Some Windows Virtual PC Notes

  • Press the DEL key to enter the VM BIOS
  • If you can’t install the Virtual PC Integration Components on Windows XP and you get a 1603 error in the log file; delete the c:windowssystem32driverswdf01000.sys and retry the install.
  • Press SHIFT+ESC while the VM is starting to view the console instead of just the progress bar.
  • To mount a floppy image, use the scripts provided here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2009/10/01/using-floppy-disks-with-windows-virtual-pc.aspx
  • Sysinternals’ Disk2Vhd is an excellent tool to P2V your machines into Windows Virtual PC. It even takes care of setting the correct HAL in the boot.ini file. Get it here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415.aspx
    NOTE: The technique that Disk2Vhd uses will make it impossoble for you to install a Windows XP service pack. More info here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/327101
  • If you need to run older OSs on Windows Virtual PC you can use the AV Additions from Virtual PC 2007. This will give you VM Additions support for Windows 2000 and DOS. Get the Virtual PC 2007 install file and extract it, then run an administrative install using msiexec.exe /a <path>. In the folder you specified you will find the ISO file with the VM Additions from Virtual PC 2007. Mount the file in your guest as you would any ISO file.
  • Microsoft has published a Windows Virtual PC Tips document: Windows Virtual PC Tips
  • The Windows Virtual PC blog can be found here: http://blogs.technet.com/b/windows_vpc/
  • The acronym RAIL means Remote Applications Installed Locally. RAIL technology is used to publish apps in the VM to the host.
  • The Windows Virtual PC Home page: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/default.aspx