Microsoft's Virtual PC 2007

[johnvndnbrk]

Microsoft's Virtual PC 2007 has been available as a free download since the release of Vista, http://www.microsoft.com/windows/produc ... fault.mspx. Does anyone know if a Virtual PC will allow a 64 bit version of windows when the host is 32 bit, i.e. Windows XP 32 or Vista 32? I see there are two downloads, one for a 32 bit OS and one for 64, but the documentation doesn't mention restrictions on installing a 64 bit OS using Virtual PC 32. I am using a T61p notebook which does support 64 bit but am running Windows XP32.

I would guess that it would not be possible, but would be interested to hear opinions or personal experience in using this software to run 64 bit OS'es on a 32 bit OS.

Thanks!

John

[Wiz]

I'm pretty sure you need 64bits CPU to be able to create a 64bits VMs, but never tried virtual PC so cannot say for sure. I know that vmware require a 64 bits CPU to be able to create a 64bits guest OS and using vmware you get an error message when you try to create the guest OS (before the OS installation is started).
I cannot imagine that the software is able to emulate a 64bits CPU and find it hard to believe virtual PC is able to do this when vmware is not.

Edit: According to the information i found using google it seems like virtual PC does not support 64bits VMs at all even if virtual PC is able to run on a 64bits host.

[RonS]

I run Microsoft VM under Vista 64. Microsoft's VM will now allow a 64-bit guest OS. 32-bit works fine.

[sugo]

VPC 2007 supports 32 and 64 bit host OS. However, in 64 bit host OS it still runs as a 32 bit application.

VPC 2007 supports 32 guest OS.
VPC 2007 does *not* support 64 bit guest OS.

[steveg47]

I run Microsoft VM under Vista 64. Microsoft's VM will now allow a 64-bit guest OS. 32-bit works fine.

Just to clarify a bit.. Microsoft VM was actually the name of Microsoft's java engine. No longer supplied by Microsoft due to a law suite by Sun.

[Wiz]

Just to clarify a bit.. Microsoft VM was actually the name of Microsoft's java engine. No longer supplied by Microsoft due to a law suite by Sun.

In this context we are talking about Virtual Machine (=VM) which is the OS you run under Virtual PC (not the host OS). Vmware refer to that as a guest OS. So i'm pretty sure RonS actually meant VM and not Microsoft VM.

[jgrobertson]

Something I learned at a recent conference when talking with the speaker from MS about this, he mentioned that Vista itself is actually running in a virutal machine and that the Vista architecture provides the base layer that all VMs need.

When I asked him about the stability issues with Vista 64 on a laptop, he pointed to his and said "you think you have problems, they have the Beta of SP1 on mine."

FYI, he spoke on the security measures in Vista and that convinced me it was OK to trust the MS firewall in Vista.

[eyecon82]

When I asked him about the stability issues with Vista 64 on a laptop, he pointed to his and said "you think you have problems, they have the Beta of SP1 on mine."

that is hillarious...looks like its going to take a while for the sp1 to come out...there are many beta users having massive problems

Something I learned at a recent conference when talking with the speaker from MS about this, he mentioned that Vista itself is actually running in a virutal machine and that the Vista architecture provides the base layer that all VMs need.

quote]

That is true..they setup vista as a virtual machine. Whenever I try downloading torrents via BitLord..it also installs them on a virtual drive for some odd reason "virtual store"