Microsoft finalizes Windows 7 'XP Mode'

[Daniel ~]

Written by Daniel
Thursday, 01 October 2009

Microsoft said on Thursday that it has finished development work on the virtualized version of Windows XP that Windows 7 users can use to run programs that won't work on the newer operating system. [Front page...]

[Daniel ~]

Why this sounds like Windoze W(h)ine!

When is an upgrade not an upgrade? When it still can't run the programs you BOUGHT for your OS!!

[Áedán]

It's not like Wine. In fact, it's much more virtualisation (like VMWare or VirtualBox), where the whole XP OS has been virtualised. The only difference is that Microsoft are providing the XP license with 7, whereas if you did it yourself, you'd need a separate XP license.

Half the time the reason why Windows application software doesn't work so well on newer Windows OSes is that developers took shortcuts that they weren't supposed to. Suddenly that doesn't work for a newer OS.

[Samuknow]

I have been using XP virtual machine in Vista for a bit. It worked fine just not on multiple monitors. I went back to dual boot witch is a B****. I have many apps that will not work well or causes interference with vista and did not install or run at all in 7. So how is this better?

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by Áedán

Half the time the reason why Windows application software doesn't work so well on newer Windows OSes is that developers took shortcuts that they weren't supposed to. Suddenly that doesn't work for a newer OS.

Yeah, it's absolutely amazing how many applications there are (and not homebrew stuff, but actual pay-honest-to-god-real-money-for apps) that STILL think everything should install to drive C: despite the fact that Microsoft have been telling developers for YEARS not to do that. There are environment variables and registry entries to determine where the 'Program Files' dir is, and even real function calls. Not to mention the fact that practically every setup utility written since the turn of the century supports proper detection.

[Daniel ~]

Originally Posted by Samuknow

I have been using XP virtual machine in Vista for a bit. It worked fine just not on multiple monitors. I went back to dual boot witch is a B****. I have many apps that will not work well or causes interference with vista and did not install or run at all in 7. So how is this better?

It doesn't have to be better! It's MS!! ":O}

[Daniel ~]

It just seems really strange to me that one would buy a new OS to run the old OS in... I've become a man from another age! ":O}

[booman]

it does seem strange until your Firewall VPN software doesn't run in Vista. This means we can't remote into our work server from home and its all Vista's fault!
So Virtualizing XP in Windows 7 would do it.... assuming the VPN software doesn't work in Windows 7 either.

[danrok]

Originally Posted by Daniel ~

It just seems really strange to me that one would buy a new OS to run the old OS in... I've become a man from another age! ":O}

Has always been the case with MS.

Windows used to run under DOS, then Windows became the main OS, and DOS is still available in Windows.