Windows 7 Microsoft reveals Windows 7 'XP mode'

[Adywebb]

Microsoft is planning a Windows 7 add-on that lets users run applications designed for Windows XP in a virtual machine - the first time Microsoft has relied on virtualization to provide backward compatibility.

Linky

 

[Ian]

That should be very handy indeed and means that compatibility with XP applications will be far superiour to under Vista (ironically!).

Have you tried the beta/RC, Ady?

 

[floppybootstomp]

One has to ask the question 'Why?'

Is this further admittance by Microsoft that XP was the best OS they ever produced?

It's fairly obvious that Vista wasn't quite the promise they made and I seriously want to like W7.

But the cynical side of me notes developments such as this and makes me raise an eyebrow I'm afraid.

And I still hold by my view that all Vista licence holders should have been offered their equivalent version of W7 as a free patch rather than having to shell out for a complete new OS only 28 months after buying MS's last offering.

Or at the very least be offered a discount.

 

[TriplexDread]

Wind 7 imo is awful

I had it installed and found it far too messy and the GUI is terrible

 

[Urmas]

How many Intel CPUs will fail the XP Mode test in Windows 7?

The new Windows Virtual PC (now available as a beta release for the Windows 7 Release Candidate) requires hardware-assisted virtualization. For your PC to run XP Mode in Windows 7, the CPU has to support Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT) or AMD Virtualization (AMD-V), and this support has to be enabled in the BIOS.

 

[Abarbarian]

Here is your answer Urmas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86_virtualization

AMD virtualization (AMD-V)

AMD markets its virtualization extensions to the 64-bit x86 architecture as AMD Virtualization, abbreviated AMD-V. It is still referred to as "Pacifica", the AMD internal project code name.

AMD-V operates on AMD Athlon 64 and Athlon 64 X2 with family "F" or "G" on socket AM2 (not 939), Turion 64 X2, Opteron 2nd generation[1] and 3rd-generation,[2] Phenom, and all newer processors. Sempron processors do not include support for AMD-V.

On May 23, 2006, AMD released the Athlon 64 ("Orleans"), the Athlon 64 X2 ("Windsor") and the Athlon 64 FX ("Windsor") as the first AMD processors to support AMD-V. Prior processors do not have AMD-V.



[edit] Intel Virtualization Technology for x86 (Intel VT-x)

Previously codenamed "Vanderpool", VT-x represents Intel's technology for virtualization on the x86 platform. Intel plans to add Extended Page Tables (EPT),[3] a technology for page table virtualization,[4] in the Nehalem architecture.[5]

The following modern Intel processors include support for VT-x,[6]:

• Pentium 4 662 and 672
• Pentium Extreme Edition 955 and 965 (not Pentium 4 Extreme Edition with HT)
• Pentium D 920-960 except 945, 935, 925, 915
• some models of the Core processors family
• some models of the Core 2 processors family (list here)
• Xeon 3000, 5000, 7000 series
• some Atom chips
• all Intel Core i7 processors

Neither Intel Celeron, Pentium Dual-Core nor Pentium M processors have VT technology.

 

[Urmas]

Clear as mud. Not an issue for me, fortunately, as I have no intention to install Windows.

 

[Nobody in particular]

I think it will be a good feature for companies and businesses who are thinking of making the jump from XP to W7, and still want 'old' software etc to work without having any issues with compatability.

 

[Abarbarian]

Clear as mud. Not an issue for me, fortunately, as I have no intention to install Windows.

Welcome to the real world of Windows products. Just plug and play. No searching the net or reconfiguring to do, no bother with dodgy drivers, no bother with in operability of software etc, no trouble at all. Just buy it and the latest hardware and the latest software and you can look forward to trouble free computing. That is if you have any time left over from all the overtime you had to do to afford all the above.

 

[unawave]

Here is your answer ...
AMD virtualization (AMD-V) ...
Intel Virtualization Technology for x86 (Intel VT-x) ...

This list is good for people which know their CPU type.

I prefer the tool SecurAble. It's freeware and no installation necessary. I run it from USB stick by some of my friend's computers. Gives them all information they need for the virtualization mode.