Windows Virual PC 64 bit and 32 bit questions...

[Bikini Browser]

Hello everyone...

I need to run Windows XP mode on a new future build of my Windows 7 ultimate
OS.

I am new at all this virtual stuff so please bare with me....

My questions are as follows....

Q1: Should I install the 64 bit version of Windows 7 ultimate and expect to
be able to run the 32 bit version of Windows XP Mode?

Q2: I have a Brooktrout fax board that only runs on Windows XP 32 bit mode.
Can I expect to see the Windows XP Mode detect the brooktrout Fax Board and
allow me to install drivers for it? There will not be any Windows 7 drivers
installed for it.

Q3: I want to upgrade my Memory to be able to support Windows 7 and XP Mode
a little better. I currently have 2 Gig installed in a dual channel mode.
Should I order two 512k modules or should I max out the computer and order
the additional 2 gig of RAM? I guess this depends on what kind of OS I am
going to install in the future, right? I mean Windows 7 won't utilize 4 gig
of RAM unless it is a 64 bit version, RIGHT? How about the virtual part of
it...? Is there any advantage of installing 4 GIG of RAM if I plan on
using XP Mode?

Q4: If I am going to install MS Office, and my Windows XP needs the
software to run along with ACT CRM, do I have to install two copies of
OFFICE and TWO Copies of ACT, one in each version of Windows? (I am using
the same PC and the same hard drive but I want to install Windows 7 and XP
Mode.)

Q5: Where is the Windows 7 news group? Why is it still missing?

Please advise...

--
Bikini Browser of San Juan Puerto Rico
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[Bill Grant]

See inline comments.

Hello everyone...

I need to run Windows XP mode on a new future build of my Windows 7
ultimate OS.

I am new at all this virtual stuff so please bare with me....

My questions are as follows....

Q1: Should I install the 64 bit version of Windows 7 ultimate and expect
to be able to run the 32 bit version of Windows XP Mode?

Yes. The XP Mode OS is XP SP3 x86. It will run on Win 7 x64. Windows
VPC cannot run 64-bit guests.

Q2: I have a Brooktrout fax board that only runs on Windows XP 32 bit
mode. Can I expect to see the Windows XP Mode detect the brooktrout Fax
Board and allow me to install drivers for it? There will not be any
Windows 7 drivers installed for it.

Unlikely. A vm does not see the physical hardware of the host. It sees its
own virtual "hardware". With WVPC on Win 7 you can see USB devices on the
host.

Q3: I want to upgrade my Memory to be able to support Windows 7 and XP
Mode a little better. I currently have 2 Gig installed in a dual channel
mode. Should I order two 512k modules or should I max out the computer and
order the additional 2 gig of RAM? I guess this depends on what kind of
OS I am going to install in the future, right? I mean Windows 7 won't
utilize 4 gig of RAM unless it is a 64 bit version, RIGHT? How about the
virtual part of it...? Is there any advantage of installing 4 GIG of RAM
if I plan on using XP Mode?

I would install 4G and run x64 Windows 7. That's what I have.

Q4: If I am going to install MS Office, and my Windows XP needs the
software to run along with ACT CRM, do I have to install two copies of
OFFICE and TWO Copies of ACT, one in each version of Windows? (I am using
the same PC and the same hard drive but I want to install Windows 7 and XP
Mode.)

That is up to you. If you want to run these apps in native mode in both
XP and Win 7 you will need to install them in both OSs. If you are happy to
run them in XP you only need to install them is the vm. You can start the
app from the taskbar in Win 7 but it will run in the vm. If the vm is not
running, XP Mode will start it up and run the app. The app will not
immediately hibernate when you stop using it from the host (it has a timer
of about 5 minutes). Starting this or another app from the Win 7 desktop is
fast if the vm is still running.

Q5: Where is the Windows 7 news group? Why is it still missing?

Windows 7 support is through Technet forums.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-us/categories

 

[Bikini Browser]

If the brooktrout fax card cannot be installed in the virtual mode, then
this is all a mute point. I HAVE to have that software and hardware running
on my only computer. There must be a way to allow the virtual Machine to
see the device on the physical PC and allow device drivers to be
installed....

Additionally, I have an old Seiko Smart Label printer that I have thousands
of lables for and I dearly love this old lable printer but there are no
Windows 7 drivers for it. It uses a Serial port (com1). How would I be
able to continue using that printer?

Please advise....

Bikini Browser

 

[Bikini Browser]

I was reading on the net and I found something about "integration components
need to be enabled",

"...you can see these VPCBus channels in guest device management. These
devices come under "Other devices" category and are named "Virtual PC
Integration Device".

Could that be the area that I need to utilize for the brooktrout integration
into the Windows XP Mode?

Please advise...

Bikini Browser

 

[Zaidy036]

See inline comments.


Yes. The XP Mode OS is XP SP3 x86. It will run on Win 7 x64. Windows
VPC cannot run 64-bit guests.

Unlikely. A vm does not see the physical hardware of the host. It sees its
own virtual "hardware". With WVPC on Win 7 you can see USB devices on the
host.

I would install 4G and run x64 Windows 7. That's what I have.

That is up to you. If you want to run these apps in native mode in both
XP and Win 7 you will need to install them in both OSs. If you are happy to
run them in XP you only need to install them is the vm. You can start the
app from the taskbar in Win 7 but it will run in the vm. If the vm is not

One NG is alt.windows7.general

 

[Dominic Payer]

The Brooktrout board will not be available in XP Mode. Only physical
devices connected to USB and serial ports are available to XP Mode. All
other devices are virtual.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Windows 7-specific forums (no newsgroups)
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/windows7


Bikini Browser wrote: