating from. Is it possible to create a virtual hard drive from the old system and boot into it under the virtual machine on Windows 7?

It would make the transition easier, and allow me to keep all my old programs and files "at hand" instead of having to run to the backups when I realize I missed something.

If it's possible, could someone explain step-by-step how I'd do it, and if any other programs are necessary to do it?

Thanks.

huisinro · 09 Jan 2010

It's possible, you can do it manually, or use a p2v tool.

By hand, you create a VHD file, mount it as virtual disk, then xcopy all files to the mounted drive. Some files that are being used won't be copied, so make sure you kill as many proccesses as possible.

The registry files can't be copied for sure, so you will have to export them as hive files to the virtual disk.

After you copy all files, you can hook the virtual disk to a vm, and check if you can boot.

This manual method will take quite some efforts, so you may want to try our MyOldPCs p2v converter, which does support 2000 and above.

http://www.vmlite.com/index.php/products/myoldpcs

hope this is helpful.

jimbo45 · 09 Jan 2010

Hi there

forget that vmlite stuff that someone has been pushing for as "long as Pontius has been a Pilot" -- you don't need that at all.

VMWARE or VBOX will install a W2K virtual machine without ANY PROBS whatsoever. (Or even Virtual PC from MS).

All these have FREE versions (vmware has vmware server or vmplayer which can now CREATE VM'S which are free -- vmware workstation is a paid for product, whilst VBOX and VIRTUAL PC are free.

I prefer vmware - the create virtual machine wizard is really simple - especially for a totally NEW VM but you want to use your existing installation so you need to convert it first.

I've even got a W95 and a Windows 3.11 virtual machine running -- no probs at all.

The easy way is to use vmware and use the vmware Conversion tool to create your VHD disk from your existing OS (it's FREE)

http://www.vmware.com/products/converter/
Cheers
jimbo

Arc · 09 Jan 2010

VMWare is really a good choice. It allows you to run a lot of oss in virtual machine. Almost all versions of Microsoft, Linux and Sun is capable here.

huisinro · 09 Jan 2010

First, I answered this question because no one bothered to do so after it was sitting there 10 hrs.

Second, I mentioned MyOldPCs because it's better than VMware Converter, the following are some of the examples:

(1) If your host is dual core or multiple CPUs, after converted by VMware Converter, the vm WON'T boot in VPC, or VirtualBox without VT-x/AMD-V. Because VMware Converter never reconfigures kernel images. VMLite has no problems in this area.

(2) If your xp is installed on FAT32, instead of NTFS, this is not very popular, but still quite some old machines out there, VMware Converter WON'T work at all.

(3) You will most likely need to re-activate the Windows when running the vm converted by VMware Converter. you don't need to activate the vm when using MyOldPCs/VMLite combination as VMLite tries to preserve host hardware info.

(4) If one partition contains 2 Windows installations, for example, C:\Windows and C:\winxp, VMware will only process one.

(5) MyOldPCs supports virtual-to-physical conversion, for example, you can make the same Microsoft XP Mode VHD to boot a real computer, ...

There are many more stuff, if MyOldPCs is not better, why would I bother to do it?

Jeffs · 11 Jan 2010

MyOldPCs isn't available for download - only on "request". I already emailed them for a copy. I did this DAYS ago and got NO response (even before I posted here).

huisinro · 11 Jan 2010

sorry, we are holding off the requests for a new build. You should get the trial the next couple of days. For Windows 2000, make sure you reboot after MyOldPCs is installed, because our snapshot driver in 2000 requires a boot. No need to do so in XP and above.

jimbo45 · 12 Jan 2010

Hi there
just forget all that stuff about trying it under some package hardly anyone has ever heard of.

Install W2K under vmware server / player or Vbox (all FREE) -- and 100,000's of users world wide-- on a decent W7 machine installing a W2K Virtual Machine will take all of 10 - 15 mins and you aren't dependent on the vagaries of the "developers" for releasing new versions of goodness knows what (and delivery by email only also is hardly a good recommendation for Software trialling -- even "Vapourware").

Sounds a bit like "an Under the Railway Arches" outfit to me.

Cheers
jimbo

huisinro · 12 Jan 2010

Jimbo,

What made you so mad on VMLite? Are you scared of its success?

Otherwise, I don't understand it. If you want to comment, do it based on some facts. If you haven't used the software, how do you know whether it's good or bad?

As a stanford PhD, I am not building "Vapourware", or "long as Pontius has been a Pilot".

Dr. Huihong Luo

jimbo45 · 12 Jan 2010

Hi there
My remarks are based om obsevations (people seem to have trouble with the site / getting hold of the apprpriate software etc) and the use of possible copyright infringements.

If your Software allows use of an OEM XP system (or any Microsoft OS that requires activation or a Serial number WITHOUT activation or using the serial number then you are breaking the law (or encouraging your users to -- please read the Windows XP EULA).

The only exception is where an OEM XP system is re-installed on the SAME computer it was originally installed on.

Cheers
jimbo