| Author |
Topic: Another Win 7 "gotcha" for XP Mode |
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 18 Aug 2009 6:39 am |
|
Another goodie from the WinXP Newsletter:
"If you're considering moving from XP to Windows 7 but you have applications that need to run in XP, the free "XP Mode" virtual machine that's available to Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate users makes it possible. But there's a catch. Even if you have the right OS edition, not all computers will run Windows Virtual PC, which is the basis for XP Mode. The processor has to have Intel VT or AMD-V hardware virtualization, and the computer maker has to provide a way to turn it on in the BIOS. Many Sony laptop owners are unhappy to learn that their machines have VT disabled, with no way to enable it." |
|
|
 |
Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
|
Posted 18 Aug 2009 8:47 am
|
|
Since Windows 7 XP Virtual PC Mode is not even going to be available to folks running Windows 7 Home Premium, or less, they will have to rely upon the XP Compatibility Mode that already exists in Windows Vista. This will allow applications to run, pretty much the same as they did on XP. It does not perform any hardware trickery though, so you won't be able to get an old sound card, built exclusively for XP, to run under W7.
Note also, that the versions of Windows 7 that do offer XP Mode Virtual PC will include a new, valid, licensed copy of Windows XP.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
|
|
|
John Floyd
From:
R.I.P.
|
Posted 18 Aug 2009 2:33 pm
|
|
Wiz
I've been running the RC version of XP mode along with the RC version of Win7 with 4 gig of ram and I can see where at least 8 gig is going to be necessary.
Its not the fastest thing in the world with only 4 gig because XP mode is trying to claim about 3 gig and whatever is running in the background with Windows 7 is fighting with XP mode for memory.
My thoughts are that 8 gig would speed up the process considerably. |
|
|
|
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 18 Aug 2009 2:59 pm
|
|
The "compatibility mode" is different from the XP mode virtual machine function. As noted in my other Win 7 post, there are some programs that will not load if they do not see their compatible Windows versions and in those the compatibility mode will not work. Those programs will need the Virtual Machine to even install.
I haven't tried the Virtual Machine in the 64 bit RC version that I have installed, but I did order the Professional version upgrade, I'll have to see how it works as I have 6GB installed too. |
|
|
|
John Cipriano
From:
San Francisco
|
|
|
|
John Floyd
From:
R.I.P.
|
Posted 19 Aug 2009 1:10 pm
|
|
John
Actually I found that since I posted before and it doesn't help all that much, It is slow changing in and out of xp mode. it appears to me that Windows 7 and XP mode are having a struggle over my 4 Gb of ram. I'm running win 7 64 bit version.
I have an Amd Phenom II x4 940 processor 3.0 ghz, no overclocking. Its not a Slow Computer by any stretch of the imagination and 4 gig of 1066 ram. The only thing I can think of is it is using Virtual memory and 4.0 gb isn't enough to keep it from using The disk memory. Anyway its Slow and Choppy going from Win 7 to XP mode.
I've been ready to go ahead and put the second 4 gb in, just waiting on a sale at newegg. This has been a build in progress since February and The Memory addition is one of the last steps.
Thanks For replying.
I knew a Bill Cipriano who worked for the government (Navy Underseawarfare) in Norfolk, Va, Any Relation? |
|
|
|
Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
|
Posted 19 Aug 2009 2:42 pm
|
|
I just spent 6 or 8 hours playing with Virtual PC and XP Mode on a Core 2 Duo 6600 with 2 GB of RAM. This was on a test partition of Windows 7 RC 64-bit.
I was trying it for just one purpose: my antique Photoshop 4.0 has a 16-bit installer which I guess 64-bit Windows cannot run at all. So, I needed a way to run Photoshop and I wanted to try a virtual machine as an alternative to a dual boot of 32 and 64 bit Windows 7.
I had never experimented with virtual machines before and didn't know what to expect.
By default, the allotted memory was set at 256 MB. I tested that and other sizes ranging up to 1024 MB.
The virtual machine took 20 or 30 seconds to start and nearly that much to shut down. Going into and out of hibernation mode took maybe 10 seconds.
I wasn't too impressed. The graphics when running the virtual OS are modest---I couldn't change resolution to anything other than 800/600 and I was limited to 16M color. Navigation among folders was noticeably less snappy than I have become accustomed to. The purpose of Photoshop is to evaluate and modify pictures and if you can't get a good look at them I don't know how you can expect to improve them much. Virtualization might be a better deal for apps that rely more on text. And I am sure more memory would have helped improve response.
The Windows XP Mode installer stalled for some unknown reason, but I got around it. I had to make one change in the BIOS to permit virtualization.
I think dual-boot would be a better idea in my case. I wouldn't like to have to reboot to a 32-bit OS just to use Photoshop, but at least after the reboot I would have full graphics and wouldn't be weighed down by 2 operating systems--and it's not like the XP mode brings up a new OS instantaneously.
Current plan is to stay with 32-bit Windows 7 and not bother with dual-boot or virtualization. Photoshop 4 installs and runs fine on 32-bit operating systems. I won't move to 64-bit until I move to another motherboard, socket, processor, and at least 6 GB of memory--and that is at least a year away. |
|
|
|
John Floyd
From:
R.I.P.
|
Posted 19 Aug 2009 3:12 pm
|
|
Mitch, Thats What I saw exactly. I would have liked it better if I had been able to boot up my copy of XP pro on another Drive I have installed with all the bugs worked out and all the updates installed. instead of the copy of XP_ pro Furnished with the XP mode. I have Built in Video on my motherboard, Nvidia 780a SLI and I have 512 mb allotted to it in bios. But I still got the Crappy Video in XP Mode.
We are learning a few lessons here, hopefully it will help the other forum members with Wiz and Jack providing some explanations for us all.
I would like to be able to hibernate Win 7 and boot up XP Pro that I have installed on a 320 gb Pata Hard Drive. I don't know if that can be done, but it would be better than xp mode. |
|
|
|
Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
|
Posted 19 Aug 2009 3:52 pm
|
|
John:
You might want to take a look at virtualization using the stuff at Virtualbox.org. It is open source and free for the asking. The current version is compatible with a late beta Windows 7 64-bit and they update frequently. Take a look at the manual and documentation there.
It is supposed to work with all versions of Windows 7--no need to worry about the Home Premium/Professional/Ultimate distinctions.
I looked at it after I had already installed Microsoft's product. If I decided I was going to go down the virtual machine path, I think I would try it.
I think it allows you to use your own copy of XP.
And there seems to be more configuration options--takes more time to set up, less "automatic".
The reports I have seen say it is noticeably faster than MS. I don't know about graphics performance. |
|
|
|
