Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode

By Byron Hynes

Published March 10

Abstract

This paper examines the use of Windows® Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode in the Windows 7 operating system and describes how to set up a proof-of-concept test. It also introduces considerations for planning a virtualized solution for your environment.

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Contents

Contents              2

Introduction              3

Virtualization in Windows 7              4

Microsoft’s View of Virtualization              4

What Is Windows Virtual PC?              4

What Is Windows XP Mode?              4

How Do These Features Relate?              5

Virtualization Included with Windows 7              5

Building a Test Environment for Windows XP Mode              6

Planning and Considerations              6

Hardware Requirements              6

Table 1. Windows Virtual PC Hardware Requirements              6

Operating Systems              6

Security Risks and Management Challenges              8

Installing Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode              9

Download and Install Windows Virtual PC              9

Choose a Windows XP Image              10

Configuring Windows XP Mode              12

Locking Down the Guest              12

Future Publications              14

Additional Resources              15

Introduction

With the introduction of the Windows® 7 operating system, Windows Virtual PC, and Windows XP Mode, Microsoft offers new virtualization options that give businesses the flexibility and opportunity to use the best features of Windows 7 and modern application software while maintaining the critical ability to retain and use essential applications that may require specific operating systems or configurations.

With this opportunity for flexibility, however, comes risk. This paper briefly explains some of the options available to you, and then guides you through setting up a small test or proof-of-concept (PoC) environment. The bulk of this paper focuses on using Windows XP Mode to enable corporate uses to seamless run one or more legacy applications. Windows Virtual PC supports many other scenarios and other Windows technologies. For additional references, see the Resources section.

Virtualization in Windows 7

Microsoft’s View of Virtualization

At Microsoft, we see virtualization as much more than just a remotely hosted client computer or an on-demand server. We view virtualization as a complete spectrum that spans the enterprise.

Microsoft Virtualization includes the following major concepts:

·         Profile virtualization. Find technologies that make users’ files and settings, such as folder redirection and offline files, available wherever they log in.

·         Presentation virtualization. Use Remote Desktop Service (RDS)—formerly Terminal Services—to provide users with remote access to desktops or applications running on servers.

·         Server virtualization. Windows Server® 2008 R2 Hyper-V™ technology allows new solutions in consolidation, continuity, development, and virtual desktop scenarios.

·         Desktop virtualization. Technologies such as Windows Virtual PC, Microsoft Virtual PC 2007, and Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) create flexibility by allowing you to create different desktops as and where needed.

·         Application virtualization. Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) allows for centralized management and distribution of executable files to be run on demand where needed.

You can combine these concepts, features, and products to meet the changing needs of your dynamic organization. For example, many Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) applications use a combination that includes all these types of virtualization.

What Is Windows Virtual PC?

Windows Virtual PC, an optional component of Windows 7, helps you maintain the compatibility of legacy and custom applications in Windows 7 without additional application compatibility, testing, or training costs. You can run key Windows XP or Windows Vista® applications in Windows 7 in a seamless way.

With Windows Virtual PC, you can create and run one or more virtual machines (VMs), each with its own operating system (Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7), as a secure, private virtual environment that is accessible and easy to use yet tightly integrated with the Windows 7 host.

Windows Virtual PC is an optional component of Windows 7 and an evolution of Virtual PC 2007. While Virtual PC 2007 will be qualified to run under Windows 7, Windows Virtual PC and Virtual PC 2007 cannot co-exist on the same Windows 7 installation. Windows Virtual PC does not run on versions of the Windows operating system prior to Windows 7.

To learn more about Windows Virtual PC, see Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=149077.

What Is Windows XP Mode?

Windows XP Mode is a Windows 7 benefit that allows you to seamlessly integrate applications running on Windows XP with a user’s Windows 7 desktop and menus. The Windows XP Mode download includes a prepackaged VM of Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3) that is preinstalled as a virtual hard disk (VHD) and licensed specifically for use with Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise. This guest machine is used to run the productivity business applications.

How Do These Features Relate?

Windows Virtual PC is the virtualization runtime engine for Windows 7. In some ways, it is similar to Virtual PC 2007, but it is specifically designed and optimized for Windows 7. It supports the integration of Windows XP applications with the Windows 7 Explorer and shell, adds support for USB devices in the guest, and allows users to operate applications seamlessly between the two operating systems. In most circumstances, performance is improved compared to Virtual PC 2007.

Windows XP Mode is a Windows 7 benefit that utilizes virtualization technology, such as Windows Virtual PC, to provide tight integration for productivity business applications. The term Windows XP Mode refers primarily to the user experience of this integration along with the available Windows XP with SP3 image.

An enterprise-level solution is also available. MED-V is built on Virtual PC 2007 and is specially designed to provide enterprises with the capability to centrally manage and deploy virtual Windows environments. Currently, MED-V is available for Windows Vista; a future version will be released to support Windows 7 and Windows Virtual PC.

Virtualization Included with Windows 7

Windows 7 has been extensively tested with thousands of applications, including applications written by Microsoft and hundreds of Independent Software Vendors (ISVs). The majority of applications will run under Windows 7 without modification. Windows 7 also includes a number of application compatibility ("app compat") tools and features to help you seamlessly integrate existing applications into Windows 7.

For those few applications that cannot be supported under Windows 7, Windows XP Mode provides a way to use those applications -- in a Windows XP instance -- from Windows 7.

Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode are not available for all editions of Windows 7. Windows XP mode is available for Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate. (For more information, see the section, “System Requirements,” later in this paper.) Windows Virtual PC and the Windows XP Mode image are available for download from http://www.windows.com/xpmode. You must install them on each Windows 7 computer or include them in your Windows 7 deployment images.

Building a Test Environment for Windows XP Mode

As with any technology, it is important to test Windows XP Mode in a controlled environment. This section shows you how to do so.

Planning and Considerations

Among the first considerations is the compatibility of the hardware and the operating systems to be used as hosts and as guests.

Hardware Requirements

Table 1 lists the minimum system requirements for installing and running Windows Virtual PC for Windows XP Mode. In some cases, Windows Virtual PC may be installed if some of the minimum recommendations are not met; however, functionality and performance would be significantly affected.

Table 1. Windows Virtual PC Hardware Requirements

Operating Systems

Windows Virtual PC is available for Windows 7 Ultimate, Enterprise, Professional, Home Basic, and Home Premium. However, Windows XP Mode functionality is only available if the host is Windows 7 Ultimate, Enterprise, or Professional.

The support matrix in Table 2 shows which combinations are available.

Table 2. Support Matrix