Can a 32bit guest OS run inside a 64bit host OS?

[M.L.]

After unsuccessfully trying to install a proprietary 32 bit app onto
64 bit Windows 7, I was informed by tech support that the app cannot
run on a 64 bit OS.

As a workaround I'd like to be able to trick the app into thinking
it's in a 32 bit environment by installing 32 bit XP into either
VMware or VirtualBox on the 64 bit system. Can that be done? If so,
would I install 32 bit VMware/VirtualBox or 64 bit? Thanks.

 

[ToddAndMargo]

After unsuccessfully trying to install a proprietary 32 bit app onto
64 bit Windows 7, I was informed by tech support that the app cannot
run on a 64 bit OS.

As a workaround I'd like to be able to trick the app into thinking
it's in a 32 bit environment by installing 32 bit XP into either
VMware or VirtualBox on the 64 bit system. Can that be done? If so,
would I install 32 bit VMware/VirtualBox or 64 bit? Thanks.

Hi M.L.,

This my not completely apply, but under Virtual Box with
32 bit Linux as the host, 64 bit guests reboot the host
when you try to start them.

With 64 bit Linux host, I have run every kind of 32 bit Windows
OS there is (well, almost). 32 bit XP runs fine.

I am presuming 64 bit Windows host will do the same. (Linux
is a much better choice for the host than is Windows, but
you may have other considerations that limit that.) Virtual
Box is free, so you will be able to figure it out really quickly.

Rule of thumb: install at least twice the memory on the host
that your guest uses.

And, Virtual Box has a really great bunch of guys over on
it forum. You can always re-ask this question over there.

http://forums.virtualbox.org

HTH,
-T

 

[M.L.]

Hi M.L.,

This my not completely apply, but under Virtual Box with
32 bit Linux as the host, 64 bit guests reboot the host
when you try to start them.

With 64 bit Linux host, I have run every kind of 32 bit Windows
OS there is (well, almost). 32 bit XP runs fine.

I am presuming 64 bit Windows host will do the same. (Linux
is a much better choice for the host than is Windows, but
you may have other considerations that limit that.) Virtual
Box is free, so you will be able to figure it out really quickly.

Rule of thumb: install at least twice the memory on the host
that your guest uses.

And, Virtual Box has a really great bunch of guys over on
it forum. You can always re-ask this question over there.

http://forums.virtualbox.org

Thanks for your prompt reply. I found it very encouraging. The Win7
box has 4 GB RAM so I think allocating 1 GB to it for running a single
program should be plenty.

Question: Once the user exits VirtualBox, is the guest RAM returned to
the host?

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "M.L." <[email protected]>



| Thanks for your prompt reply. I found it very encouraging. The Win7
| box has 4 GB RAM so I think allocating 1 GB to it for running a single
| program should be plenty.

| Question: Once the user exits VirtualBox, is the guest RAM returned to
| the host?

Try 6~8GB min.

 

[ToddAndMargo]

Question: Once the user exits VirtualBox, is the guest RAM returned to
the host?

Barring memory leaks in the host controller, yes, it
is returned.

-T

 

[M.L.]

Barring memory leaks in the host controller, yes, it
is returned.

Thanks to all who replied. After more research I've decided to try
Microsoft Virtual PC, which seems more suited to my needs. My main
concerns now are how the Win XP installation will react to the Win 7
SATA hard drive, how VPC will deal with Win XP activation inside Win
7, and how to share files and folders between the guest and host.

 

[ToddAndMargo]

I've decided to try

Microsoft Virtual PC, which seems more suited to my needs. My main
concerns now are how the Win XP installation will react to the Win 7
SATA hard drive,

The host sees the XP drive as just another large file

how VPC will deal with Win XP activation inside Win
7,

"Supposedly" when you download the image file from Microsoft,
it is already registered. This, if you are using W7 Pro or above and
have the rights to the image. If not, then you are required to
register it like any other stand alone Microsoft operating system.
In which case I'd use Virtual Box instead.

and how to share files and folders between the guest and host.

Virtual box has a shared folder option. I would "presume" Virtual
PC does too. Other than that, just use the built in file sharing.
(Under Virtual Box, you have to use "Bridge Networking" to get
file sharing to work.)

-T

 

[M.L.]

The host sees the XP drive as just another large file

I'm more concerned with how the XP guest will recognize the host's
SATA drive.

"Supposedly" when you download the image file from Microsoft,
it is already registered. This, if you are using W7 Pro or above and
have the rights to the image. If not, then you are required to
register it like any other stand alone Microsoft operating system.
In which case I'd use Virtual Box instead.


Virtual box has a shared folder option. I would "presume" Virtual
PC does too. Other than that, just use the built in file sharing.
(Under Virtual Box, you have to use "Bridge Networking" to get
file sharing to work.)

Thanks for your response Todd. It is unfamiliar terms like "Bridge
Networking" as well as other concerns that drove me to switch from
VirtualBox to pursue another virtual solution. VirtualPC seems more
familiarly integrated into the Windows 7 Home Premium host system so
that I won't have as much of a learning curve with operating the guest
OS.

 

[ToddAndMargo]

I'm more concerned with how the XP guest will recognize the host's
SATA drive.

The guest sees a fake hard drive. In VBox you have the option
of telling the guest the fake hard drive is a EIDE or SATA.
VirtualPC should have something similar

Thanks for your response Todd. It is unfamiliar terms like "Bridge
Networking" as well as other concerns that drove me to switch from
VirtualBox to pursue another virtual solution. VirtualPC seems more
familiarly integrated into the Windows 7 Home Premium host

Poop. You are stuck with buying a license for XP (W7 Pro has a downgrade
to XP option its license

system so
that I won't have as much of a learning curve with operating the guest
OS.

If you change your mind, Virtual box has a great forum.

Also, check out if you app runs under React OS (open
source XP). It probably won't as Reast OS is still in the
"sucks" phase, but if it does, React OS is free.

-T

 

[M.L.]

The guest sees a fake hard drive. In VBox you have the option
of telling the guest the fake hard drive is a EIDE or SATA.
VirtualPC should have something similar


Poop. You are stuck with buying a license for XP (W7 Pro has a downgrade
to XP option its license


If you change your mind, Virtual box has a great forum.

Also, check out if you app runs under React OS (open
source XP). It probably won't as Reast OS is still in the
"sucks" phase, but if it does, React OS is free.

Thanks for all the advice. I just installed VirtualPC and XP Pro sp3
on Windows 7 and everything went without a hitch. I like that using XP
on Win 7 is so seamless. Everything's shared between host and guest.