64-bit OS in Virtual PC?

So how do Microsoft propose that I virtualise a Windows 2008 R2 environment on my Windows 7 (64 bit) machine?

There are plenty of good reasons to virtualise a server operating system on a Windows 7 host - so will I be stuck with virtualising Windows 2008 Server 32bit for ever...?

1. Own an Intel processor with VT or an AMD processor with AMD-V.
2. Make sure your motherboard's BIOS can enable these features.
3. Install VirtualBox or VMWare.
4. Install the 64-bit OS on the virtual machine.

The trick is to use a real VM, and not a casual one for casual use like Virtual PC.

just want to raise this issue again...

will the new version of virtual pc run on a 64bit windows 7 host?

thanks for the help windows7 community

Host, yes.

coldapoy, welcome to the forum! Yes, Windows Virtual PC will run on either a 32 or 64 bit host. But you can only run 32 bit guests within it. As long as you can live within that limitation, you're fine.

But, if you plan to run a 64 bit guest, you'll need VirtualBox or VMWare, as Thrax pointed out.

Cat

@core

i'm confused with your answer?

@catilley

thanks for the warm welcome...
we've been using virtual pc for quite sometime already and we are planning to shift on windows 7 as our local/host machine os and iv'e been looking for alternatives on how we could reuse our VHD's

also been looking on vmware and virtualbox as well.

I've used backups to reinstall everything, but not the VHD's themselves. If you're upgrading computers, you have a couple of options. You can use the Easy Transfer Cable to copy your documents to your new computer (the VHD's are in your documents, inside of the Virtual Machines folder). A plain old USB cable won't do.

Secondly, you can copy the contents of this folder to an external drive, and using VirtualBox (or whatever VM you use), when you're looking for the VHD, point it to where it's copied or backed up to.

Thirdly, you can remove the hard drive from your old computer, install it into a case, plug it in through a USB or eSATA cable (whichever you have), and using the VM program that you install, select the VHD's from the drive itself.

I've never personally done this, but I use VM's extensively, and I know for a fact that one of the above will work. Especially the third option, you can retrieve any file that you wish, I've retrieved other files in such a manner.

PS: I have retrieved a VHD in the third way I described, but it's been a while back, but it will work.

Best of Luck,
Cat