Vista - virtualization using hard drive with pre-existing operating system

Hello. I am interested in using the microsoft solution to the incompatibility
problems with vista, namely virtual pc 2007. I have 5 hard drives in my
tower and installed windows vista on a formatted drive. I didn't delete,
unistall, or otherwise alter the xp operating system on a separate drive.
Now, finding that I am unable to login to my work computer using the virtual
extranet application that is provided, I think running a virtualization of
windows xp within vista would be a possible solution.
I would like to point the virtual pc 2007 application to the drive with the
pre-existing, operational, windows xp os on it.

Is this possible and, if so, how do I do it?

Thanks a bunch.

Max

as far as i know you cant use it like that you have to install it in the virtual machine

-max- wrote:
> Hello. I am interested in using the microsoft solution to the incompatibility
> problems with vista, namely virtual pc 2007. I have 5 hard drives in my
> tower and installed windows vista on a formatted drive. I didn't delete,
> unistall, or otherwise alter the xp operating system on a separate drive.
> Now, finding that I am unable to login to my work computer using the virtual
> extranet application that is provided, I think running a virtualization of
> windows xp within vista would be a possible solution.
> I would like to point the virtual pc 2007 application to the drive with the
> pre-existing, operational, windows xp os on it.
>
> Is this possible and, if so, how do I do it?

No, this is not possible. You will need to install VPC and create a
virtual machine running the OS of your choice (XP) from within it.
Virtual machines use emulated hardware, not the real hardware that is in
your computer case.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

You have the concept of using virtual machines wrong.

You install VirtualPC. Then you install Windows XP ***IN*** the virtual
machine, just like you would do on a new computer (VirtualPC creates a new
computer).

When you want to use Windows XP you then start VirtualPC and choose your
Windows XP system that you just installed.

It has nothing to do with what is on your computer now.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

"-max-" <-max-@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:2ABC67B9-D945-4FE4-948B-F08C11AE6C62@microsoft.com...
> Hello. I am interested in using the microsoft solution to the
> incompatibility
> problems with vista, namely virtual pc 2007. I have 5 hard drives in my
> tower and installed windows vista on a formatted drive. I didn't delete,
> unistall, or otherwise alter the xp operating system on a separate drive.
> Now, finding that I am unable to login to my work computer using the
> virtual
> extranet application that is provided, I think running a virtualization of
> windows xp within vista would be a possible solution.
> I would like to point the virtual pc 2007 application to the drive with
> the
> pre-existing, operational, windows xp os on it.
>
> Is this possible and, if so, how do I do it?
>
> Thanks a bunch.
>
> Max

-max- wrote:
> Hello. I am interested in using the microsoft solution to the incompatibility
> problems with vista, namely virtual pc 2007. I have 5 hard drives in my
> tower and installed windows vista on a formatted drive. I didn't delete,
> unistall, or otherwise alter the xp operating system on a separate drive.
> Now, finding that I am unable to login to my work computer using the virtual
> extranet application that is provided, I think running a virtualization of
> windows xp within vista would be a possible solution.
> I would like to point the virtual pc 2007 application to the drive with the
> pre-existing, operational, windows xp os on it.
>
> Is this possible and, if so, how do I do it?

Very little chance that it will boot without a bunch of errors: the
virtual hardware in VPC will probably be too much different from the
real hardware where XP setup originally ran its hardware detection on.

thanks for the answer. i will dig up that old xp disc and give'r a shot then.

max


"Richard Urban" wrote:

> You have the concept of using virtual machines wrong.
>
> You install VirtualPC. Then you install Windows XP ***IN*** the virtual
> machine, just like you would do on a new computer (VirtualPC creates a new
> computer).
>
> When you want to use Windows XP you then start VirtualPC and choose your
> Windows XP system that you just installed.
>
> It has nothing to do with what is on your computer now.
>
> --
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>
> Quote from George Ankner:
> If you knew as much as you think you know,
> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>
> "-max-" <-max-@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:2ABC67B9-D945-4FE4-948B-F08C11AE6C62@microsoft.com...
> > Hello. I am interested in using the microsoft solution to the
> > incompatibility
> > problems with vista, namely virtual pc 2007. I have 5 hard drives in my
> > tower and installed windows vista on a formatted drive. I didn't delete,
> > unistall, or otherwise alter the xp operating system on a separate drive.
> > Now, finding that I am unable to login to my work computer using the
> > virtual
> > extranet application that is provided, I think running a virtualization of
> > windows xp within vista would be a possible solution.
> > I would like to point the virtual pc 2007 application to the drive with
> > the
> > pre-existing, operational, windows xp os on it.
> >
> > Is this possible and, if so, how do I do it?
> >
> > Thanks a bunch.
> >
> > Max
>
>