Virtual PC 2004 (Windows) Now Free!!

MadHippo · Post by **MadHippo** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:49 am 0

I don't know entirely when it happened, but Virtual PC 2004 is now free from Microsoft.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx

It's a very handy tool letting you basically emulate a PC within your PC.
Great for old games that only run under DOS, or for running Windows 3.11 or something.

Madam Butterfly · Post by **Madam Butterfly** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:15 am 0

Yes, I already have it on my pc at work.
Created a client Machine and a Server can't get it to work as a Network

Think I've set everything up right, never set a server up before, just being going off notes from the Microsoft site.

(Opps correction made, makes sense now)

Bubba · Post by **Bubba** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:17 am 0

If set up correctly then you can get two concurrently running virtual machines to talk to each other via the network. At least, I'm sure I've done so in the past with Linux and 2k virtual machines.

Cheers

Bubba

Madam Butterfly · Post by **Madam Butterfly** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:29 am 0

It does work as I've used it while doing my microsoft training. Even then though there was little faults.

Can't get mine to work

, the microsoft trainers set it up before in our training building. Probably followed instructions that microsoft sent them.

Peet · Post by **Peet** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:36 am 0

Guess they're foreseeing a lot of people needing this come Vista.

Glyndwr · Post by **Glyndwr** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:49 am 0

Madam Butterfly wrote:Yes, I already have it on my pc at work.
Created a client Machine and a Server can't to work as a Network

Think I've set everything up right, never set a server up before, just being going off notes from the Microsoft site.

This can be done. We used to have three virtual PCs all communicating to each other using TCP/IP running on the same box.

Dio · Post by **Dio** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:54 am 0

Peet wrote:Guess they're foreseeing a lot of people needing this come Vista.

Could be the most sensible move they've ever made, that - finally, some of the application compatibility can be pushed off...

Stone · Post by **Stone** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:55 am 0

It's been free for ages though, hasn't it? I've been using Q which works pretty well; got Win98 and Win95 both installed on it quite happily, and it even works with Return Fire

Stone

Oaf · Post by **Oaf** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 4:44 pm 0

How does Q compare to Virtual PC on the Mac performance wise?

WiredWorm · Post by **WiredWorm** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 4:46 pm 0

Guess VMWare are shitting themselves now then?

Dax · Post by **Dax** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:28 pm 0

WiredWorm wrote:Guess VMWare are shitting themselves now then?

No, Microsoft was, since VMWare made their Virtual Server free months ago - hence Microsoft's reaction.

http://www.vmware.com/products/free_virtualization.html

rowan · Post by **rowan** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:40 pm 0

VMWare is still the only decent (if there are any others) choice for cross
platform too.

Penguin · Post by **Penguin** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:16 pm 0

There's always some mug who times it bad financially.. was me this time.. grr. It's a fairly Ok product .. I run a one man band operation.. but unless you want to buy licences for each OS you want to install "virtually" it isn't that great cost-wise assuming you stay legal .. I'm lead to believe you can't put VistaRC1 on but maybe wrong.. mind you I wouldn't touch Vista virtually or really for many many months yet.

Wibble · Post by **Wibble** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:21 pm 0

Penguin wrote:I'm lead to believe you can't put VistaRC1 on but maybe wrong.. mind you I wouldn't touch Vista virtually or really for many many months yet.

You can, but you'd have to mess about with a bunch of drivers and extensions. Not really worth the hassle, considering Vista isn't exactly a speedy OS to begin with.

-W

Guru-Meditation · Post by **Guru-Meditation** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:29 pm 0

I first heard something along these lines happening at least a year ago. Not sure when it started.