Windows 7, Secret Feature revealed....

Published on April 25, 2009 By butch123 In Personal Computing

Windows 7, Secret Feature revealed....

Paul Thurrott and Rafael Rivera have just unveiled a new feature of Windows 7 today that they have been forced to keep a lid on for quite some time. Introducing Windows XP Mode (XPM) for Windows 7!

Over a month ago, we were briefed about a secret Microsoft technology that we were told would be announced alongside the Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) and would ship in final form simultaneously with the final version of Windows 7. This technology, dubbed Windows XP Mode (XPM, formerly Virtual Windows XP or Virtual XP, VXP), dramatically changes the compatibility story for Windows 7 and, we believe, has serious implications for Windows development going forward. Here's what's happening.

XPM is built on the next generation Microsoft Virtual PC 7 product line, which requires processor-based virtualization support (Intel and AMD) to be present and enabled on the underlying PC, much like Hyper-V, Microsoft's server-side virtualization platform. However, XPM is not Hyper-V for the client. It is instead a host-based virtualization solution like Virtual PC; the hardware assistance requirement suggests this will be the logical conclusion of this product line from a technological standpoint. That is, we fully expect future client versions of Windows to include a Hyper-V-based hypervisor.

XP Mode consists of the Virtual PC-based virtual environment and a fully licensed copy of Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3). It will be made available, for free, to users of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions via a download from the Microsoft web site. (That is, it will not be included in the box with Windows 7, but is considered an out-of-band update, like Windows Live Essentials.)

More news - HERE - http://community.winsupersite.com/blogs/paul/archive/2009/04/24/secret-no-more-revealing-virtual-windows-xp-for-windows-7.aspx
Screenshots - HERE - http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/xp_mode_pre_shots.asp

Comments (Page 1)

Sc4rfy

on Apr 25, 2009

But it wasn't better a Vista Virtual Machine?

Vespucci

on Apr 25, 2009

Secret feature my balls. That's a marketing scheme to assuage the fears of people who were sucked into the initial Vista is crap phenomenon. (Whether Vista was crap initially is not the point here, but that so many people were displeased that they backgraded to XP and got community attention for doing it is.)

DjiRate

on Apr 25, 2009

i think its a good idea

TYCUS

on Apr 25, 2009

but that so many people were displeased that they backgraded to XP and got community attention for doing it is.)

many of this people didn't licke Vista becouse their PC's didn't make it.., they thought that buying more ram or even uprgading the complete pc was idiotic, stating that "why should they buy a new pc just to run a new OS?" Even though, many people (must of them students) buy new pc or make big uprgades just to run a game., talk about nonsense

Philly0381

on Apr 25, 2009

For the non-technicial of us here, could someone please break this down in English? What is exactly being talked about here? Does this say that when you upgrade to Win 7 you get a free virtual set up to download that will be Windows XP?

Uvah

on Apr 25, 2009

Makes you kinda wonder why it was XP and not Vista that was chosen. Hmmmm.

Mordafoca

on Apr 25, 2009

Sc4rfy

reply 1

But it wasn't better a Vista Virtual Machine?

This is m$ admiting how big of a fail vista is... in my opinion windows vista is just another stain on the windows history, just like windows ME.

Hadberz

on Apr 25, 2009

This is nothing more then a scam. You buy $$$$.$$ Windows 7 we'll give you Windows XP for free. Screw that.

Coelocanth

on Apr 25, 2009

Sc4rfy

reply 1

But it wasn't better a Vista Virtual Machine?

No, since, from what I understand, anything that runs on Vista will also run on 7.

Note though, that this is only available for users with Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions. Likely most regular (non business) users will be using Home Basic or Premium (or whatever the equivalent is) and won't even be able to use this.

Philly0381

on Apr 25, 2009

It would be nice to see Frogboy's take on this and hear his opinion on what effect this will have on developers or programmers, if any, or Stardock.

Goronmon

on Apr 25, 2009

This is m$ admiting how big of a fail vista is... in my opinion windows vista is just another stain on the windows history, just like windows ME.

Vista is nothing like ME, and it was a better OS than XP in my opinion. I've had no problems running Vista over the last two years.

DWMiller88

on Apr 25, 2009

Uvah

reply 6

Makes you kinda wonder why it was XP and not Vista that was chosen. Hmmmm.

Because Windows 7 can already do everything Vista can, why would they add a backwards compatibility mode for something that is already fully compatible?

Wizard1956

on Apr 25, 2009

(That is, it will not be included in the box with Windows 7, but is considered an out-of-band update, like Windows Live Essentials.)

Sort of like the Ultimate Extras and we all know how that turned out.

Mordafoca

on Apr 25, 2009

Goronmon

reply 11

Vista is nothing like ME, and it was a better OS than XP in my opinion. I've had no problems running Vista over the last two years.

Actually i work with computers since windows 95~98 times... and to be honest im not sure if i did have as many unhappy customers with ME as i have been having with VISTA, as for myself im happy with my windows XP and will be that way untill windows 7 comes out. Just my opinion though... based on my work experience.

Anthony R

on Apr 25, 2009

Microsoft must be catering to the fearful XP users who cannot seem to adapt to changes or new ideas.

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