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Microsoft removes XP Mode hardware requirements
Along with other virtualization announcements today, Microsoft has updated XP Mode to be less confusing when it comes to hardware compatibility. XP Mode is a free virtual machine package for business-class versions of Windows 7, intended to ease OS migration for enterprise customers. When it launched alongside Windows 7, the software required a processor with support for hardware virtualization, but many users found it difficult to determine whether their CPU had the feature.
Fortunately, Microsoft has removed that requirement, and anyone left confused or stranded with the original version of XP Mode should now be able to use it. "This change simplifies the experience by making virtualization more accessible to many more PCs for small and midsize businesses wanting to migrate to Windows 7 Professional or higher editions, while still running Windows XP-based productivity applications," Microsoft said today.
Users of Windows 7 Professional or higher can download XP Mode, or the latest update: 32-bit, 64-bit.
Fortunately, Microsoft has removed that requirement, and anyone left confused or stranded with the original version of XP Mode should now be able to use it. "This change simplifies the experience by making virtualization more accessible to many more PCs for small and midsize businesses wanting to migrate to Windows 7 Professional or higher editions, while still running Windows XP-based productivity applications," Microsoft said today.
Users of Windows 7 Professional or higher can download XP Mode, or the latest update: 32-bit, 64-bit.
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User Comments (43)
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levar on March 18, 2010 10:17 PM |
There are so many ways to find out, but as stated end users stranded not knowing what to do. Well this is good and even more than enough reason why not to upgrade to Windows 7. Thanks for the news downloading the update. |
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megrawab on March 18, 2010 10:50 PM |
Good job for Microsoft... Everyone can now use XP Mode without worrying for hardware requirements. |
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thebluemeaner on March 18, 2010 11:00 PM |
I guess computers that do not use hardware virtualization will be using some sort of software virtualization ... |
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Archean on March 18, 2010 11:06 PM |
Removing VT requirement for XP mode is a brilliant move; as your rightly pointed out it would eliminate confusion; but more importantly it would may end up helping boost the adoption rate of new OS even further; without people having to worry about what may or may not run on 7. |
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Timonius on March 18, 2010 11:58 PM |
A solid backwards compatibility is essential for pushing stragglers (like me) along. |
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captaincranky on March 19, 2010 12:07 AM |
Actually, Intel had been complying with the original hardware requirements fairly well, by introducing more and more low end CPUs with virtualization. For example the Pentium Dual core E 6300. The E-6300 sports VT, while it's "big brother" (an earlier release) the C2D E-7300 does not! But yeah, this makes it a bit easier to justify springing for a copy of Windows 7 Pro, for a PC that lacks CPU VT. I'm actually still a bit confused, the news blurb says that "XP Mode" was updated, but wouldn't it have to be "Virtual PC" that needed to be fixed? Both maybe....? |
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skitzo_zac on March 19, 2010 12:09 AM |
MS taking more steps in the right direction with Windows 7, great to see. Hopefully this should help increase adoption rates of Win 7 in businesses. |
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gwailo247 on March 19, 2010 12:14 AM |
Part of the problem is, at least in my experience, is that most companies who have proprietary or custom computer programs have those same programs as either when they started the company or introduced the software. You're dealing with 5, 10, 15 year old software, so its natural that they are reluctant to upgrade, because those dinosaurs they inflict on their employees might not work. |
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Relic on March 19, 2010 12:17 AM |
Good to see Microsoft helping along those who might not know if they can run XP Mode or lack hardware virtualization. As pointed out having backwards compatibility with no hassle should improve selling Win7 to those who were more reluctant. |
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Archean on March 19, 2010 12:17 AM |
I'm actually still a bit confused, the news blurb says that "XP Mode" was updated, but wouldn't it have to be "Virtual PC" that needed to be fixed? Both maybe....? You'll just need to update Virtual PC before installing XP Mode, and you are done  Very correct gwailo; hell one of the old payroll systems we still use (as backup for the time being for some weird reasons), is about 18+ years old. |
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elroacho72 on March 19, 2010 12:27 AM |
Hey that is really cool, I did upgrade my hardware just for that previous requirement,but still happy anyway.I was very impressed with XP mode when a scanner very expensive scanner for my business wouldn't work with Vista or W7, without XP mode. |
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captaincranky on March 19, 2010 12:27 AM |
This development does make it worthwhile to spring for a copy of Win 7 for my P-45 / E7300 machine. Win 7 is worth the price of admission, if only for the wall paper slide show function. They say if you turn your wallpaper upside down it all looks the same! That's simply not true. |
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Yoda8232 on March 19, 2010 12:39 AM |
Never tried it, honestly I never had ANY compatibility issues with a program that was made for XP that didn't work in Windows 7. |
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aneesh on March 19, 2010 12:40 AM |
Microsoft is the only company that thinks about users mind.............now everyone can use XP mode...me also...hahahh |
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captaincranky on March 19, 2010 12:43 AM |
Never tried it, honestly I never had ANY compatibility issues with a program that was made for XP that didn't work in Windows 7. Trust me, they're out there. Oddly though, the old M$ "Flight Simulator 2004" runs perfectly under Win 7, hmmm. So does "DVD Shrink", who'da thunk that.Anything that MUST use the old file path "C:/" > "documents and settings" > "user" > "application data" can be suspect. Win 7 tricks up the route, but some programs just don't seem to buy it. I have an old CD emulator "Virtual Drive 8" that goes in and crashes immediately, and I don't have the iron to even attempt "Nero 6" in Win 7. |
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captaincranky on March 19, 2010 1:02 AM |
You'll just need to update Virtual PC before installing XP Mode, and you are done I think we're both wrong. My unskilled interpretation is that you have to update Windows 7...! or ? [link]
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Archean on March 19, 2010 2:11 AM |
Hmm well; I did the way i described, and everything works out perfectly for me. |
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Kovach on March 19, 2010 2:39 AM |
Nice move, this should be done long time ago, why it should be limited to hardware as it was the case...? |
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ansarimikail on March 19, 2010 3:09 AM |
Nice to see greater backward compatibility. |
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vegasrez on March 19, 2010 5:23 AM |
Sounds good to me |
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isamuelson on March 19, 2010 6:35 AM |
Too bad that didn't make it possible to run this on Home Edition. That would really bring in more people I think. I myself run the professional version anyways and I'm running an AMD Phenom II X3 720 BE, so this patch doesn't affect me at all. Still, great move on Microsoft's part. |
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compdata on March 19, 2010 7:13 AM |
I had a couple people ask me that very question, so i agree that it was confusing. I didn't see anything about what the performance hit might be though. |
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LightHeart on March 19, 2010 7:22 AM |
I think this is a helpful step though in my experience I have not needed XP Mode at all. Everything that I was running I am able to run on Windows 7 x64. In my case I had upgraded from XP to Vista so I worked through the issues before. I actually use the Virtual PC mode to run other VM's besides XP, such as Win 7 x86 and Mint Linux for testing. |
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Guest on March 19, 2010 7:33 AM |
Are you from the F$F foundation or are you a fan of Hanna Montana Linux? |
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bigclick on March 19, 2010 8:23 AM |
I returned a Windows 7 machine for lack of track ball support (programmable keys). I'll have to ask about this before I haul another box home. |
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