Windows Virtual PC

Windows Virtual PC is the latest Microsoft virtualization technology that allows you to run many productivity applications on a virtual Windows environment, with a single click, directly from a Windows 7-based PC.

Windows Virtual PC has a number of exciting features including:

  • Seamless Applications: Launch applications installed on a virtual machine directly from the Windows 7 desktop, as if they were installed on the Windows 7 host.
  • Simplified UI: Enhanced UI that is easy to use. Integrated with Windows 7 Explorer.
  • Integration Features: Allows clipboard sharing, drive sharing, and printer redirection between Windows 7 and the virtual machine.
  • USB support: Users can access USB devices attached to the host, directly from virtual machines. These devices include Printers and Scanners, Flash Memory/Sticks and External Hard Drives, Digital Cameras, and more.

Windows Virtual PC supports the following Host and Guest Operating systems

  • Host: Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7 Enterprise.
  • Guest: Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Professional, Windows Vista Enterprise Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows Vista Ultimate Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7 Enterprise.

Windows XP Mode

Windows XP Mode for Windows 7 makes it easy to install and run many of your Windows XP productivity applications directly from a Windows 7-based PC.

It utilizes virtualization technology such as Windows Virutal PC to provide a Virtual Windows XP environement for Windows 7.

Windows XP Mode provides a 32-bit Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 (SP3) environment pre-loaded on a virtual hard disk. Client virtualization software, like Windows Virtual PC is a pre-requisite to use Windows XP Mode.

  • Supported Operating Systems: Windows 7
    Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, or Windows 7 Enterprise.
  • Hard disk requirement: 2GB for installing Windows XP Mode. Addtional 15GB of hard disk space for the virtual Windows environment.
  • Note: You can use Windows Virtual PC to run Windows XP Mode on your computer. Windows Virtual PC requires processor capable of hardware virtualization, with AMD-V™ or Intel® VT turned on in the BIOS.

Based on the architecture (32-bit or 64-bit) of your computer, use the appropriate installer.

So windows virtual pc is a framework for virtualization, within which you can run many client systems, while Windows XP Mode is a pre-configured virtualized system image, providing an environment good for use instantly once set up.

Windows XP Mode needs Windows Virtual PC as a prerequisite because it runs inside it, while WVPC doesn’t require XPM’s existence to function.