• 0

Seamless virtual machine?


Question

I'm looking for a virtual machine application that supports a "seamless" mode on Windows, similar to Parallels' Coherence mode on OS X. I'd like to run some Windows XP applications (that have serious compatibility issues) inside Windows Vista, but I don't want the whole XP desktop as I have now in VMWare Workstation.

Anyone know of a program that can do this on Windows?

Thanks.

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/647281-seamless-virtual-machine/
Share on other sites

11 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

  • 0
I'm looking for a virtual machine application that supports a "seamless" mode on Windows, similar to Parallels' Coherence mode on OS X. I'd like to run some Windows XP applications (that have serious compatibility issues) inside Windows Vista, but I don't want the whole XP desktop as I have now in VMWare Workstation.

Anyone know of a program that can do this on Windows?

Thanks.

Yes, I use VirtualBox from http://www.virtualbox.org , running on Windows XP so I can run Linux at the same time and easily try out distros. It has the seamless mode that works great. I can even copy and paste between the two OS's. I believe that it works on Vista so you could run XP inside it.

I also use it the opposite way, running it on Ubuntu so I can run XP inside Ubuntu, as well as, again, trying out other distros very easily.

Good Luck!

  • 0

If you plan on running Vista to Xp you could probably try the Microsoft application- Virtual PC-

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/...pc/default.mspx

Though Personally I use both Virtual Box and Virtual PC-

To use the seamless you have to use the Additions on the Guest PC.

I use Virtual Box for Distro's that won't install in Virtual PC.

I run Xp and Load up NT4.0/Win95/Win98/Win2k/Puppy Linux with Virtual PC.

I run Linux Distro's using virtual box also run/test React OS. (DSL Linux )(Win3.1)

  • 0
Yes, I use VirtualBox from http://www.virtualbox.org , running on Windows XP so I can run Linux at the same time and easily try out distros. It has the seamless mode that works great. I can even copy and paste between the two OS's. I believe that it works on Vista so you could run XP inside it.

I also use it the opposite way, running it on Ubuntu so I can run XP inside Ubuntu, as well as, again, trying out other distros very easily.

Good Luck!

From what I understand, VirtualBox only supports seamless mode in Linux guests. I tried XP just to make sure, and the option was grayed out.

If you plan on running Vista to Xp you could probably try the Microsoft application- Virtual PC-

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/...pc/default.mspx

Though Personally I use both Virtual Box and Virtual PC-

To use the seamless you have to use the Additions on the Guest PC.

I use Virtual Box for Distro's that won't install in Virtual PC.

I run Xp and Load up NT4.0/Win95/Win98/Win2k/Puppy Linux with Virtual PC.

I run Linux Distro's using virtual box also run/test React OS. (DSL Linux )(Win3.1)

Virtual PC supports seamless mode? I'll have to give that a try.

  • 0

You have to install the Guest Additions in the Guest OS. Where you the mouse picks up when you mouse into the Guest OS- You can also drag and drop between Guest and Host and Visa Versa. So that is what I am thinking you are meaning by seamless. Though They don't support seamless mode for a linux OS. (but if you can find Virtual PC2004 and get the ISO for the additions there is one driver out there- I have yet to find it) It used to be also on MS download but they have removed it.

  • 0
You have to install the Guest Additions in the Guest OS. Where you the mouse picks up when you mouse into the Guest OS- You can also drag and drop between Guest and Host and Visa Versa. So that is what I am thinking you are meaning by seamless. Though They don't support seamless mode for a linux OS. (but if you can find Virtual PC2004 and get the ISO for the additions there is one driver out there- I have yet to find it) It used to be also on MS download but they have removed it.

Oh; that's not quite what I was thinking. What I mean by seamless is where you can actually "pop out" windows from the guest OS and use them in the host OS as if it were part of the host OS to begin with, and no virtual machine application frame.

Similar to Parallels (screenshot attached, you can see a Windows XP application "floating" inside OS X)

20070116coherence1.jpg

  • 0

They don't have that part where you can have the other taskbar inside your own OS like on Parallels. But I know I can start up Win2k for example in Virtual PC- and when I move my mouse into the window it picks up the mouse from the guest OS- ...and move out without clicking. or goto full screen with a quick key in. Also the drag and drop both ways- but you have to install guest additions.

I sometimes run XP(host) and Win98(guest) and switch between. as well as win2k as a guest os.

  • 0
They don't have that part where you can have the other taskbar inside your own OS like on Parallels. But I know I can start up Win2k for example in Virtual PC- and when I move my mouse into the window it picks up the mouse from the guest OS- ...and move out without clicking. or goto full screen with a quick key in. Also the drag and drop both ways- but you have to install guest additions.

I sometimes run XP(host) and Win98(guest) and switch between. as well as win2k as a guest os.

Yes, VMWare Workstation has all those same features as well. I guess I'll just stick with that, since there is no Parallels equivalent for Windows...

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • "to in-game content custom-made for the brands" Which EA will turn around and charge customers extra for in an attempt to double dip.
    • NirLauncher 1.30.24 by Razvan Serea NirLauncher is a suite of more than 200 of NirSoft's excellent portable freeware Windows utilities, and provides an interface that makes it easy to find and launch the tools you need. Which works for us - because there's something here for everyone. Have you forgotten a password stored in your browser or email client, for instance? Recovery tools here may be able to find them for you. Maybe you'd like to check your hard drive health? A disk tool will display its S.M.A.R.T. data (if the drive supports this), so you can view read/ write errors, temperature and other useful details. Is your system unstable? The System Utilities section includes several tools that can help to explain why your PC might be crashing. And there are a host of other programs on offer in categories like "Network Monitoring", "Web Browser Tools", "Video/ Audio Related Utilities", "Outlook/ Office Utilities" and more. Please note, perhaps because a few of these tools can be used maliciously (the password revealers, say), some antivirus programs will flag them as threats. We've never had a problem with any NirSoft tool, though, and you can read more on this issue at the author's site. NirLauncher is an excellent set of free tools, and a must-have for everyone's portable troubleshooting toolkit. NirLauncher Features: NirLauncher can be used from USB flash drive without need of any installation. NirLauncher and all the utilities in the package are completely freeware, without any Spyware/Adware/Malware. This package doesn't contain any 3-party software, toolbars, Web browser plugins, or other unwanted surprises. It will not install any software on your system and it will not change your Web browser homepage or other settings on your system. NirLauncher package includes variety of tools that you may need for your daily computer use, including utilities to recover lost passwords, to monitor your network, to view and extract cookies, cache, and other information stored by your Web browser, to search files in your system, and more... For every utility in the package, you can easily run it, view the help file, or jump to the Web page of the utility. When using it from USB flash drive, the configuration of every utility is saved into .cfg file on the flash drive. On x64 systems, NirLauncher automatically run the x64 version of the utility, when there is a separated x64 version. NirLauncher also allows to add more software packages in additional to the main NirSoft package. NirLauncher allows you generate plugin files for BartPE (Launcher -> Generate BartPE Plugin Files), so you can easily use the utilities of NirSoft from a bootable live windows CD. Additional packages (Piriform, SysInternals...) and instructions are available on the Nirlauncher download page. Note: This zip file below is password-protected. The password for extracting the files is nirsoft9876$ Download: NirLauncher 1.30.24 | 39.8 MB (Freeware) Link: NirLauncher Home Page | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • What people who support this position of LibreOffice do not understand is that EuroOffice is not made to appease the open source enthusiasts (I am also one) and evangelists. EuroOffice was made because some European companies wanted independence from Microsoft Office Suite, which is something installable on your computer. This move to independence was pushed by public institutions and governments in Europe, as well. Using a proprietary FORMAT as default, does not make you dependent on MS. The actual program does. A format can be changed with a simple update in the future in a dystopian world where MS would manipulate the format to lock others out. However, using MS Office proprietary format, guarantees that all the current documents used by companies, organizations, institutions, etc, will be compatible with EuroOffice and the suite will have the best chances at adoption, especially by slow moving organizations like governments and the public sector. It is as simple as that. For the same reason, even the UI is incredibly similar to MS Office. For the same reason (adoption) the choice was made to be open source. Not because EU particularly loves open source ideologically, but because it gives the best starting point to create trust in the project and amass developers and contributions to the project quickly, to catch up with proprietary projects like MS Office. I don't understand how people don't realize it.
    • How old is this tip? Seems 15-20 years old? Processor states for the CPU under Windows power options has been a thing for a long, long time. It certainly isn't new or hidden... Also, with laptops it doesn't make any difference what OS you are running, all of them are configured for battery longevity over performance, for obvious reasons. Wanted to add as well that most systems in use currently do burst as setup in the uefi bios settings, and usually when a setting is "hidden" like this in Windows it's because it's either obsolete or it is redundant--doesn't override the bios and the CPU drivers. There is a lot of crap in the registry that needs to come out...;) It's hamless and might consume 1-2kb of space in total, though.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Week One Done
      Jeroen Wilms earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      rolfus earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Month Later
      Leroy Jethro Gibbs earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Conversation Starter
      flexorcist earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • One Month Later
      AndreaB earned a badge
      One Month Later
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      512
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      205
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      136
    4. 4
      ATLien_0
      90
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      85
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!