Windows Virtual PC Help please :)

[pc1x1]

Alrighty, I finally decided to try Virtualization.

I installed Windows XP Mode for Windows 7 64 bit.

My goals are simple, but I would like a little guidance on accomplishing them.

Basically I went Windows 95 - Windows 98 - Windows XP - Windows 7 now.

I have quite a few programs that do not run on Windows 7 properly, so I want to set up a Windows XP and Windows 98 Virtual Machine. I have already set up the XP mode within Windows 7, so I do have a virtual xp running.

Goals: Get all my programs and games running, including the ones that only run on Windows XP and or Windows 98. No programs need internet access, so I disabled that intergration. Some games could use it sometimes, If I decide to play online, however I would only enable it then.

Window XP VM:

Can I autologin the VM and remove its password? I did, and it worked, however when I clicked Enable Shell Intergration, it tried to login with a password. Do I delete the credentials then it works? Didn't mess with it to much, as don't want to deal with the hassle, hehe. What does Shell intergration actually do? Is it needed?

I disabled Networking, because no applications need to access the internet, if so, then I can enable then, I should be ok with no firewall or antivirus etc right? It's just for legit bought programs, no downloading will be done on the VM.

How do I install the Radeon drivers? I am running a Radeon 3870x2, but it shows up as a Trio S3. It's working but I would like if possible be able to utilize the power of my Radeon. I am limited to 1920x1200 (16:10), on this Trio, when I wanted to get my full resolution of 2560x1600 on the vm (is this possible?) Also when applications launch at full screen, ie at 800x600, will they take over the screen if I have it in fullscreen?

I made one of my external hardrives for just the VM stuff, so anything that needs to be installed there, goes there.


Windows 98 VM:

I still have my Windows 98 Upgrade CD, but my Windows 95 was OEM. Also I did find a Windows 98 SE, that's Portuguese, (I speak Portuguese) So I can use that correct? Can I set it up just like XP mode? Use Radeon, etc? I can prob just set it to English anyhow right?


Honestly, all I need the VMs are to run actual programs/games, that's pretty much it, my ultimate goal, is shortcut on my Windows 7 desktop, double click it, that will auto launch the application/vm in full screen, as if it was native in Windows 7.


Thanks

 

[dugn]

You may have some fundamental misunderstandings of VMs and how they can be used in standard usage and in XP Mode.

Using Virtual PC 2007 SP1, you can create any type of VM you want, *nix, Win95, 98, 98SE, etc. So if you use Virtual PC and have the proper installation disks, you can create any OS environment and use them to run applications, but depending on their graphics requirements some games won't run. XP Mode is just Virtual PC 2007 SP1 with additional enhancements and features specific for Windows 7 - but is limited to supporting a Windows XP-only image - not any OS you want to install. Although Virtual PC 2007 SP1 will allow you to create as many VMs with any OS you want, XP Mode is limited to only a single Windows XP image. But it has better shell integration with Windows 7 than any ol' VM running another OS.

Since all Microsoft Virtual PC virtual machines (which is the basis of XP Mode) use a virtual version of the S3 Trio graphics chipset, your games cannot use all of the features your games might require from an ATI or NVidia chipset. You certainly CANNOT install Radeon or NVidia drivers. And if your games require that, that's where you're stuck. That game won't run.

Finally, Shell Integration is a function of XP Mode that allows the application to not just run in a big Windows XP (98/95) window (looks like an entire remote desktop connection into another desktop), but instead allows it to run as if it looked like it were a native Windows 7 application (with Windows 7 GUI around it). By clobbering the login and password, you've broken that. It's possible you can get integration to work in some other fashion. But the Windows 7-specific shell integration in XP Mode depends on the specific items set up during XP Mode installation (you establish the password, but XP Mode establishes the username - which is key to XP mode integrating with with Win7).

Summarized: you can install any OS or game you want into Virtual PC images. You can install any games you want into those images. XP Mode is the only VM that will integrate nicely into Win7 (the others will run, but from a Virtual PC window). If any application or game depends on NVidia or ATI drivers (something beyond DirectX that comes with the Virtual OS), the game may not run. You cannot install any ATI/NVidia graphics drivers.

 

[pc1x1]

Ok, sounds good, I been playing with it, and installed Windows 98, runs fine. Now that I am aware of the S3 limitations its fine. Luckly most of the programs I ran on Windows 98 times, don't need beefy hardware, so hopefully I will be ok. And I put the password back into Windows XP Mode, and it works fine.

I had to install Windows 98 Portuguese, while I can read it and use it, I prefer english, I changed the language on regional settings and keyboard, but still in Portuguese, any ideas?

Also is there ways to create a shortcut and auto run from the Windows 98 VM, from my Windows 7 desktop, or I have to manually load the VM, then access it from the VM?

Thanks! So far this virtualization is pretty cool. If I can install all my apps and games again, I'll be a happy camper.

I wish it was advanced as Dos Box, with that I can run my Dos stuff right from the desktop. We need 98BOX hehe

Ps. For Windows 98, I can't put a resolution higher than 640 on 32bit True Color, is that normal?

Also can I full screen this?

You may have some fundamental misunderstandings of VMs and how they can be used in standard usage and in XP Mode.

Using Virtual PC 2007 SP1, you can create any type of VM you want, *nix, Win95, 98, 98SE, etc. So if you use Virtual PC and have the proper installation disks, you can create any OS environment and use them to run applications, but depending on their graphics requirements some games won't run. XP Mode is just Virtual PC 2007 SP1 with additional enhancements and features specific for Windows 7 - but is limited to supporting a Windows XP-only image - not any OS you want to install. Although Virtual PC 2007 SP1 will allow you to create as many VMs with any OS you want, XP Mode is limited to only a single Windows XP image. But it has better shell integration with Windows 7 than any ol' VM running another OS.

Since all Microsoft Virtual PC virtual machines (which is the basis of XP Mode) use a virtual version of the S3 Trio graphics chipset, your games cannot use all of the features your games might require from an ATI or NVidia chipset. You certainly CANNOT install Radeon or NVidia drivers. And if your games require that, that's where you're stuck. That game won't run.

Finally, Shell Integration is a function of XP Mode that allows the application to not just run in a big Windows XP (98/95) window (looks like an entire remote desktop connection into another desktop), but instead allows it to run as if it looked like it were a native Windows 7 application (with Windows 7 GUI around it). By clobbering the login and password, you've broken that. It's possible you can get integration to work in some other fashion. But the Windows 7-specific shell integration in XP Mode depends on the specific items set up during XP Mode installation (you establish the password, but XP Mode establishes the username - which is key to XP mode integrating with with Win7).

Summarized: you can install any OS or game you want into Virtual PC images. You can install any games you want into those images. XP Mode is the only VM that will integrate nicely into Win7 (the others will run, but from a Virtual PC window). If any application or game depends on NVidia or ATI drivers (something beyond DirectX that comes with the Virtual OS), the game may not run. You cannot install any ATI/NVidia graphics drivers.

 

[dugn]

Ok, sounds good, I been playing with it, and installed Windows 98, runs fine. Now that I am aware of the S3 limitations its fine. Luckly most of the programs I ran on Windows 98 times, don't need beefy hardware, so hopefully I will be ok. And I put the password back into Windows XP Mode, and it works fine.

I had to install Windows 98 Portuguese, while I can read it and use it, I prefer english, I changed the language on regional settings and keyboard, but still in Portuguese, any ideas?

Also is there ways to create a shortcut and auto run from the Windows 98 VM, from my Windows 7 desktop, or I have to manually load the VM, then access it from the VM?

Thanks! So far this virtualization is pretty cool. If I can install all my apps and games again, I'll be a happy camper.

I wish it was advanced as Dos Box, with that I can run my Dos stuff right from the desktop. We need 98BOX hehe

Since there's only Windows 7 Shell Integration when using XP Mode, there's no easy way to create a desktop shortcut to an application within any other VM that's not XP Mode. For your Win 98 games, you have to start the Virtual Machine and within that window, start your application or game.

XP Mode is the only type of VM that allows a shortcut directly to the application. Once you've installed a new program or a game in XP Mode, you can find the shortcut to the newly-installed program in the Windows 7 Start menu under "Windows XP Mode Applications" - and you can move or copy it anywhere else you want.

Your 'Windows 98 Portuguese' issue is completely unrelated. If you want Windows 98 in English, you need to install Win 98 English. Adding or switching to English in Regional settings only enables support for the other langauge when aplicaitons (like Word, Excel and others) need to format nubmers and letter in another locale's format. It doesn't switch the entire OS into another language.

 

[pc1x1]

I see, ok, guess Ill have to hunt down a Windows 98 CD then X_X.

Is it possible to fullscreen the Windows 98 VM?
Also any way to make it talk to my external HDD's?
Also I added a PS.

Otherwise, I am pretty much set, your explanations have been very helpful thanks!

 

[dugn]

Is it possible to fullscreen the Windows 98 VM?
Also any way to make it talk to my external HDD's?

No - not unless your VM resolution is the same as your desktop resolution.
Yes - read up on VMs and the features built into Microsoft Virtual PC.

 

[pc1x1]

No - not unless your VM resolution is the same as your desktop resolution.
Yes - read up on VMs and the features built into Microsoft Virtual PC.

I am as we speak.

Here's a quick question, the virtual pc I installed to get XP mode working, is that the full version of Virtual PC?

And I am searching but can't find anything pertaining windows 98. I do have access to the cd rom drive, so I can just burn the files and put them there, but prefer to have a partition I could drag and drop files from my Windows 7, that Windows 98 VM could access. Can you point me in the right direction, so far utilizing the powers of google, yielded no real solution heh!


This is worrisome, heh

http://social.technet.microsoft.com...v/thread/006329e3-35c1-499f-8bbd-02a75abdaa30