Possible to boot a 2nd HD into a VM?

wazooda

Weaksauce
Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Messages
108
I've got VMWare running quite well on my Vista 64 system.

Although I've created virtual machines and installed Vista and XP on them, would I REALLY would like is the ability to boot on of my actual hard drives in a window WHILE running Vista 64.

For example, I have my games set up on an XP Raptor drive and a Vista 32 Raptor drive.

At times I need to update drivers or do some other annoying process while actually trying to do real work on my Vista 64 install. It would be great if I could boot one of those drives up without having to shut down my Vista 64 environment, install or do whatever tweaking I need on the other physical drives, and then close them down.

Is that even possible?
 
I doubt it. If you really want to simplify, why would you be triple booting? Just run Vista x64 and be done with it.
 
I doubt it. If you really want to simplify, why would you be triple booting? Just run Vista x64 and be done with it.

Because, sadly, there are still games that require XP or Vista 32 to run properly.

For example (and this in only one), ALL source games do not work with 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound in Vista. So to properly (IMHO) play HL2, Portal, etc., I have to maintain an XP install.

Luckily this is becoming less of an issue as time goes by.... but it is still an issue.
 
I'm playing HL2 at the moment with full surround on my Vista x64 Ultimate box.
 
Is that even possible?
Not yet. The VM creates a virtual computer with generic hardware, including a generic video adaper. You can't boot up a regular instance of Windows made for your native hardware because the VM doesn't know how to use it. I think Parallels on the Mac can do that, but I never tried it.

A couple of VMs have limited 3D acceleration support, but you won't be satisfied with it if you need more than low end performance. And all games won't run either, actually very few will work correctly. Due to other overhead, any real-time type of load probably won't run acceptably either.

It probably will eventually be possible to do what you want, but your "problem" is mostly just audio support. DX10.1 should fix that, or you can get an Audigy or newer card and use ALchemy.
 
I'm playing HL2 at the moment with full surround on my Vista x64 Ultimate box.


Then you are a rare bird indeed my friend. The Valve forums are jam full on this issue. When you select 7.1 or 5.1 in the audio options, it does not stick nor does it work.

It is well documented in the sticky thread on this issue:

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219360&page=20

If you've found a way to make this work... PLEASE let everyone know by posting on that forum as no one I have ever spoken with who runs Vista (including Valve tech support) has been able to get this to work.
 
Not yet. The VM creates a virtual computer with generic hardware, including a generic video adaper. You can't boot up a regular instance of Windows made for your native hardware because the VM doesn't know how to use it. I think Parallels on the Mac can do that, but I never tried it.

A couple of VMs have limited 3D acceleration support, but you won't be satisfied with it if you need more than low end performance. And all games won't run either, actually very few will work correctly. Due to other overhead, any real-time type of load probably won't run acceptably either.

It probably will eventually be possible to do what you want, but your "problem" is mostly just audio support. DX10.1 should fix that, or you can get an Audigy or newer card and use ALchemy.

I use an X-Fi XtremeGamer and Alchemy for the games that it works with. Unfortunately Source games are not included in that list (at least the last time I checked).

Most of my games, thankfully, do run on Vista.... although I've had an odd problem with STALKER and my 9800GTX's that seems to be only happening to my 680i based system.

Also... Falcon 4 (and OpenFalcon or RedViper) seem to run better under XP... but they are hella old....
 
I use an X-Fi XtremeGamer and Alchemy for the games that it works with. Unfortunately Source games are not included in that list (at least the last time I checked).

Most of my games, thankfully, do run on Vista.... although I've had an odd problem with STALKER and my 9800GTX's that seems to be only happening to my 680i based system.

Also... Falcon 4 (and OpenFalcon or RedViper) seem to run better under XP... but they are hella old....

Source games work fine with ALchemy. Put snd_digital_surround "1" in your config for the games, and for ALchemy, add the following to alchemy.ini:

[Half-Life 2]
RegPath=HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Valve\Steam\InstallPath
GamePath=
SubDir=steamapps\(your steam logon here)\half-life 2
RootDirInstallOption=FALSE
Buffers=5
Duration=10
MaxVoiceCount=128
DisableDirectMusic=FALSE

Change this accordingly for each Source Game.

snd_digital_surround "1" is not a valid setting in Portal or Team Fortress 2.
 
Because, sadly, there are still games that require XP or Vista 32 to run properly.

For example (and this in only one), ALL source games do not work with 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound in Vista. So to properly (IMHO) play HL2, Portal, etc., I have to maintain an XP install.

Luckily this is becoming less of an issue as time goes by.... but it is still an issue.

The only games I can't play on my Vista 64 bit install are the Dreamcast games in the Gametap library. I'm sure I'll bump into something else sooner or later, but so far it hasn't been much of a problem.
 
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