importance of XP mode?

Want to buy W7 for multiple PC's but have a dilemma, buy Home family pack (no XP mode, reasonably priced) or Ultimate ( way over priced, XP mode). I have very old software which works in XP but am concerned it may not work in W7.

So I'm looking on feedback as to the importance and functionality of 'XP mode'

On 11/16/2010 02:33 PM, none wrote:
Want to buy W7 for multiple PC's but have a dilemma, buy Home family
pack (no XP mode, reasonably priced) or Ultimate ( way over priced, XP
mode). I have very old software which works in XP but am concerned it
may not work in W7.
So I'm looking on feedback as to the importance and functionality of 'XP
mode'

And the programs you are worried about are?

--
Alias

On 11/16/10 07:33 AM, none wrote:
Want to buy W7 for multiple PC's but have a dilemma, buy Home family
pack (no XP mode, reasonably priced) or Ultimate ( way over priced, XP
mode). I have very old software which works in XP but am concerned it
may not work in W7.
So I'm looking on feedback as to the importance and functionality of 'XP
mode'
If your computers already have XP licenses you have another option
available. You can download and install VMware Player on your W7
computer and create a virtual XP machine with it that should be able to
run all of your old XP only software.

You can also use it to create virtual Linux machines with out the hassle
of dual booting or having W7 and Linux fight for control of the hard
drive boot sector.

I am using it on my W7PRO system to create a virtual XP as well as some
Linux distributions I'm experimenting with. You will need your old XP
install disk and license to install XP.

Here is a link to the web site.
https://www.vmware.com/products/player/overview.html
The FAQ section says it's free for personal use but you will need to
register (create) an account with them in order to download the VMware
Player software.

"GlowingBlueMist" wrote in message
...
On 11/16/10 07:33 AM, none wrote:
Want to buy W7 for multiple PC's but have a dilemma, buy Home family
pack (no XP mode, reasonably priced) or Ultimate ( way over priced, XP
mode). I have very old software which works in XP but am concerned it
may not work in W7.
So I'm looking on feedback as to the importance and functionality of 'XP
mode'
If your computers already have XP licenses you have another option
available. You can download and install VMware Player on your W7 computer
and create a virtual XP machine with it that should be able to run all of
your old XP only software.

You can also use it to create virtual Linux machines with out the hassle
of dual booting or having W7 and Linux fight for control of the hard drive
boot sector.

I am using it on my W7PRO system to create a virtual XP as well as some
Linux distributions I'm experimenting with. You will need your old XP
install disk and license to install XP.

Here is a link to the web site.
https://www.vmware.com/products/player/overview.html
The FAQ section says it's free for personal use but you will need to
register (create) an account with them in order to download the VMware
Player software.


I've also installed VMWare on our Win7 laptop to run XP and it does work.
Although I haven't used it entensively I've found every program I've
installed works fine. Some programs are Nero 7, Office 2003 among others.

--
Jan Alter

On 11/16/2010 03:25 PM, Jan Alter wrote:
id wrote in message
...
On 11/16/10 07:33 AM, none wrote:
Want to buy W7 for multiple PC's but have a dilemma, buy Home family
pack (no XP mode, reasonably priced) or Ultimate ( way over priced, XP
mode). I have very old software which works in XP but am concerned it
may not work in W7.
So I'm looking on feedback as to the importance and functionality of 'XP
mode'
If your computers already have XP licenses you have another option
available. You can download and install VMware Player on your W7 computer
and create a virtual XP machine with it that should be able to run all of
your old XP only software.

You can also use it to create virtual Linux machines with out the hassle
of dual booting or having W7 and Linux fight for control of the hard drive
boot sector.

I am using it on my W7PRO system to create a virtual XP as well as some
Linux distributions I'm experimenting with. You will need your old XP
install disk and license to install XP.

Here is a link to the web site.
https://www.vmware.com/products/player/overview.html
The FAQ section says it's free for personal use but you will need to
register (create) an account with them in order to download the VMware
Player software.


I've also installed VMWare on our Win7 laptop to run XP and it does work.
Although I haven't used it entensively I've found every program I've
installed works fine. Some programs are Nero 7, Office 2003 among others.


Office 2003 works just fine in Windows 7 with no need for XP whatsoever.

--
Alias

On Tue, 16 Nov 2010 07:33:32 -0600, "none"
wrote:

Want to buy W7 for multiple PC's but have a dilemma, buy Home family pack (no XP mode, reasonably priced) or Ultimate ( way over priced, XP mode). I have very old software which works in XP but am concerned it may not work in W7.

So I'm looking on feedback as to the importance and functionality of 'XP mode'


Why don't you identify the "very old software" here? Someone may be
able to tell you whether it will work under Windows 7.

Why don't you identify the "very old software" here? Someone may be
able to tell you whether it will work under Windows 7.

Canon i560 inkjet printer
Calmaster 2000 (old DOS program, wants HW control but runs in DOSBOX)
Modmenu (again, DOS based program but wants access to environment
variables, which XP disallows)
many more DOS and old W95-w98 programs

From the looks of it, might be better to go with VMware as suggested above!

On 16/11/2010 11:17 AM, none wrote:
Why don't you identify the "very old software" here? Someone may be
able to tell you whether it will work under Windows 7.

Canon i560 inkjet printer
Calmaster 2000 (old DOS program, wants HW control but runs in DOSBOX)
Modmenu (again, DOS based program but wants access to environment
variables, which XP disallows)
many more DOS and old W95-w98 programs

From the looks of it, might be better to go with VMware as suggested above!

Some of those DOS programs won't even work under XP Mode when you're on
a 64-bit environment, so you're best off going with VMWare, which can
recreate a perfect virtual 32-bit environment under a 64-bit environment.

Yousuf Khan

On 11/16/2010 12:32 PM, Yousuf Khan wrote:
On 16/11/2010 11:17 AM, none wrote:
Why don't you identify the "very old software" here? Someone may be
able to tell you whether it will work under Windows 7.

Canon i560 inkjet printer
Calmaster 2000 (old DOS program, wants HW control but runs in DOSBOX)
Modmenu (again, DOS based program but wants access to environment
variables, which XP disallows)
many more DOS and old W95-w98 programs

From the looks of it, might be better to go with VMware as suggested
above!

Some of those DOS programs won't even work under XP Mode when you're on
a 64-bit environment, so you're best off going with VMWare, which can
recreate a perfect virtual 32-bit environment under a 64-bit environment.

Yousuf Khan

Exactly which DOS program that won't work under XP mode, are you
referring to?
I ask because I don't see any difference between VMWare and XP Virtual
Mode (both are 32bit) other than the fact that XP Virtual Mode supplies
a complete XP Pro OS, for free.

On 16 Nov 2010, Yousuf Khan wrote in
alt.windows7.general:

Some of those DOS programs won't even work under XP Mode when
you're on a 64-bit environment, so you're best off going with
VMWare, which can recreate a perfect virtual 32-bit environment
under a 64-bit environment.

So can Oracle Virtual Box.

OK, the consensus seems to be run a VM; so, does W7 HOME edition allow the use of VMware?

"none" wrote in message ...
OK, the consensus seems to be run a VM; so, does W7 HOME edition allow the use of VMware?

I'm running it on Home Premium without a hitch.

--
Jan Alter

Thanks everyone!

On Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:49:13 -0500, Nil wrote:

On 16 Nov 2010, Yousuf Khan wrote in
alt.windows7.general:

Some of those DOS programs won't even work under XP Mode when
you're on a 64-bit environment, so you're best off going with
VMWare, which can recreate a perfect virtual 32-bit environment
under a 64-bit environment.

So can Oracle Virtual Box.

Is there some criterion for choosing between them? The VMWare site
is awfully intrusive, requiring not only an email address but a city
and zip code before it will condescend to let me have the download;
but on the other hand I'm familiar with VMWare workstation from work.

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com
Shikata ga nai...

On 11/16/10 10:17 AM, none wrote:
Why don't you identify the "very old software" here? Someone may be
able to tell you whether it will work under Windows 7.

Canon i560 inkjet printer
Calmaster 2000 (old DOS program, wants HW control but runs in DOSBOX)
Modmenu (again, DOS based program but wants access to environment
variables, which XP disallows)
many more DOS and old W95-w98 programs

From the looks of it, might be better to go with VMware as suggested above!


You may need to do some tweaking and reading and posting on the support
forums but VMware can also be used to install almost all of the old
windows versions if you have the install disks and license info if
needed, like Windows 3.1 along with DOS.

I'm not saying it's a cure all but it is free for home use and can make
older programs functional again. Other nice thing is that once you
install the OS in it's folder you can copy that file and keep it in case
you, your program, or virus trashes the installed system. Just delete
the bad one and replace it with the backup and your back in business in
a matter of minutes.

For XP I installed the operating software and all it's updates and then
copied the folder to a backup so I don't have to re-install that beast
again from scratch. Then I add any programs I want to test or use and
either make a new backup or go on from there.

I'm sure there are other free programs that can do the same but I'm the
kind of person who just uses what works and quits looking for something
else unless the my needs change. It's also nice that this software is
being actively supported for their commercial customers with the home
user gaining the benefits as well.