Win7 & XP

[CathJ]

I was planning to get Win7 Pro so that I could run XP in virtual mode - but it turns out that the CPU in the laptop I'm planning to get doesn't suport hardware virtualisation.

So here are my options - which do you think would be best, or possible? These are assuming I buy the laptop now, with Vista Business and a free downgrade to XP, and get the free Win 7 Pro upgrade when it comes out.

1) Try to run XP in virtual mode anyway (does it really need the hardware support?)
2) Dual boot Win 7 (free upgrade) and XP (free downgrade from Vista)
3) Run a free vm server with XP (free downgrade from Vista)

Is there any other way of getting a free, legal version of XP that I can run in a VM? Any legal pre-built images, released by Microsoft?

 

[Sapphiron]

What laptop are you planning on getting?

I have sucessfully used Virtual Mode on a HP Probook 4510S with a T6570 Processor listed as having no VT. I did have to enable it in the Notebook BIOS however.

I would REALLY recommend going with VT on a notebook. Lots of application will start making use of it in Future. For today its only limited to Virtualization of OS's.

 

[CathJ]

What laptop are you planning on getting?

I have sucessfully used Virtual Mode on a HP Probook 4510S with a T6570 Processor listed as having no VT. I did have to enable it in the Notebook BIOS however.

I would REALLY recommend going with VT on a notebook. Lots of application will start making use of it in Future. For today its only limited to Virtualization of OS's.

I'm looking at the Lenovo G530 - it has everything I want except the VT

 

[Tsimo]

i would check on the CPU spec page with Intel or AMD.

 

[CathJ]

i would check on the CPU spec page with Intel or AMD.

I have, and it doesn't support VT.

I guess what I'm really asking is: can I run a Vista-to-Win7 upgrade and a Vista-to-XP downgrade at the same time?

 

[Sapphiron]

mmmm, for that price range AMD is the only people who care about the user and add VT support.

look at the HP 615 series:

HP NX558EA 615 series , with built-in webcam - Amd Turion64x2 QL-64 Dual-Core 2.1GHz ( L1 : 2x128k , L2 : 2x512k ), 1Gb DDR2-800, AMD RS780MN chipset, upto 512mb hypermomry ATI Mobility Radeon HD3200 vga , 15.6" Lcd ( 1366x768 WXGA ) , no tv-out, 160gb SATA HDD, DVD+/-RW ( DL ) , built-in card reader+ blueTooth + WiFi + 10/100 lan + 56k modem + express card , with windows Vista Home basic + Office 2007 Ready ( professional with 60 day free trial )

Just add a second stick of ram and you are set. should be faster or cheaper depending on what model Lenovo you are going for.

BTW there is a G530 with VT. The dual core Celeron has it.
Ask Intel why they make no sense.

 

[CathJ]

mmmm, for that price range AMD is the only people who care about the user and add VT support.

look at the HP 615 series:

HP NX558EA 615 series , with built-in webcam - Amd Turion64x2 QL-64 Dual-Core 2.1GHz ( L1 : 2x128k , L2 : 2x512k ), 1Gb DDR2-800, AMD RS780MN chipset, upto 512mb hypermomry ATI Mobility Radeon HD3200 vga , 15.6" Lcd ( 1366x768 WXGA ) , no tv-out, 160gb SATA HDD, DVD+/-RW ( DL ) , built-in card reader+ blueTooth + WiFi + 10/100 lan + 56k modem + express card , with windows Vista Home basic + Office 2007 Ready ( professional with 60 day free trial )

Just add a second stick of ram and you are set. should be faster or cheaper depending on what model Lenovo you are going for.

BTW there is a G530 with VT. The dual core Celeron has it.
Ask Intel why they make no sense.

Interesting... odd, but interesting. I'll have to go and compare specs between the two G530's and the HP.

And even more strange... the G530's that support VT come with the version of win7 that doesn't use it, whereas the one that doesn't support VT comes with the version that does use it.