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
This virtual XP is for businesses - a good example is custom made database or accounting software, that they have no hope in hell of getting updated.
Perhaps quote symbols "" would be a good idea to implement when C+P verbatim. It will help avoid users thinking that news posters have missed their morning coffee.
I cant even register there, dodgy coding there. Proves how crappy they are
support.microsoft.com/kb/961661
I can see the mac fanboys using this as another reason why "windows sucks". I hope I don't find myself constantly repeating why some chips will do it while others won't.
www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13542&Itemid=1
What has the world become if Fud is more accurate than TPU! :shadedshu
(copy-pasting isn't news!)
:toast:
Anything good AMD does is inferior to what crap Intel gives - thats the belief of the ignorants here.
Don't know why this is even a topic here, can't VMware be used in W7 and run whatever OS you want?
www.vmware.com/products/ws/new.htmlmaby you need to check your facts before you post things, that way you dont give out FALSE INFORMATION to people, kind of like the Poster of this news topic.......
Im sorry but posting false, misleading information as news as if it where FACT is pretty low, and people complain about the inq and fudzilla......
I also like Virtual Box(free) it works VERY well for basic virtual machien work :)
ms virtual pc had to go free, nobody was going to buy it after they messed it up.
Isnt virtualisation possible even on a CPU that doesnt have VT feature set? Yes. The whole idea IIRC of VT chipset features was INSTANT bank switching of CPU register sets. That means you can virtualise without performance penalty due to register housekeeping. Whereas without VT feature set, you can implement VT but dont have the hardware acceleration, so it adds latency to the process.
Are we SURE than XP doesnt work on Win 7? Or is it just suboptimal and not going to run without causing a bit of performance loss.
I tought that 7 would be more compatible than that.
I'd rather see a Virtual DOS that runs my legacy dos games.