Virtual PC Question

[weixiang438]

What is virtual pc?

[Pigletion]

It is when you run two or more operating systems on one computer. For instance, I had Ubuntu running on my computer, but had Windows running as a Virtual machine. This meant Windows opened in a new window and then you could view and use what looks like a normal Windows desktop with the associated functionality. I needed to do this as certain software I had obtained from my university specifically for my PhD were only designed for Windows.

Virtual PC is the name of a Microsoft version

[VHG]

You can download Microsoft's Virtual PC from here for free

http://tinyurl.com/287fx8

Virtual PC is the name of Microsoft's product, but there are other products that do a similar thing, allow you to run one operating system under another operating system.

Here is a picture of it in action. Widows Vista running under Windows XP.

http://www.beroux.com/articles/virtual-machine s/virtual-pc-2007.jpg

[ACtheTROLL]

in short ... it's bl@@dy marvelous

its a second PC for free
ms have changed the licence of all windows software so
VPC2007 is free ... you can install your version or any other of windows a second or third time .... and play

I've had xp and win 311 running on a 98 machine without problems

at the mo I'm running Vista's replacement in xp

so good that virtualisation is taking off bigtime as processors continue to increase the number of cores .... there is generally one spare that will run another os without problems
server farms are shifting to one giant mainframe running lots of small servers ... it's cheaper and easier for admin

I've used them for years ...

you can use it exactly like a second pc ... viruses stay in the virtual ... so surfing isn't any safer ... but it's secure

and you can network them - so you can set up a fully working domain all on the same machine

as a trainer I use it to familiarise with software ...
or to write "idiot guides"

because you can restore in a couple of minutes -
its a good way to let kids use a machine
test iffy beta trial software ... or to repeatedly install and snapshot every step of a job

or to prove your answer to a question on ab works without trashing your machine

it's a little zen for a few minutes ... but it's a brilliant toy or tool