Microsoft Virtual PC from within Vista...

I was going to get rid of XP, but then Virtual PC sounds interesting. I've got it installed on Vista without any errors after clearing 15GB of space, but after trying several times, I can't figure this thing out. The virtual hard drive messes up, and I see no way of booting into XP with it. Is it because I have a dual-boot configured already? Does it not work with EXISTING XP installations?

Although I no longer use it at all, and after I stripped it of all applications, turned off the paging file and hibernation, I've come to find that it doesn't really take up much more than a few gigs, which is fine with me. It would also be great if I were able to run some legacy apps, and since I like to experiment, I suppose it's good to have a working second OS as something to fall back on in the (hopefully unlikely) case I render my Vista OS unusable. Plus, I would finally be able to make use out of more of my installed RAM. And let's not forget the coolness factor!

Thanks for any replies.

 

Not full Virtual PC but sandbox

CrunchDude I've been using a little gizmo on both my XP and Vista machines. It's not a full virtual pc but a sandbox. It traps disk writes and redirects them to a sandbox folder. Much faster and easier than using standard virus shields. It's called Sandboxie.

The only caution is that when you install the driver, it either likes your HD or it doesn't. If you try to install and it crashes, it ain't gonna' work with that system. If it installs ok then it works fine. Anyway you can google for the free download if it sounds interesting.

 

Taking the liberty of providing handy links for CrunchDude.

I actually found Sandboxie recently via the "Software" link at AV-Comparatives but I haven't tried it...and I'm still wary of using it for testing out exploit sites I read about from time to time. I'm not sure whether there is/are malware or exploits that can defeat Sandboxie or not. I'll probably save that for the time I convert my existing computer to a test box.

• Wikipedia: Sandboxie

• Sandboxie "Front Page "

 

Happy New Year everyone. Isn't it interesting that we get so wrapped up in details, and become so drone-like in how we attach importance to ultimately often times irrelevant issues when you take a few steps back and consider the bigger picture. Let's use my silliness as a quick example, while at the same time perpetuating what I intellectually know to be a triviality: The Virtual PC.

Thanks for your replies. PeteC, actually Virtual PC works just fine in Vista...I think. After completing the installation, a little window at the top left of my beautiful screen pops up, and gives me a few options. "Add" I suppose is what I want since I apparently have to re-install XP from within Vista through Virtual PC. That sounds funny and ridiculous to want to do. But I still want to do it. I suppose I will just delete my existing and basically unused XP installation, click on Add, and then what? I'll do some more reading the instructions, but it's probably a lot faster if someone just tells me the few steps it only likely takes to get this accomplished.

MilesAhead: First of all, love the name. Could be interpreted as a bit cocky (which would be a MIS-interpretation ), but being that I'm cocky at times myself (well, sometimes I am outright arrogant really), I find it original. As a matter of fact, based on your cleverly written reply, and witty use of slang, it would likely be an understatement to consider it an appropriate and applicable name for you.

mailman...Thank you, sir. Much appreciated. I am always interested in learning new things, even if I end up not using my newly acquired knowledge. You took time out of your life to spend on responding to me, even calling me by name, I feel that it is my duty to at the very least take a look at what you deemed potentially interesting for me. You didn't have to do that. You even made the effort of neatly bulletining each link and make each link not only clickable, but descriptive as well. Please allow me to bow before thee...

A collective thank you to all of you once more for all of your kindness and eagerness to help me get Virtual PC to work.

Again, the Crunch wishes you all a prosperous 2008, and may all your dreams come true and may you reach (and exceed?) any goals you may have set for yourselves.