Virtual PC

I started having trouble with IT at work and it was predictable, completely foreseen, since I use Windows Vista at home. My choice was due to the fact that so many of my customers were getting Vista on their new PCs. I wanted to have experience with the OS in order to help them continue using the PACS system at work ... that is only supported with Windows XP or Windows 2000.

So, I could either format my hard drive or install a virtual PC. Time was not a critical factor as I found another way (I talked the user through the problem over the phone) and either would be fine. The virtual PC would allow me a dry run at "down-upgrading" my PC anyway and I could delete the thing if it was not successful.

So, virtual PC it was.

I haven't tried vmware yet and virtual PC seemed easy enough. I just downloaded and installed the software from Microsoft and pulled out a couple of CDs for the installation.

I have a couple of versions of Windows XP, both Professional and Home versions that I have purchased over the years and I grabbed one of my XP Professional discs. I also did a quick Internet search for the Windows XP version of the driver controllers for my Hitachi hard drives. I figured that was the minimum I would need and perhaps I could add other drivers later.

The install was almost exactly the same as installing Windows XP on a PC, and boy was it sweet!


After that, I booted up the virtual PC ... all in a window!


Best of all, if I call for support and they want a screen cap, all they're going to see is Windows XP Professional.

Sweet.