Microsoft Virtual PC 2007

[Katsmom]

Thank you, Drac and Danyboy. It's good to be back. Yes, I think it's pretty easy to install, Danyboy. I had a little trouble getting the Windows 98SE disk to install to the Virtual PC program at first... but I kept trying it and it finally "took." The process itself isn't hard. When you play a game with Virtual PC, you can easily go back to your regular operating system to (for example) read a saved walkthrough, then go back to your game on VPC.

I think your English is excellent, Danyboy... and you would be able to install the program with no trouble. It makes no changes to your 'host' operating system system files, and can be uninstalled with Windows Add/Remove Programs.

[danyboy]

Thanks Katsmom, I will try it as soon as I have time to do so and/or want to play an older game.

CU

danyboy

[Katsmom]

I researched links to download the program from Microsoft, and discovered that the 2004 version is no longer available. Instead, there's a 2004 Service Pack 1 version available to download -- which appears to be the whole program.

The 2007 version is compatible with Windows XP Service Pack 2. They're now offering an update to the 2007 version, which also makes it compatible with Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Vista Service Pack 1. I just downloaded the update, since I have Vista SP 1 since last using VPC.

Danyboy, the only operating system I don't see listed as compatible for either version is Vista Home Premium -- which many people are using. I have Vista Ultimate, which is compatible. So if you have Vista Home Premium on your new computer, VPC may not work. *sigh*

Here are the links I found:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/virtualpc/overview.mspx?wt_svl=20323a&mg_id=20323b

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=28c97d22-6eb8-4a09-a7f7-f6c7a1f000b5&DisplayLang=en

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=6D58729D-DFA8-40BF-AFAF-20BCB7F01CD1&displaylang=en

[danyboy]

Danyboy, the only operating system I don't see listed as compatible for either version is Vista Home Premium -- which many people are using. I have Vista Ultimate, which is compatible. So if you have Vista Home Premium on your new computer, VPC may not work. *sigh*

That's what I have (Vista Home Premium) Thanks Katsmom!

CU

danyboy

[salma]

I think this is the best free program available on the internet... and the ideal answer for those of us who want to play older games on newer computers.

You have no idea how thrilled i am to be able to play all of these old games with having to go through all the brain damaging alterations to an XP system. all you have to do is install the game and you're done...
Brilliant program

[salma]

I think this is the best free program available on the internet... and the ideal answer for those of us who want to play older games on newer computers.

You have no idea how thrilled i am to be able to play all of these old games without having to go through all the brain damaging alterations to an XP system. all you have to do is install the game and you're done...
Brilliant program

[hawkavonpuka]

I went ahead and stickied it, hope that is ok with GL.

[Ghostlady]

Yep.

[Bacardi Jim]

I know this thread is years old, but I thought it deserved an update.

I am now running Windows 7 Home Premium. According to Microsoft's main page on the subject, that means that I can't get the WinXP Mode/VM add-on. (You have to have Win7 Professional or better to get them free.) THIS IS NOT QUITE TRUE! You CAN get Virtual Machine for Win7 Home--just not the WinXP Mode add-on. You just have to bypass the main page on the subject and go here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtua ... -2007.aspx

This version of Virtual Machine (7) emulates a 16MB video card rather than the 8MB video card of earlier versions, providing better graphics. On the downside, it is a bit more fiddly to install the guest OS. You are best off creating your virtual machine with only 8MB of RAM. Anything larger will hang the installation of the guest OS. Once the OS is installed, you can then go back and increase the RAM for your virtual machine.

I did this Sunday and can now play Rama and Dark Side of the Moon, which was impossible for me until now--even in DosBox, due to the necessary swapping of CDs.

[draclvr]

Thanks, BJ. The XP Mode that you can get with Win 7 Professional and up is not the cure-all for gamers anyway as it does not support 3D. It is meant to be a business application and that's it.

Great addition to the thread!

[Bacardi Jim]

Thanks, BJ. The XP Mode that you can get with Win 7 Professional and up is not the cure-all for gamers anyway as it does not support 3D. It is meant to be a business application and that's it.

Great addition to the thread!

Thanks. And ignore the PM I just sent you. I didn't see you'd posted this.

[draclvr]

Too late!

[Bacardi Jim]

Here's some additional info: I installed Win98SE on my virtual machine, as that allows me to play any old game that isn't DOS-only. (I have DosBox for those.) Perhaps the most important requisite is that you must NOT ONLY have an installation disk (or ISO of such a disk) for your "guest" OS, but also a bootdisk for it.

There is also a screensize problem. I have a 19" widescreen monitor. This means that if I set the resolution of my virtual machine any higher than 800x600 then I can't see the entire screen top-to-bottom. (I have to scroll up-and-down.) Virtual Box (a completely different open source program designed to do the same thing) allows you to set whatever parameters you want for your screensize, BUT.... it is slow and not optimized for Win98. Fortunately for me, the old games I want to replay all create their own windows that fit comfortably in an 800x600 environment.

[tsampikos]

If you plan to switch to Windows 8 (by the way,it's excellent, I already use it) and intend to use VirtualPC 2007 take a look at this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5GV_-ehWrs

Works on Windows 8 32bit at the moment.

[draclvr]

That is really good news, tsampikos! I've been running Windows 8 on another hard drive since the Release Preview was released in March and the Consumer Prevew a few months later. I also really like it. I just pre-ordered my Windows 8 Pro upgrade this past weekend.

It might be a good thing to post over in the Glitches forum at Gameboomers too if you are a member there.