Create multiple Windows Virtual PCs with Windows XP Mode

Question

I installed Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode on my Windows 7 Pro machine. Running XP Mode automatically installed XP on a Virtual PC. I would like to create a second Virtual PC the same as the first.

I went to Start > All Programs > Windows Virtual PC > Windows Virtual PC. This opens a Windows Explorer window with my one virtual PC.

There's a link near the top of the window that says "Create virtual machine." I click that, follow the prompts, and a new virtual machine is created. Double-clicking it starts the new virtual machine, but it doesn't have an OS installed, so as it tries to boot, it fails and asks for boot disk.

Is there any way to install XP on the second virtual machine the same as was installed on the first virtual machine?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Yes (as long as you have a large hard drive!)

Go to C:\Users[you]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Virtual Machines

Copy and paste Windows XP Mode.vhd Rename Windows XP Mode IE7 or similar (this will be the hard drive for the new virtual machine)

Go to C:\Users[you]\Virtual Machines Click create virtual machine Use the same name as your renamed vhd file Click next and next Click 'Use an existing virtual hard disk' and browse to your new vhd file

and that's it, just click on the new .vmcx file and your new virtual machine will run

Answer 2

Making a copy of an existing .VHD file will work as a solution, but if you want to start over with a clean Windows XP mode or if you have accidentally trashed your existing XP mode .VHD, here is another way to get multiple XP virtual machines:

1. Open up the Virtual Machine Administrative interface from the Start Menu (Start -> Windows Virtual PC -> Windows Virtual PC)
2. Click "Create Virtual machine" menu item. Name the machine anything that's meaningful (e.g. DevXP1 or BuildServer2)
3. If desired, pick a location for the .VHD file. Most of the time, I just leave it at the default. Click Next.
4. Select how much memory the virtual machine should use and UNCHECK the "Use computer network connections" checkbox. (we will add network connections later if desired)
5. Select "Create a virtual hard disk using advanced options" and click Next.
6. Select the "Differencing" virtual hard disk type.
7. Again, you can select a location for the .VHD file, if desired. Click Next
8. The "Create a virtual machine" wizard will ask for a "parent virtual hard disk". Browse to the installation location of Windows Virtual PC (typically C:\Program Files\Windows XP Mode). There should be a file called "Windows XP Mode base.vhd". Select that file.
9. Back in the wizard, click the Create button.
10. A new .VMCX file with your desired name will now have been created in a powered down state.

When this new virtual machine is powered up, it will begin installing Windows XP into the virtual machine, finding the normal virtual environment of Intel 440BX chipset, S3 Trio video card, ethernet network card, etc. etc. You will need to create a name for the virtual computer (I suggest using the name you used for creating the .VMCX file) and a password for the "Adminstrator" account.

After the new virtual machine reboots, it will ask to update the Virtual PC Integration Components. Do so. Depending on your requirements, select how you want Automatic Updates to occur.

• Now that your virtual machine has a network card, you can adjust the virtual machine settings to connect it to one of the virtual network adapters using the virtual machine wizard.
• Don't forget to "Upgrade Integration Components" within the virtual machine (using the Tools menu) and then "Enable Intgration Features" from the Tools menu also.
• Don't forget to set a password for the VPMUser account (it's already setup as an administrator) and use that account for installing applications and running things in general.

That's it! Happy virtualizing!