Microsoft Virtualization: Windows XP Mode for Windows 7
If you are read my last Blog post, you are all aware that Microsoft has just released Windows 7 RC for TechNet and MSDN subscribers, and it will be available for general public on May 5th 2009.
Microsoft Virtualization Team today introduced a new feature in Windows 7 where Windows XP Mode is a virtual Windows XP environment that customers of Windows 7 Pro, Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 7 Enterprise can use to run older Windows XP applications with virtualization technologies such as Windows Virtual PC.
And now Windows XPM and Virtual PC will be new features of Windows 7.
Windows 7 Pro provides Windows XP Mode to run many older Windows XP productivity applications. With Windows Virtual PC, you can run Windows XP applications with a single click, directly from Windows 7 desktop.
Hmm… Isn’t it same as MED-V??
Well.. XPM is targeted for small businesses where there is no IT department.
Businesses with IT Professionals can reduce the cost of deploying and managing Windows Virtual PCs by using Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) which is part of Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack.
New Features of Virtual PC for XPM:
Easy setup of Windows XP Mode – Once both the Windows Virtual PC and the virtual Windows XP environment are installed, Windows Virtual PC provides a simple wizard to setup the Windows XP Mode with just a few clicks.
USB Support - Users can access USB devices attached to Windows 7 directly from Windows XP Mode. These devices include Printers and Scanners, Flash Memory/Sticks and External Hard Disks, Digital Cameras and more.
Seamless Applications – Publish and Launch applications installed on Windows XP Mode directly from the Windows 7 desktop, as if they were installed on the Windows 7 itself.
Folder Integration between Windows 7 and Windows XP Mode– Access your Windows 7 Known Folders: My documents, Pictures, Desktop, Music, Video, from inside the virtual windows environment, such as Windows XP Mode
Clipboard Sharing – Cut and paste between your Windows 7 and Windows XP Mode.
Printer Redirection – Print directly to your attached printer from your Windows XP Mode applications either in application mode or desktop mode.
So what is the system requirement to run Windows XP Mode?
- You will need to install Windows 7 release candidate
- You need to have a PC with virtualization feature turned on in the CPU (e.g. Intel-VT or AMD-V feature should be enabled on CPU through BIOS)
You can download the Evaluation Guide of Virtual PC to setup XPM from here
So for all those who have already downloaded Windows 7 RC from TechNet and MSDN sites, go ahead and evaluate this great feature while others will be able to do that after May 5th 2009 when Windows 7 RC releases for general public.
And please do share your feedback and experience while evaluating XPM for Windows 7…
And stay tuned for the lots of exciting news and revelation related to Microsoft Virtualization coming up.. ;-)