Windows Virtual PC Evaluation Guide

Microsoft Corporation
Published: April 2009

Abstract
Windows® Virtual PC is a new optional component for the Windows 7 operating system that you
can use to evaluate and migrate to Windows 7 while maintaining compatibility with applications
that run on older versions of Windows. This document describes how to try out some of the key
features of Windows Virtual PC, including how to set up Windows XP mode.
Copyright information
This document supports a preliminary release of a software product that may be changed
substantially prior to final commercial release.
Information in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, is subject to
change without notice and is provided for informational purposes only. The entire risk of the use
or results from the use of this document remains with the user, and Microsoft Corporation makes
no warranties, either express or implied. Unless otherwise noted, the example companies,
organizations, products, domain names, e-mail addresses, logos, people, places, and events
depicted herein are fictitious, and no association with any real company, organization, product,
domain name, e-mail address, logo, person, place, or event is intended or should be inferred.
Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the
rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission
of Microsoft Corporation.
Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual
property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any
written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you any
license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property.
©2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows, Windows Server, and Windows Vista are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Contents
Windows Virtual PC Evaluation Guide.......................................................................... ..................4
Before you begin.............................................................................................. ...........................4
Set up your test environment.............................................................................................. .........5
Install Windows Virtual PC................................................................................ .......................5
About integration components............................................................................................ ......5
Option 1: Set up Windows XP mode................................................................... .....................6
Option 2: Create your own virtual machine................................................... ...........................7
Closing a virtual machine.................................................................................... .....................8
Scenario 1: Use a virtual machine application on Windows 7................................................... ...9
Scenario 2: Use a USB device in a virtual machine............................................................. ......10
Scenario 3: Print from a virtual machine................................................................ ....................11
Windows Virtual PC Evaluation Guide
Windows® Virtual PC is a new optional component that you can use to evaluate and migrate to
the Windows® 7 operating system while maintaining compatibility with applications that run on
older versions of Windows. This component is available as a downloadable update package for
Windows 7.
If you run Windows XP and want to maintain compatibility with applications that run on that
operating system, Windows Virtual PC provides an easy way for you to do this. You can use
Windows XP mode to access a virtualized instance of Windows XP that is ready for you to
customize with your own applications. You can even use Windows XP mode and Windows 7 to
run applications seamlessly in Windows 7 when the applications are actually installed in Windows
XP. Windows XP mode is available for the 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows 7 Professional,
Windows 7 Enterprise, and Windows 7 Ultimate.
You also can use Windows Virtual PC to run other versions of 32-bit Windows operating systems,
while also running Windows 7. For information about the operating systems that are supported for
use with Windows Virtual PC, see the Windows Virtual PC product page
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=148103).
This guide shows you both options – setting up Windows XP mode and setting up a different
operating system. Both options use virtual machines provide the environment to run the operating
system. Windows XP mode is the faster option because it requires fewer steps. After your test
environment is set up, you can try out some of the other key features of Windows Virtual PC.
These include sharing of physical resources such as USB devices, printers, and hard drives.

Before you begin

To install Windows Virtual PC, you download and install the update. Before you try to install
Windows Virtual PC, review the requirements to determine whether your computer can run
Windows Virtual PC. Windows Virtual PC requires the release candidate of Windows 7 and
hardware-assisted virtualization. The virtualization support is available in processors that include
a virtualization option—specifically processors with Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT) or
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V) technology. The settings for hardware-assisted virtualization are
available in the BIOS. However, the names of the settings may differ from the names identified
above. For more information about whether a specific processor model supports hardware-
assisted virtualization, check with the manufacturer of the computer.

Note
If you modify the BIOS, we recommend that you turn off the power to the computer and
then turn it back on. Restarting the computer may not apply the changes.
If you do not plan to use Windows XP mode, you also should review the list of operating systems
that are supported to run in a virtual machine. For more information about the requirements and

4
supported operating systems, see the Windows Virtual PC product page
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=148103).
To use Windows XP mode as described in this guide, you will need to download the Virtual
Windows XP package. This package is used to set up the environment that is required for
Windows XP mode.
To obtain the downloadable packages for Windows Virtual PC and Virtual Windows XP, see the
Windows Virtual PC product page (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=148103).

Set up your test environment

This section describes how to install Windows Virtual PC and set up the virtual machine.
Additional configuration or hardware that may be required to test a specific scenario is described
within the scenario.

Install Windows Virtual PC

This section explains how to install Windows Virtual PC.

To install Windows Virtual PC

1. Install the update package:
a. Double-click the file, Windows6.1-KB958559-plaftform.msu, where
platform is either x86 or x64.
b. Review the end-user license agreement and accept it to install the
update.
c. To complete the installation, restart the computer.
2. After the installation is finished, Windows Virtual PC is available from the Start
menu.

After you install Windows Virtual PC, you need to set up a virtual machine. You can either use the
Virtual Windows XP feature, or create your own virtual machine. If you plan to use Windows XP,
you should download and use the Virtual Windows XP update package, as explained in “Before
You Begin,” earlier in this guide.

About integration components

Integration components make it easier to use a virtual machine by improving the interaction
between physical resources and a virtual machine environment. These are installed automatically
when you set up Windows XP mode. For other operating systems, you install them separately
after you set up the operating system. Integration components provide access to the following
resources:
• Clipboard. You can cut, copy, and paste data between the host operating system
and the guest operating system. For example, you can copy a URL from the browser in a
guest operating system, and paste it to a browser in the host operating system.

5
 • Hard drives. This feature makes all the drives on the host available to the virtual
machine. You can easily access all host data from within the virtual machine.

Note
Host hard drives are listed in the guest by using the computer name of the host
operating system. For example, on a host computer named WindowTest, the C drive
would be listed in the guest operating system as ‘C on WindowsTest’.
• Printers. This feature makes it possible to use the same printers in a virtual machine
that you can use on the host. To share printers, when Windows XP is the guest operating
system, you must also install the printer drivers. For more information, see “Scenario 3:
Print from a virtual machine,” later in this guide.
• USB devices. Printers, storage devices and smart card readers are automatically
shared with virtual machines. Other types of supported USB devices are supported by
redirecting them to the virtual machine. For more information, see “To use a USB device
in a virtual machine,” later in this guide.
Integration components also make it possible for you to move the mouse seamlessly between the
desktops of the host operating system and the guest operating system.

Option 1: Set up Windows XP mode

If you want to use Windows XP as a guest operating system, we recommend that you use the
Virtual Windows XP downloadable package. When you use this package with Windows Virtual
PC, it automatically creates a virtual machine with a version of Windows XP installed on the
virtual hard disk. This option is faster than creating your own virtual machine. When you use this
option, you won’t have to obtain installation media. All you need is to do is download the package
that applies to your version of the operating system (either 32-bit or 64-bit) and run through a
quick setup wizard. To obtain the downloadable package for Virtual Windows XP, see the
Windows Virtual PC product page (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=148103).

To set up Windows XP mode

1.

Note
We recommend that you avoid canceling the Windows Virtual XP set up and
should complete it in one session.
Double-click VirtualWindowsXP.msi
2. The Virtual Windows XP wizard opens. Proceed through the pages of the wizard
to complete the installation. To complete the setup without interruption, leave the
option checked to let the wizard start Virtual Windows XP when setup is complete.
3. When the virtual machine starts for the first time, the Virtual Windows XP license
agreement appears. To use Virtual Windows XP, you must accept the license
agreement. Click Next to continue.
4. Create a password for the “User” account. This is a required account with

6
 administrator privileges that the wizard creates automatically. It is the default account
used to run Windows XP mode. If you don’t want to enter the password each time
you start Windows XP mode, check Remember credentials to store the password.
Otherwise, write down the password and store it in a secure location.
5. Choose whether to configure Virtual Windows XP for automatic updates. Click
Next.
6. After Windows Virtual PC configures Virtual Windows XP, the virtual machine is
ready to use to test the scenarios.

Important
Do not remove it unless you no longer want to use it. If you remove the package, the
Windows XP mode feature will be unusable and you may lose data. Removing the
package deletes the virtual machine, as well as removes access to the data that was
stored in the virtual machine.
After you set up Windows XP mode, you may want to create additional user accounts to access
this feature. If you do this, you must add the accounts to the Remote Desktop User or
Administrators group. The accounts can be domain or local computer user accounts.

Option 2: Create your own virtual machine

Choose this option if you do not want to use Windows XP as the guest operating system. This
option shows you how to create a virtual machine and install the guest operating system that you
want to run in the virtual machine. For information about which Windows operating systems you
can run, see the Windows Virtual PC product page
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=148103).
To create the virtual machine, you use the Create a Virtual Machine wizard. The wizard helps you
configure a virtual machine with the basic settings, which you can customize according to how
you want to use the virtual machine. For example, you will specify an amount of memory for the
virtual machine to use. Deciding the appropriate amount of memory for a virtual machine is like
deciding how much memory to add to a physical computer. You should provide the virtual
machine with enough memory to run the operating systems as well as all applications that you
want to be able to run at the same time.
You also should consider the method you will use to install the guest operating system, so you
can configure the virtual machine appropriately. For example, if you plan to use a network-based
installation server, leave the networking option set to use the computer’s connection. If you want
to use a physical CD or DVD, simply insert it in the drive after you create the virtual machine.
If you are installing a guest operating system that is one of the supported operating systems, you
should install the integration components after you install the operating system. Instructions for
installing the integration components are included in the following procedure. For more
information about which operating systems are supported, see the Windows Virtual PC product
page (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=148103).

7
 To create your own virtual machine
1. Open the Virtual Machines folder. From the Start menu, click Virtual Machines.
If the menu item is not visible, click All Programs, click Windows Virtual PC, and
then click Virtual Machines.
2. The Virtual Machines folder opens in Windows Explorer. From the menu bar, click
Create virtual machine.

Note
The Virtual Machines folder provides details about all the virtual machines
created by the current user, as well as access to the tools for creating and
modifying virtual machines and virtual hard disks.
3. The Create a Virtual Machine wizard opens. Proceed through the pages of the
wizard, choosing the options that are appropriate for the way you will install the guest
operating system.
4. After the wizard finishes, the virtual machine appears in the file list in the Virtual
Machine folder.
5. Install the guest operating system. To use a network-based installation server,
skip to the next step. To use a CD or DVD, insert it into the drive and then skip to the
next step. To use an .iso file, do the following:
a. Right-click the virtual machine in the file list, and then click Settings.
b. In the left pane, click DVD Drive. In the right pane, choose Open an ISO
image. Click OK.
6. Start the virtual machine. In the file list, select the virtual machine and click
Open. Windows Virtual PC opens and displays the video output of the virtual
machine. The virtual machine searches for bootable media. Setup begins after
bootable media is found.
7. After the installation is complete, install integration components. From the Tools
menu of the virtual machine window, click Install Integration Components. If the
installation does not start after a few seconds, click the desktop of the virtual machine
and then open the CD drive of the virtual machine. Double-click the
IntegrationComponents.msi file.
8. Proceed through the pages of the wizard to install the integration components.
9. Restart the virtual machine. From the Action menu of the virtual machine window,
click Restart.

Closing a virtual machine

Before you test the scenarios, you may want to familiarize yourself with how to close a virtual
machine. When you close a virtual machine, it can be hibernated, shut down, or turned off. When
a virtual machine is opened from hibernation, it does not go through the boot sequence, so it is
available for use faster than if it was turned off or shut down.

8
 Note
When you open a virtual machine, Windows Virtual PC provides it with memory and
processor resources. The length of time it takes to open a virtual machine depends in
part on the way in which it was closed at the end of the last session. The length of time is
also affected by the amount of memory assigned to the virtual machine.
By default, clicking the Close button (the ‘x’) on the virtual machine window hibernates a virtual
machine. You can change this behavior by modifying the virtual machine settings.

To change the default close option

1. Do one of the following:
• In the Virtual Machines folder, right-click the name of the virtual machine,
and then click Settings.
• From the virtual machine window, click the Tools menu, and then click
Settings.
2. In left pane of the Settings window, click Close.
3. In right pane, either select an option under Automatically close with the
following option, or select Prompt for action to be able to choose the action each
time the virtual machine is closed.
4. Click OK to save the change.

To shut down a virtual machine

1. From the virtual machine window, click Ctrl+Alt+Del. Or, you can press the
CTRL+ALT+END key sequence.
2. In the window that appears in the guest operating system, click Shut down.
3. The operating system will go through the shutdown sequence, and the resources
will be released from the virtual machine.

Note
If you want to use an application installed in a virtual machine from the desktop of the
host operating system, the virtual machine must be closed.

Scenario 1: Use a virtual machine application on

Windows 7
If you are running Windows XP or Windows Vista® on a virtual machine, you can access an
application directly from the desktop of the host operating system when the application is installed
in the virtual machine. This makes it possible for you to run Windows 7 on the host and use
existing applications while avoiding problems that can occur when applications are not compatible
with a newer operating system.

9
Business productivity applications that run on Windows XP are appropriate for this testing this
scenario. However, Windows Virtual PC does not support applications that require bidirectional
sound or 3D graphics, which means that consumer applications such as games are not
appropriate for this scenario.

Important
If you are not using Windows XP mode, you must an install an update to test this
scenario. For more information, see Update for Windows XP SP3 to Enable Seamless
Applications Using Microsoft Windows Virtual PC
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=140339) and Update for Windows Vista to Enable
Seamless Applications Using Microsoft Windows Virtual PC
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=140340).

To share a virtual machine application with Windows 7

1. Open the virtual machine, if it is not already running. From the Virtual Machine
folder, right-click the name of the virtual machine and click Open.
2. Install the application. For example, to install the application from a CD or DVD
drive, insert the media in the drive. If the Autorun window appears in the host
operating system, close the window. In the guest operating system, navigate to the
DVD drive and start the setup.
3. After the installation completes, log off from the guest operating system and close
the virtual machine.
4. Open the application from the host operating system. From the Windows 7 Start
menu, click All Programs, click Windows Virtual PC, and then click the name of the
application, below the name of the virtual machine.
5. After a few seconds, the application opens. If you minimize the application, it
appears on the task bar of the host operating system as a minimized virtual machine.
6. You can use the application just as if it were installed directly on the host
operating system. One way to test this is to save a file. Choose the Save option, and
the application will list the storage locations available on the host.

Scenario 2: Use a USB device in a virtual machine

Windows Virtual PC supports the use of USB 2.0 devices, either by sharing the device or by
redirecting the device to the virtual machine. The method you use depends on which type of USB
device you want to use. When integration components are installed in the guest operating
system, storage devices and smart card readers are automatically shared with virtual machines
on a physical computer. No additional steps are required to use these types of USB devices.
For other types of devices, you can use them by using redirection. For example, you can redirect
the following types of USB devices:
• Digital cameras
• USB CD writer/reader

10
 • MP3 players
• Phone/PDA/mobile device
• WebCam/video camera
• Wireless network adapters

To redirect a USB device to a virtual machine

1. Attach the device to the physical computer and turn on the device.
2. From the virtual machine window, click USB and then click Attachdevice name.
3. Windows looks for and tries to install the device driver in the guest operating
system. You can install the driver from the internet or from a CD.
4. After the driver is installed, you can use the USB device from within the virtual
machine the same way as you would on a physical computer. However, USB devices
that are connected using these steps are not shared, so they must be released from
one operating system to be available for use on the other operating system.
5. To make the USB device available on the host operating system, release it from
the virtual machine. From the virtual machine window, click USB and then click
Releasedevice name.

Scenario 3: Print from a virtual machine

There are several methods you can use to make a printer available to a virtual machine. The
methods you can use are affected by whether a printer driver is available for Windows 7 and
whether the printer is a local USB printer or a network printer.

To share a local USB printer

1.

Note
This method is appropriate when the printer driver is available for both the
Windows 7 host operating system and the guest operating system. You only
need to complete these steps once per virtual machine. This procedure assumes
you have verified that the printer is working in the host operating system.
Make sure the printer is turned on and that the printer driver is available for installation.
For example, you can install the driver from the internet or from a CD.
Redirect the printer to the virtual machine. From the virtual machine window, click USB
and then click Attachdevice name.
2. Install the printer driver in the guest operating system. You can install the driver
from the internet or from a CD.
3. Release the printer from the virtual machine. From the virtual machine window,
click USB and then click Releasedevice name.
4. Restart the virtual machine. From the virtual machine window, click Action and

11
 then click Restart.
5. Navigate to the virtual machine desktop, and log on if necessary. (You will be
logged in automatically if you saved the credentials.)
6. The printer will be available for use in both the host operating system and the
guest operating system.

To configure a network printer for a virtual machine

1. Navigate to the virtual machine desktop, and log on if necessary. (You will be
logged in automatically if you saved the credentials.)

Note
The following steps are general, so the names of the buttons may differ from
what is shown.
2. Open Control Panel, and then open Printers.
3. Click Add Printer. The Add Printer Wizard opens.
4. On the Local or Network Printer page, select the network printer option and
complete the wizard.

If you are running Windows XP as the guest operating system, you must manually install the
printer driver for each printer you want to use. The following steps describe this process.

To install a printer driver in Windows XP

1. Click Start, and then click Printers and Faxes.
2. Under Printer Tasks, click Add a printer. The Add Printer Wizard opens.
3. On the Local or Network Printer page, select Local printer attached to this
computer and clear Automatically detect and install my Plug and Play printer.
4. On the Select a Printer Port page, click the drop-down control and select one of
the TS number ports and click Next.
5. On the Install Printer Software page, select Windows Update or Have Disk and
complete the wizard.

To print from a virtual machine

1. Navigate to the virtual machine desktop, and log on if necessary. (You will be
logged in automatically if you saved the credentials.)
2. Do one of the following:
• From the desktop of the virtual machine, right-click a file and click Print.
• Open any application that includes a print option, and then use the print
command.
3. All printers available to the virtual machine are listed. Select a printer, and then
click OK.

12
13