Microsoft Virtual PC 2004

Other products by Microsoft

Product Features

• Re-architected to ensure that it meets Microsoft's most stringent security standards
• Support for up to 4 GB of memory and up to 4 network adapters
• New file-based configuration of virtual machines; OS/2 integration features
• Virtual machine additions; portable VHDs; differencing and undo disks
• Virtual disk support; support for most x86 Oses with no custom drivers

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000DC67P
• Item model number: T31-00007
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 17, 2003
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,404 in Software (See Bestsellers in Software)

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  Software > Utilities > Cross Platform

• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Microsoft Virtual PC presents exciting new features:

New Security Architecture

Re-architected to ensure that it meets Microsoft's most stringent security standards

Support for up to 4 GB of memory

More memory makes it possible to run more operating systems simultaneously and improves the performance of operating systems that have larger memory requirements. You can allocate up to 3.6 GB of RAM per operating system and up to 4 GB in total for all operating systems, including the host, as long as the physical memory exists on the computer.

Support for up to four network adapters

Virtual PC can emulate up to four network adapters for each virtual machine, all through the graphical user interface.

New file-based configuration of virtual machines

Configuration settings for a virtual machine are stored in an XML file, making it easier to copy a virtual machine to another computer.

OS/2 Integration Features

Virtual Machine Additions for IBM OS/2 are integrated into Virtual PC, in order to make life easier for customers migrating from OS/2.

Improved Features

Virtual Machine Additions

These are installed on the guest operating system and are particular to the system. They provide a high level of integration between host and guest operating system. Features include integrated mouse, time synchronization, cut and paste, drag and drop, folder sharing, and arbitrary screen resolutions.

Portable VHDs

Highly portable VHDs simplify deployment of complex desktop configurations and enable fast, economical, disaster recovery capabilities across heterogeneous deployment environments.

Differencing Disks

Differencing disks allow multiple users and multiple virtual machines to use the same baseline virtual disk at the same time. Virtual PC stores any changes to the baseline virtual disk in a separate differencing file. For example, you can store a baseline virtual disk on the network to share it with many users, and then Virtual PC stores any changes that they make in local differencing files. The performance of network-based differencing disks is not significantly worse than local virtual disks.

Undo Disks

Undo disks allow users to discard any changes they make to the baseline virtual disk. Virtual PC stores these changes in a separate temporary file; and then at the end of the session, users can commit the changes or discard them. Undo disks allow users to start with the exact same virtual disk every time. For example, you can use an undo disks to test a deployment disk image in a safe environment. The computer starts with mini-setup wizard every time you start the virtual machine linked to that disk.

Virtual Disk Support

Virtual PC supports virtual disks in a number of powerful and flexible ways. Users can associate several virtual disks with each virtual machine, providing storage limited only by the free disk space on the physical computer. Virtual PC supports physical hard disks, physical disk partitions, and dynamic virtual disks.

Support for most x86 Oses with no custom drivers.

Users can install any of the following Microsoft operating systems in their virtual machines: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and MS-DOS. They can also install numerous third-party operating systems, including OS/2, Red Hat Linux, Novell NetWare, and others, although OS/2 Warp Version 4 Fix Pack 15, OS/2 Warp Convenience Pack 1, and OS/2 Warp Convenience Pack 2 are the only supported non-Microsoft guest operating systems. And customers can install Windows Server operating systems.

Product Description

Microsoft Virtual PC 2004 Win32 English CD

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast, stable, great for keeping viruses at bay, October 14, 2004

By	Gadgester "No Time, No Money" (Mother Earth) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

My first experience with Virtual PC was years ago, when I had a Macintosh but also tons of Windows-envy, so I bought VPC for Mac OS so I could run Windows-only programs.

Fast-forward to 2004. I think Virtual PC is a should-have for every computer enthusiast. No longer a Windows programmer/developer but just an end user, I myself use it for the following:

- Web surfing. By setting up a separate, virtual PC for web surfing, I can keep viruses, trojans and spyware away from my underlying PC, which I use to do real work. Should a virus or worm hit the virtual PC, I just delete that VPC file and re-create another virtual machine.

Let's face it, since Windows is so popular and runs on 95+% of all personal computers, you'll always have virus writers attacking it relentlessly, no matter how Microsoft tries to improve security. (Back in the late 80s when I was a Unix guru, I used to witness a lot of hackers trying, often successfully to some extent, to crack Unix.) Esp. if you (ahem!) visit mature websites a lot, you should set up a virtual PC to isolate your treasured host system from getting infected.

BTW, AVG is a free personal-use-only anti-virus program from grisoft dot com. It's reliable and contiuously updated, just like the other major AV programs. Be sure to install AVG on your host machine (as well as virtual machine). It's just great.

- Testing new hardware. I'm a gadget freak. Since hardware drivers can often wreak havoc on a system, I use a virtual machine to test-install drivers first. VPC 2004 fully emulates Intel/AMD hardware so when you install another copy of Windows (which you need to buy separately), everything runs smoothly and as expected. It's even plug-n-play if you virtual machine runs WinXP.

- Playing with Linux. Nowadays it's easier than ever to install various Linux distributions, but 1) installing Linux often still requires you to create a separate partition, something I just detest, and 2) if you want to try more than one Linux ditribution it can be a mess to manage. VPC 2004 makes everything as simple as 1-2-3. One, create a virtual machine. Two, install Linux on that virtual machine which pretends to be a complete PC with one hard drive. Three, set up your device drivers within Linux without worrying about messing things up in the underlying system.

VPC 2004 so far has proven totally fast and stable. The only "downside" is, you are not getting any OS with this, so you need to buy a separate Windows installation package (or get Linux). But then, for a hundred bucks, you can create as many virtual machines as you want, and even run them at the same time if you have enough RAM.

Speaking of RAM, be sure to have *at least* 512MB on your underlying system, even if you just plan to use VPC to run plain ol' MS-DOS.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this software, January 27, 2004

By A Customer

Having been a User of Both VMWare from version 2 to current(Workstation and GSX Server) and Virtual PC from Versions 4, through to 5.2 and now under the Microsoft banner of 2004, I can wholeheartedly recommend this software.

Microsoft haven't really provided much in my option to tempt existing 5.2 users to Upgrade, but if you hold an old version, or you are new to Virtual PC, then this is some fabulous software.

The software itself is stable, fast (requires a decent pc with lots of ram), but enables you to set up some great labs, and test environments. It supports a wide variety of Operating Systems, including Solaris and Linux, and lab scenarios with multiple NIC Cards.

This is the client version of the soon to be released Virtual Server Product. Every single time I build a lab box or trial some piece of software, it begins its life on a Virtual PC Machine, I use this software that much. I couldn't recommend it higher than the fact that I have paid for every upgrade since version 4 and will probably continue to do so.

One thing I like in comparison with VMWare, is that Virtual PC Emulates known hardware, this makes creating *Nix based Machines a lot easier as the Video card is identified on startup, even on Solaris! With VMWare you have to start in text mode and manually load the drivers - a lot messier.

Finally, if you plan on doing RIS Installs, the RIS Boot Disk Creator supports creating a PXE Boot disc for Virtual PC, very handy and saved me spending money on 3rd party tools.

Go to microsoft and get a trial, then come back and pay for the software, its worth every penny.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Microsoft has published a sandbox for the rest of us!, January 30, 2004

By	Colin Barnhorst (Aurora, CO United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

You do not have to be a developer to have fun with Microsoft Virtual PC 2004. This program is the greatest sandbox I have ever played in. If you have lots of older software and operating systems, this program is for you. You no longer need several old PC's to keep in touch with old favorites.

MS Virtual PC not only does away with the need for multiple machines for legacy programs (yes, even games), but provides for cloning virtual machines in order to test new installations and settings without risking arduous rebuilding of systems if disaster strikes. Recovering from a disaster is a matter of a minute or two.

MS VPC also solves software conflicts by providing for alternate versions of the same OS that are tailored to particular tasks. Also, virtual machines are networkable with other physical computers on a LAN.

Your hardware may require some adjustment when running MS VPC. For example, my CD drive is a Sony DRU120 CDRW/DVDRW and is not automatically mounted by VPC when creating a new virtual PC, but installing a CDROM driver from diskette quickly sets up the basic configuration needed to install any OS. This was the only part of the learning curve I had to master. For the rest, MS VPC has proven to be the easiest power program I have ever learned.

I cannot say enough good things about MS VPC in the space allowed here. Buy it if you are running Windows 2000 Pro or Windows XP Pro. MS VPC is yet another reason for XP Home users to go Pro. This software is FUN because it invites so much experimentation and creativity. Have a blast!