importance of XP mode?

[none]

Want to buy W7 for multiple PC's but have a dilemma, buy Home family pack (no XP mode, reasonably priced) or Ultimate ( way over priced, XP mode). I have very old software which works in XP but am concerned it may not work in W7.

So I'm looking on feedback as to the importance and functionality of 'XP mode'

 

[GlowingBlueMist]

Want to buy W7 for multiple PC's but have a dilemma, buy Home family
pack (no XP mode, reasonably priced) or Ultimate ( way over priced, XP
mode). I have very old software which works in XP but am concerned it
may not work in W7.
So I'm looking on feedback as to the importance and functionality of 'XP
mode'

If your computers already have XP licenses you have another option
available. You can download and install VMware Player on your W7
computer and create a virtual XP machine with it that should be able to
run all of your old XP only software.

You can also use it to create virtual Linux machines with out the hassle
of dual booting or having W7 and Linux fight for control of the hard
drive boot sector.

I am using it on my W7PRO system to create a virtual XP as well as some
Linux distributions I'm experimenting with. You will need your old XP
install disk and license to install XP.

Here is a link to the web site.
https://www.vmware.com/products/player/overview.html
The FAQ section says it's free for personal use but you will need to
register (create) an account with them in order to download the VMware
Player software.

 

[Jan Alter]

If your computers already have XP licenses you have another option
available. You can download and install VMware Player on your W7 computer
and create a virtual XP machine with it that should be able to run all of
your old XP only software.

You can also use it to create virtual Linux machines with out the hassle
of dual booting or having W7 and Linux fight for control of the hard drive
boot sector.

I am using it on my W7PRO system to create a virtual XP as well as some
Linux distributions I'm experimenting with. You will need your old XP
install disk and license to install XP.

Here is a link to the web site.
https://www.vmware.com/products/player/overview.html
The FAQ section says it's free for personal use but you will need to
register (create) an account with them in order to download the VMware
Player software.

I've also installed VMWare on our Win7 laptop to run XP and it does work.
Although I haven't used it entensively I've found every program I've
installed works fine. Some programs are Nero 7, Office 2003 among others.

 

[Ken Blake]

Want to buy W7 for multiple PC's but have a dilemma, buy Home family pack (no XP mode, reasonably priced) or Ultimate ( way over priced, XP mode). I have very old software which works in XP but am concerned it may not work in W7.

So I'm looking on feedback as to the importance and functionality of 'XP mode'

Why don't you identify the "very old software" here? Someone may be
able to tell you whether it will work under Windows 7.

 

[none]

Why don't you identify the "very old software" here? Someone may be

able to tell you whether it will work under Windows 7.

Canon i560 inkjet printer
Calmaster 2000 (old DOS program, wants HW control but runs in DOSBOX)
Modmenu (again, DOS based program but wants access to environment
variables, which XP disallows)
many more DOS and old W95-w98 programs

From the looks of it, might be better to go with VMware as suggested above!

 

[Yousuf Khan]

Canon i560 inkjet printer
Calmaster 2000 (old DOS program, wants HW control but runs in DOSBOX)
Modmenu (again, DOS based program but wants access to environment
variables, which XP disallows)
many more DOS and old W95-w98 programs

From the looks of it, might be better to go with VMware as suggested above!

Some of those DOS programs won't even work under XP Mode when you're on
a 64-bit environment, so you're best off going with VMWare, which can
recreate a perfect virtual 32-bit environment under a 64-bit environment.

Yousuf Khan

 

[Nil]

Some of those DOS programs won't even work under XP Mode when
you're on a 64-bit environment, so you're best off going with
VMWare, which can recreate a perfect virtual 32-bit environment
under a 64-bit environment.

So can Oracle Virtual Box.

 

[none]

OK, the consensus seems to be run a VM; so, does W7 HOME edition allow the use of VMware?

 

[Jan Alter]

OK, the consensus seems to be run a VM; so, does W7 HOME edition allow the use of VMware?

I'm running it on Home Premium without a hitch.

 

[none]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Stan Brown]

So can Oracle Virtual Box.

Is there some criterion for choosing between them? The VMWare site
is awfully intrusive, requiring not only an email address but a city
and zip code before it will condescend to let me have the download;
but on the other hand I'm familiar with VMWare workstation from work.

 

[GlowingBlueMist]

Canon i560 inkjet printer
Calmaster 2000 (old DOS program, wants HW control but runs in DOSBOX)
Modmenu (again, DOS based program but wants access to environment
variables, which XP disallows)
many more DOS and old W95-w98 programs

From the looks of it, might be better to go with VMware as suggested above!

You may need to do some tweaking and reading and posting on the support
forums but VMware can also be used to install almost all of the old
windows versions if you have the install disks and license info if
needed, like Windows 3.1 along with DOS.

I'm not saying it's a cure all but it is free for home use and can make
older programs functional again. Other nice thing is that once you
install the OS in it's folder you can copy that file and keep it in case
you, your program, or virus trashes the installed system. Just delete
the bad one and replace it with the backup and your back in business in
a matter of minutes.

For XP I installed the operating software and all it's updates and then
copied the folder to a backup so I don't have to re-install that beast
again from scratch. Then I add any programs I want to test or use and
either make a new backup or go on from there.

I'm sure there are other free programs that can do the same but I'm the
kind of person who just uses what works and quits looking for something
else unless the my needs change. It's also nice that this software is
being actively supported for their commercial customers with the home
user gaining the benefits as well.

 

[Nil]

Is there some criterion for choosing between them? The VMWare site
is awfully intrusive, requiring not only an email address but a city
and zip code before it will condescend to let me have the download;
but on the other hand I'm familiar with VMWare workstation from work.

I've had a linux setup in Virtualbox for a couple of years, and it
works well. I had never used VMWare before, but I set one up yesterday.
Performace and feature-wise... I don't see much difference between the
two.

 

[Lewis]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

learn to post properly.

--
there were far worse things than Evil. All the demons in Hell would
torture your very soul, but that was precisely because they valued souls
very highly; Evil would always try to steal the universe, but at least
it considered the universe worth stealing. But the grey world behind
those empty eyes would trample and destroy without even according its
victims the dignity of hatred. It wouldn't even notice them. --The Light
Fantastic

 

[Stan Brown]

I've had a linux setup in Virtualbox for a couple of years, and it
works well. I had never used VMWare before, but I set one up yesterday.
Performace and feature-wise... I don't see much difference between the
two.

Thanks, Nil! The key requirement for me is being able to access the
computer's USB ports, because I my scanner has no 64-bit Win 7 driver
()not even a 64-bit Vista driver). I guess the best bet is to
install one and see whether it works, and if not to install the
other.

 

[Stan Brown]

For XP I installed the operating software and all it's updates and then
copied the folder to a backup so I don't have to re-install that beast
again from scratch.

In VMWare Workstation you can just take a snapshot, and revert to it
if the VM gets corrupted. Is that not an option in the free home
version?

 

[Nil]

Thanks, Nil! The key requirement for me is being able to access
the computer's USB ports, because I my scanner has no 64-bit Win 7
driver ()not even a 64-bit Vista driver). I guess the best bet is
to install one and see whether it works, and if not to install the
other.

Virtulbox sees and uses the USB port. I haven't tried it in VMWare, but
I know it recognizes the USB ports because it gives me a message to
that effect.

But yeah, try them out and see which one you like best.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Thanks, Nil! The key requirement for me is being able to access the
computer's USB ports, because I my scanner has no 64-bit Win 7 driver
()not even a 64-bit Vista driver). I guess the best bet is to
install one and see whether it works, and if not to install the
other.

My main reason for using VMware is that I have a couple of computer-
programmable AV remote controls that don't have any USB drivers for
Windows 7. Their software & drivers work fine in VMware with XP Home.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

In VMWare Workstation you can just take a snapshot, and revert to it
if the VM gets corrupted. Is that not an option in the free home
version?

I don't think the free version (VMware Player) has snapshots, but I just
opened it and was informed of an update; I accepted & ran the update,
and now I can't run it to check your question until after I reboot.

I thought answering you was a higher priority than rebooting

 

[GlowingBlueMist]

I don't think the free version (VMware Player) has snapshots, but I just
opened it and was informed of an update; I accepted& ran the update,
and now I can't run it to check your question until after I reboot.

I thought answering you was a higher priority than rebooting

I don't find an option for making a snapshot using the free version, not
to say it still could be hiding somewhere. I think it is only available
if you also have the ACE option/program installed.