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Virtual PC 2007 Beta Now Available

By BetaNews Staff, BetaNews

October 12, 2006, 5:27 PM

Microsoft on Thursday released a beta version of Virtual PC 2007, the latest version of the company's virtual machine software that is capable of running Windows Vista as both a host and guest operating system. The update takes advantage of new hardware virtualization technology from both Intel and AMD.

"So now you have an easy way to try out Windows Vista, even if you are reluctant to replace the OS on one your existing PCs; or if you have already taken the plunge you can spin up a legacy operating system in a virtual machine on your Windows Vista machine," explained Vista product manager Nick White. Virtual PC 2007 Beta is available for download from Microsoft's Connect beta site.

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By morenero

edited Oct 16, 2006 - 10:14 AM

I want early to receive new Virtual PC.Thank you very much.

Score: 0

By straylight

posted Oct 15, 2006 - 9:17 PM

Good idea, however, according to VISTAS EULA, unless you buy the pro version, you are not allowed to install vista in a VM.

Ridiculous eh?

Score: 0

By Joe Dirt

edited Oct 13, 2006 - 3:48 PM

No thanks. I'll use the free stuff from VMWare since it's better.

VMWare will always be better.

Why use Virtual PC when you get so much more in the free VMWare Server GSX?

Pooo on you Micro-ass-shaft.

Score: 0

By wincement

posted Oct 13, 2006 - 4:41 PM

Ummm... Did you miss the memo? Virtual PC is free now.

Score: 0

By smarterthanyou

posted Oct 14, 2006 - 3:28 AM

But the free stuff from VMware is better than the free stuff from Microsoft.

Score: 0

By bigmac

posted Oct 25, 2006 - 11:46 AM

What free stuff from VMWare? VMWare isn't free.

Score: 0

By taz757

posted Oct 13, 2006 - 11:07 AM

To receive the download link, you'll actually have to apply for the beta at the Microsoft Connect site. Then you'll be able to actually download both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

Score: 0

By deadmonkey

posted Oct 13, 2006 - 7:54 AM

I was expecting a lot more from this update, after all it has been a few years since VPC2004 was released. My guess is that Microsoft do not plan on making VPC a serious competitor to VMware Workstation, etc. now that it is a free product and it will only see new OS support and have no real new features. This is a shame but kind of expected in a way.

Score: 0

By deadmonkey

edited Oct 13, 2006 - 10:28 AM

edit: this is a reply to SpaceQ, for some reason it didn't reply to his post??

The graphics card that Virtual PC emulates does not support the features required by Vista so Aero will not work within a VM.

VMware Workstation has some 3D acceleration stuff but it is in development and does not support Aero either, although it looks like VMware may support Aero in the future (perhaps with VMware Workstation 6?).

Score: 0

By IceyKola

posted Oct 13, 2006 - 1:47 PM

Paul Thurrott said that he received word that VPC2007 will support Aero just not in the beta.

http://www.windowsitpro....icleID/93847/93847.html

Score: 0

By spiked

posted Oct 13, 2006 - 8:55 PM

Paul misunderstood the issue. When you run the current beta on a Vista HOST, it forces the HOST to drop out of Aero and revert to Basic. There are a number of applications known to do this, due to the way they access video.

Microsoft has no plans to allow Vista GUESTS to support Aero.

HOST = Physical PC, the one running VPC
GUEST = Virtual Machine inside VPC

Score: 0

By Paul Lush

posted Oct 13, 2006 - 7:06 AM

A little better than 2004 but still WAYYYYYYY slower than Vmware GSX Server.

Score: 0

By spiked

posted Oct 13, 2006 - 8:59 PM

Make sure you install/update VMAdditions in the guests (equivalent to VMware's VMTools). Then it will only be WAYYY slower instead of WAYYYYYYY slower.

Score: 0

By robbwk

edited Oct 13, 2006 - 5:18 AM

Can't find a download link for VPC2007? Anybody have a URL?

Thanks

Score: 0

By DigitAl56K

posted Oct 13, 2006 - 4:30 AM

Teh funny:

"Vista Licenses Limit OS Transfers, Ban VM Use"
http://it.slashdot.org/a...pl?sid=06/10/12/2240214

Score: 0

By foxfyre

posted Oct 13, 2006 - 1:01 AM

From a PURELY function POV (I don't care what anyone thinks of the companies), can anyone offer an objective evaluation of the MS product versus VMWare Workstation or Server (as the 2 VMWare products are very different animals)? (bugs notwithstanding)

Thanks...

Score: 0

By jshurst

posted Oct 13, 2006 - 9:16 AM

I've used MS Virtual Server 2005 and VMWare Server, and I like VMWare a lot better. Number one I don't like that VS2005 has a web interface. Nothing against websites (I'm a asp.net programmer), but I prefer a windows app for this.

I do like how the configuration files are layed out for VS2005 (all xml). You can easily change things like the MAC address from code (they also have an SDK for this). Not sure if I can manipulate VMWare from code or not.

I also think the response time of VMWare is better, at least on my machine (3.0 P4, 1GB Ram) - it would really fly if I had two processors.

Also, I'm not positive about this, but I don't think that VS2005 supports (fully) linux installations.

I know this article was about VPC2007, which is different from the server, but those are just my thoughts...

Score: 0

By spiked

posted Oct 13, 2006 - 9:23 PM

The only problem is that VMware's Server Console eats bandwidth like crazy. Many people don't notice on a small LAN segment, but try it on a WAN or over a VPN, or just monitor your stats. Admittedly, VMware offers some fancy features like capturing the physical CD drive of your client to a guest on the server, but it should be pretty obvious that when you have a bunch of features like that, bandwidth utilization adds up. The problem is that even when you don't use all the features, VMware doesn't optimize its bandwidth based on what you actually use. (VMware developers have admitted this in the VMware Community Forums. They said it was hard to justify the kind of optimization in a free product that they would do in ESX/Infrastructure.)

I do agree with you that VMware technology overall performs better than Microsoft's, but you are mistaken that Microsoft has any advantage in terms of config files and SDK. VMware's *.vmx config files are plain text files in simple INI-style format. VMware's API comes in COM-based interfaces for Win32-specific automation and ActiveX scripting, as well as Perl-based interface for platform-independent scripting. The extensions that allow Microsoft to expose guest info to SMS and MOM are matched by VMware's more mature and comprehensive Vix SDK. All told, VMware gives you more control from code. For example, try Invirtus VM Optimizer. You will find that it is fully automated on VMware because VMware exposes an API which allows an app running inside a guest to invoke compaction of the virtual hard disk (YES - WHILE IT'S RUNNING!). With Microsoft, the best Invirtus can do is prompt you to run Microsoft's Virtual Disk Wizard manually after the guest has shut down.

As for Linux support, the only real problem that Microsoft has is that they never finished implementing their S3 Trio 64 emulation. The 24-bit color mode is missing. In theory, Linux drivers and "probing" (HW detection) code would retrieve the supported modes from VESA BIOS before attempting to switch to them. However, most Linux S3 Trio 64 drivers were written based on the fact that ALL true S3 Trio 64 hardware does implement 24-bit color. This is why the #1 most common problem for Linux on Virtual PC and Virtual Server is messed-up video. There are also a few issues with Microsoft's Linux version of VMAdditions. They were actually written for Microsoft by a German company which wrote the OS/2 Additions for Connectix years ago. These issues, however, are typical Linux distro compatibility issues (things like RPM installations on Debian) and they are not terribly different than the challenges people face with VMware's VMTools on various Linux distros.

Score: 0

By The MAZZTer

edited Oct 12, 2006 - 11:20 PM

Note: While Virtual PC 2004 will install under XP Home and runs fine, Virtual PC 2007 refuses to install. It might be possible to override this with the proper command line switch to msiexec.

2007 is mostly tweaks to 2004 to make it 100% compatible with Vista. There are no new features, the only major general bug fix is that it now accepts ISOs greater than 2.2gb.

Score: 0

By spiked

edited Oct 12, 2006 - 9:19 PM

"So now you have an easy way to try out Windows Vista..."

except that Virtual PC is the WORST way. Aero won't work (not even slowly), USB is STILL not supported, and wait until you hear Microsoft's "solution" for Vista sound support.

Microsoft has put such little effort into this upgrade that the copyright statement still says 2003.

Score: 0

By HaloVapor122

edited Oct 12, 2006 - 7:32 PM

Spike, Not sure what you are testing but sound works fine in virtual pc 2007. I am running on laptop with Realtek and also on my Audigy 2 ZS on my desktop system. ISA is a dead technology, time to upgrade from a 486. Vista will not run on it so time to upgrade to at least a Pentium. LOL

Score: 0

By spiked

edited Oct 13, 2006 - 8:49 PM

Look closer at the "Vista-compatible sound" feature. It is NOT an emulated PCI sound card like VPC users have been waiting years for (and VMware already enjoys). Microsoft has implemented a special Vista-only device which is not PnP enumerable, meaning it only exists in Vista guests when the virtualaudio.sys driver is loaded by VMAdditions Build 13.720 or higher (the Beta ships with 13.724) so forget about accessing it from any other guest OS. Also, compare the quality and fidelity of sound output from a Vista guest with this device driver, to a non-Vista guest in VPC with the old SB16ISA emulation or in VMware with its emulated Creative/Ensoniq PCI card and you will hear why I think VPC2007's solution is lame.

Score: 0

By id242

edited Oct 12, 2006 - 9:56 PM

Yes, minus the USB, everything else seems to be working just fine for V-PC2007.

I am not sure why you disagree with "easy" and "try" if USB functionality in a VIRTUAL PC setting is unavailable. I would however say that trying Vista on a virtual setup is much less of a headache than installing it as your main desktop, only to find that you do not like it and instead want to revert back to your previous OS installation.

For your other complaints about lack of Video & Audio support, remember to Install the "Virtual Machine Additions" to VPC desktop - they are in the "Action" drop-down menu.

Score: 0

By SpaceQ

posted Oct 13, 2006 - 3:31 AM

so does Vista's new AERO interface work for you? as I wouldnt install it without 3D GUI feature

Score: 0

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