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 Description
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.
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Windows
XP / 2000