Thursday, May 7th 2009
Not all AMD Processors Support 'XP Mode' in Windows 7
A new feature of Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system that created a stir is its "XP mode" feature, where the operating system provides the user with a sandbox Windows XP desktop environment, complete with all its features, and application support. What makes the feature even more interesting that documents, settings, and XP-affine applications installed in the environment could be seamlessly integrated with the host Windows 7 environment.
It turns out now that the feature explicitly requires hardware-level virtualization support. AMD and Intel, both have their proprietary virtualization features, although the two chose to make it available only to a few CPU models. Generally, entry-level desktop/mobile CPUs don't carry the feature. For consumer client desktop variants of Windows 7, the "XP mode" feature would require AMD-V feature by the processor. Currently all processors by AMD support this, except those from the Sempron series, according to an AMD spokesperson. For enterprise variants of the OS, Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) MED-V 2.0 builds on top of Windows Virtual PC and provides centralized management of Windows XP Mode. MED-V is a virtualization management platform. It will be made available within 90 days of the commercial availability of Windows 7.
Source:
CNET
It turns out now that the feature explicitly requires hardware-level virtualization support. AMD and Intel, both have their proprietary virtualization features, although the two chose to make it available only to a few CPU models. Generally, entry-level desktop/mobile CPUs don't carry the feature. For consumer client desktop variants of Windows 7, the "XP mode" feature would require AMD-V feature by the processor. Currently all processors by AMD support this, except those from the Sempron series, according to an AMD spokesperson. For enterprise variants of the OS, Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) MED-V 2.0 builds on top of Windows Virtual PC and provides centralized management of Windows XP Mode. MED-V is a virtualization management platform. It will be made available within 90 days of the commercial availability of Windows 7.
58 Comments on Not all AMD Processors Support 'XP Mode' in Windows 7
AMD 19/23
Intel 14/22
so, more of the currently available AmD processors support virtualization than Intel has, then whats the deal with that title?
did I miss something?
Considering that only the high end 7's (business, ultimate) even come with this support, i find it unlikely that an ultimate user is going to run a sempron, or E5200.
Athlon 64 X2 chips with Brisborne and Windsor cores support AMD-V
Current Opteron also support AMD-V
thats basicly AMD's current lineup
am sure many companys got many workstations with Intel Core 2 Quad Q8000 series chips that does not support hardware virtualization
Dual core
E6xx0
E8xx0
Q6xx0
Q9xx0 (Excl Q9200)
So the E2xx0, E5xx0 and E7xx0 and Q8xx0 series, have no virtualisation.
Bad headline.
Theese dont support it either... i guess theyre from pretty much the same time.
Pentium D?
E7xxx
E4xxx
Pentium4
e2x `?
amd havnt done anything wrong, semprons are hard to find lol.
Core 2 Duo Mobile P7350/7450, Core 2 Duo Mobile T6400/6570, Core 2 Duo Mobile T5200/5250/5270/5300/5450/5470, Core 2 Quad Mobile Q9100, Core Duo T2050/2250, Core Duo T2300E/2350/2450, Core Solo T1350.
thats some more.
Think we've proved our point that this headline is incorrect.
Well, by the looks of it, people who got their laptop for their work, cant run their crucial applications in xp mode.
Well, isnt it just they who need it the most ?
Better to change the title "Not all processors support..." and then give examples.
Most Intel Atom processors DO NOT support VT
VIA? Maybe none of them...
AMD...
Intel...
Gotta love my Merom :laugh:
Here's a list of Intel desktop CPUs and whether they support virtualisation.
And here's the list of mobile CPUs.
Enjoy. :toast:
EDIT: Those are obviously just the Intel ones. Someone, somewhere might have made a list of the AMD processors too.
It also means more of that silly "downgrade to Windows XP Professional" nonsense that we see with Vista Business machines today.
It's kinda sad some processors don't have hardware virtualization support but hey, that's what you get for cutting corners when you buy a new processor. Virtualization is the future.
Nope, seems pretty simple to me.
any idea if Athlon NEO platform (HP Dv2) support AMD-V?