Convert XP into a Windows 7 Virtual Machine with Disk2vhd

Talkback

• RE: Convert XP into a Windows 7 Virtual Machine with Disk2vhd

  This is a great step by step solution!! easy to understand in use.
  But what do you do about specific hardware drivers in the original XP install that are not needed in the virtual PC? Won't there be several hardware conflicts that may cause BSOD or slow the VPC to non usable speed? Many people have lots of programs installed on their XP machines. The VPC of XP shown looks like a fresh install. How to deal with any software conflicts?
  If it is a fresh install, why not just use Microsoft XP Mode?
  just wondering,
  KLund1

  

  klund1@...

  20 September, 2010 09:07

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• Clone instead of software backup

  Realistically, if you are running XP with 127GB or less, rather than wasting the time and money and risk to backup, go buy a 160GB or bigger extra hard disk and just clone the physical disk. It's cheap, faster, 100% reliable, and if the transfer totally screws up, who cares?--you have a clone.

  

  Rick_R

  20 September, 2010 10:27

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• VMWare Player and P2V - Alternative

  For those who like VMWare Player for virtualization, VMWare has a similar solution, and it works for a large number of OSs:
  
  http://blogs.vmware.com/workstation/2010/09/p2v-windows-7-convert-a-window-7-pc-to-a-virtual-machine.html
  
  (in this article, it talks of Windows 7, but XP works just as well). I can see this being a nice way to do it if you're migrating XP to Linux, for instance.

  

  daftkey

  20 September, 2010 12:37

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• RE: Convert XP into a Windows 7 Virtual Machine with Disk2vhd

  If you like Having ANY Windows but want to run Mac on it in a Virtual Machine with VmWare look at this: http://ozlo.blogspot.com/2010/04/install-snow-leopard-1062-on-vmware.html
  
  Good day people!
  xD

  

  ozl@...

  20 September, 2010 18:40

  Reply Vote

• RE: Convert XP into a Windows 7 Virtual Machine with Disk2vhd

  One note: once you have a working machine do the reactivate !immediately!. When I did mine I created a vhd, installed 7 let it update, then attached the vhd. It started fine but then I let it run a couple of updates and one of them caused the activation to change from the "you have three days" to a "You can't login without activating" and at the same time... somehow broke IP. I had to restore my backup to an extra HD and go through the entire procedure again. (Thank you Ghost!)

  

  vgpaul

  21 September, 2010 19:00

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• This process does not work!

  I tested this using 2 different computers; Dell XP on a 6 year old computer running legacy program and when booting in XP mode on 32 bit Win 7 Pro it just gave me a black screen! 2nd computer Acer Aspire 3000 Laptop just installed XP Home and tried to run in XP Mode also gave a black screen .
  NOW WHAT?

  

  amasys

  27 September, 2010 12:46

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  • Here's a solution to the black screen

    It's a HAL issue. See this post for a solution:
    http://blogs.msdn.com/b/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2004/12/16/316643.aspx

    

    vm0

    30 May, 2012 16:25

    Reply Vote

• RE: Convert XP into a Windows 7 Virtual Machine with Disk2vhd

  Personally, I believe the best method is to use one of Paragon's offerings (Paragon free Go Virtual utility is one) to convert the physical machine (any supported OS) to any of the supported virtual offerings (VMWare's Workstation or the free VMPlayer is my favorite), with MS VPC being in last place. Paragon even has some "Hardware adjust" adjust utilities, allowing an almost flawless boot of the VM (or even go virtural to physical, or move a an OS from a physical machine to a different physical machine). Awsome!

  

  spicedham@...

  27 September, 2010 16:16

  Reply Vote