"lreeder" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
news:82e674b596e720692cc2dec79b3f0100@xxxxxx-gateway.com...
Quote:
> My husband purchased a new laptop to take a distance education course.
> We did not realize that the software required to take this course is NOT
> supported by a 64-bit version of Vista (we have Home Premium). It will
> only work with 32-bit. Is our only option to download and install Virtual
> PC?
No, that's not your only option - see below.
Quote:
> I do not know how to do this?
1) Download the version of Virtual PC for 64-bit hosts:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en
2) Double-click the downloaded file to begin the installation process -
Virtual PC is just a piece of software, like Excel or Word.
Quote:
> Instructions indicate that you need to install a CD with an unused
> operating system?
Specifically, you need a separate licence for the OS installed on the
virtual machine. Apart from a very small number of exceptions, Microsoft
considers virtual machines the same as physical machines in terms of
licensing.
Quote:
> Does this mean that we need to purchase this?
If you don't already have an unused licence, you will need to purchase one.
Quote:
> I am very nervous about doing this and wonder if I should just return the
> laptop and
> purchase one with a 32-bit operating system.
That is one option. Alternatively, you could purchase a copy of 32-bit Vista
and install that on your new laptop. Bear in mind that, apart from the CPU,
all hardware inside a virtual machine is emulated - the host's physical
hardware is irrelevant. If the course software requires high-resolution
graphics, or USB devices like a dongle, it will probably not work properly
inside a virtual machine...
--
Mark Rae
ASP.NET MVP
http://www.markrae.net