64-bit OS in Virtual PC?

I know that the XP Mode system is only a 32-bit version of windows XP, but how can I set up a 64-bit guest OS w/in Win7's new Virtual PC??? Specifically, try to install Win7 x64 into a new Virtual PC - you'll be greeted w/ the msg that the processor doesn't support an x64 OS.

This is bogus as I'm pretty sure VPC 2007 allowed you to do this, and they don't allow you to install/run VPC 2k7 on Windows 7 either!

Any help would be appreciated.

Virtual PC will run on a 64bit host, but it does not support 64bit guest OS's.

Virtual PC does support Windows 7 as the host and as the guest, but it looks like only W7 Enterprise or W7 Ultimate run as the guest OS if I read this link correctly: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/vir...uirements.aspx

exactly my point. why? if i would like to test a 64-bit OS in a virtual environment, how am I expected to do so?

VPC 2k7 i am fairly certain allowed you to run a 64-bit OS in it - why has MS taken this ability away?

Lets see if I understand this correctly

You are trying to install a 64 bit O.S. in virtual PC. Which the only reall benefit would allow you to access more than 4GB memory from within the guest O.S. That is a big chunk of resources for testing when every virtual PC requires its own memory to be allocated. The memory allocated for those virtual PC's would not be available for the main O.S.

Is there a reason why the 32 bit is not sufficient in vitual mode?

The "why" is because Virtual PC emulates a Pentium III processor, which definitely doesn't support 64bit technology. It never has supported 64bit guest OS's because the "processor" is inherently 32bit.

If you want to run 64bit virtual machines then I suggest using VMware, VirtualBox, or some other VM program.

VMWare and VirtualBox are both excellent and easy-to-use programs that support 64-bit, as Kougar pointed out. They're also superior to VPC.

WOW Kougar - How do you and Thrax remember all these things.

I'm throwing in my two bit worth trying to help or lead in the right direction. Part of the time looking things up before I respond. The two of you seem to know it all from the top of your head. I never would have thought to check for a 32 bit emulation in Virtual PC.

or to test 64-bit stuff w/o having to install an OS on your actual computer.....

didn't vpc2k7 support this?looking around virtualBox's site earlier today I'm pretty sure it said it only supports x86

correct me if i'm wrong but vmware isn't free, and vbox has the same prob (from what i understood from their site)

Actually, you're closer than you think. I remembered hearing that Virtual PC didn't support 64bit so I simply looked up why and found that out. Google is amazingly powerful, the hard part is just knowing how to use it because the info is almost guaranteed to be out there somewhere.

For the last time, no VPC2007 didn't support 64bit guests and never officially has that I know of. VirtualBox does support x86 and x64 guests and hosts operating systems.

VMWare Player is free, and so is the basic version of VirtualBox as well. If you want full functionality and tools then you'll want VMWare Workstation, which of course is not free.

Go for VirtualBox, it really is an excellent bit of software and it supports 64 bit guest operating systems just fine .