virtual PC 2007

[Guest]

I am kind of layman in computer field.. i want to use virtual pc 2007 in my
new laptop powered by vista business edition. My purpose is just to keep my
system safe while surfing on net from spams and virus.
please help me how to install and what basic setting do i have to do in
order to keep my pc safe ?
i have intel core duo processor. 80 GB hd and 1 GB ram.

i will appreciate ur help ............thank you.

 

[R. McCarty]

Virtual Machines ( OS running within another OS ) are still susceptible
to the same threats as a "Physical" PC. You would still need AV and
other protections ( Spyware real-time monitoring ) to keep them safe.

 

[Guest]

NO probs.....i still want to learn how can i install VPC.

 

[R. McCarty]

I'd start at the VPC home page - there are links to FAQs, forums
and other information on Virtual PC.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/virtualpc/default.mspx

Basically you create a new VPC, give it a name - configure a Virtual
hard drive and proceed to install a Operating System. Only downside
to VPC is that only certain USB devices virtualize ( Mice, Keyboards )
other USB devices will not function in a Virtual machine. You can use
a USB printer from the Host PC by sharing it, so the Guest OS may
access it.

 

[AJR]

BTW - Installing Vista on a virutal computer requires a "valid" (nor prior
use) product key.

 

[mikeyhsd]

in addition to the other comments there are VPC/virtualization news groups on the microsoft news servers.



(e-mail address removed)



I am kind of layman in computer field.. i want to use virtual pc 2007 in my
new laptop powered by vista business edition. My purpose is just to keep my
system safe while surfing on net from spams and virus.
please help me how to install and what basic setting do i have to do in
order to keep my pc safe ?
i have intel core duo processor. 80 GB hd and 1 GB ram.

i will appreciate ur help ............thank you.

 

[Lang Murphy]

I am kind of layman in computer field.. i want to use virtual pc 2007 in my
new laptop powered by vista business edition. My purpose is just to keep
my
system safe while surfing on net from spams and virus.
please help me how to install and what basic setting do i have to do in
order to keep my pc safe ?
i have intel core duo processor. 80 GB hd and 1 GB ram.

i will appreciate ur help ............thank you.

Depending on how a VM is set up, it may not protect the host system from the
vulnerabilities as you hope. If that's the reason you want to run a VM, and
you identify yourself as a layman... then I'd make sure I knew my VM was
configured in such a way as to keep it insulated from the host OS.

Lang

 

[Steve Thackery]

Depending on how a VM is set up, it may not protect the host system from

the vulnerabilities as you hope. If that's the reason you want to run a
VM, and you identify yourself as a layman... then I'd make sure I knew my
VM was configured in such a way as to keep it insulated from the host OS.

Ah, I clearly don't understand VMs because I thought they were insulated
from the host.

This sounds important - would you explain further?

Steve

 

[Malke]

Ah, I clearly don't understand VMs because I thought they were insulated
from the host.

This sounds important - would you explain further?

The operating systems running in VMs are real operating systems that act
exactly as they would if they were installed by themselves on a real
computer. They don't "know" they're virtual. This means that if you are
running an MS operating system, it needs to be protected with antivirus,
antispyware, firewall, etc. Just as if you had the OS running on a
separate machine, if you allow network sharing then all your other
Windows machines on that network are vulnerable if the VM OS picks up a
network-aware worm. The convenience of doing network sharing of course
is that your VM can use your printers (either connected locally to
another machine on the LAN or directly to the network) and can transfer
files back/forth between the other machines on the LAN.

After you set up the VM OS, back it up to somewhere external to the VM.
Then if the VM OS gets messed up, you can just delete it and start over
with the backed up copy.

To isolate your VM OS, don't do file/printer sharing. Set its firewall
to not allow anything in from the LAN. Or if you are doing this so as to
surf in a risky manner, consider running a Linux OS in the VM instead.

For more details about virtual computing, refer to the VMWare and/or
Virtual PC 2007 websites as previously suggested.

Malke

 

[Lang Murphy]

Ah, I clearly don't understand VMs because I thought they were insulated
from the host.

This sounds important - would you explain further?

Steve

I think Malke's reply pretty much covers it. (Thanks, Malke!)

Lang