Which VM

DWFII · 09 Jan 2010

I have been reading and thinking and I am beginning to understand. But I would like some input or advice.

I don't do any OS testing or gaming on my Win 7 machine.

All I want to do is run legacy apps smoothly and without glitches with access to printer, USB drives, host data, clipboard, etc.. Perhaps a network (if I ever get it set up correctly).

So I want easy, and I want good graphics, and I want integration.

I am uncertain. I have gotten the impression that folks are not too impressed with Virtual PC XP Mode.

And VMware seems more, and more complicated, than I need.

I have looked at VMLite XP Mode and it seems pretty good and pretty easy.

I have not been able to download the pdf documentation of Virtual Box for some reason, but I understand that I would have to install XP on it.

So...exploring the pros and cons...can we do that? Is there a way to objectively look at the strengths and weaknesses of each option (including the recognition that sometimes "easy" is a positive)?

I would greatly appreciate any feedback.

jimbo45 · 09 Jan 2010

Hi there
just use vmware player or vmware server with an XP virtual machine. This software is Free and will do everything you want easily. The XP virtual machine behaves as near as possible to a normal machine -- you can add applications etc to it just like a normal machine and it runs nearly as fast as a Native machine.

I like vmware workstation -- but you have to pay for that so use vmware player or vmware server.

You could use VBOX as well - also free but my money goes to vmware -- I've been using it for years without any problems.

You won't be able to run a DVD player or a TV tuner on a VM but nearly everything else will work - even some eseoteric hardware devices attached via old COM ports and of course USB devices - excepting those like TV cards.

Audio streaming will work perfectly from a VM as well BTW.

Vmware isn't compicated -- just fire up "Create Virtual Machine Wizard" and you are off.

You'll need an XP install disk however to create an XP Virtual machine.

Cheers
jimbo

huisinro · 09 Jan 2010

just to be aware that you won't be able to activate the XP Mode VHD if using VBox, so it will only run for 30 days, then expire. And there is no Start menu integration (similar to VPC), for VBox or VMware.

VMLite pre-activates XP Mode VHD, and has Start menu integration, so programs installed in VM will appear inside host Start menu, and you can launch them from there.

VMLite is very easy to use, you just need to press a few clicks, and enter a password. It auto downloads the XP Mode package from Microsoft website, and then setup everything. Pretty much, you sit there 30 mins, and you will have a vm running.

DWFII · 09 Jan 2010

Jimbo,

Well, the business about not being able to run a dvd player raises a question...how do you install Win XP if not from a CD or DVD reader. Or do you mean some other device?

Huisinro,

Yes, what I saw of VMLite on your website and the documentation has me leaning that way. I like the fact that I won't lose any screen resolution and can run it full screen if I want to. I also like the fact that I don't have to install XP. Doesn't it also have automatic removable drive (dvd) and USB recognition/accessibility? I worry that if I set it up before i get my network problems figured out, however, I might not be able to integrate the network with VMLite later on. I don't know why that would be so but the documentation implies that.

But so far all I have seen are the pros of VMLite...what are the cons?

just to be aware that you won't be able to activate the XP Mode VHD if using VBox, so it will only run for 30 days, then expire.

What does this mean? Does it mean that I will have to install a copy of XP? I figured I would have to do that with VBox anyway. What does the reference to "only run for 30 days" mean?

huisinro · 09 Jan 2010

XP allows you to run 30 days if you don't activate it.

You can read more for VMLite vs VPC, for pros and cons:

VMLite vs virtual pc - VMLite

DWFII · 09 Jan 2010

huisinro said:

XP allows you to run 30 days if you don't activate it.

You can read more for VMLite vs VPC, for pros and cons:

VMLite vs virtual pc - VMLite

I looked at that...thank you.

Can a program running in VMLite write directly to DVD/CD or to a USB removable HD that are recognized and operational under Windows 7? How about a USB printer?

jimbo45 · 09 Jan 2010

DWFII said:

Jimbo,

Well, the business about not being able to run a dvd player raises a question...how do you install Win XP if not from a CD or DVD reader. Or do you mean some other device?

Huisinro,

Yes, what I saw of VMLite on your website and the documentation has me leaning that way. I like the fact that I won't lose any screen resolution and can run it full screen if I want to. I also like the fact that I don't have to install XP. Doesn't it also have automatic removable drive (dvd) and USB recognition/accessibility? I worry that if I set it up before i get my network problems figured out, however, I might not be able to integrate the network with VMLite later on. I don't know why that would be so but the documentation implies that.

But so far all I have seen are the pros of VMLite...what are the cons?

just to be aware that you won't be able to activate the XP Mode VHD if using VBox, so it will only run for 30 days, then expire.

What does this mean? Does it mean that I will have to install a copy of XP? I figured I would have to do that with VBox anyway. What does the reference to "only run for 30 days" mean?

Hi
of course you can USE a DVD device -- what I meant was you couldn't play a DVD movie in a Windows XP machine

Sorry for the confusion.

As a DATA device or even an Audio device -- no problem with DVD drives.

Cheers
jimbo