[DB]

I purchased a new two dual core processor Dell workstation with Vista recently. I’m finding out the hard way there’s a number of important engineering software tools that don’t work with Vista... I’ve made a number of my own tools using Visual Basic and so far none of them work right with Vista. In addition, VB6 won’t install on Vista correctly...

So it’s a mess...

Having something that would simulate XP or Win2k environment would be a big help. Especially if it really operates within Vista and not a dual boot OS type arrangement.

[awaken2spirit]

Check out Microsoft Virtual PC 2007. (a Microsoft freebie). You can run multiple vitrtual OS’s under this including W2K, XP, W2k Server, W2K3 Server, Vista, various flavors of Linix, etc. Only limited by amount of memory and disk on your physical cpu. I use this product alot. Two thums up on this one.

[taxcontrol]

I work for the largest software integration company doing virutalization and optimization. You are not alone in your plight.

[Proud_texan]

Microsoft's own Virtual PC runs on Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, and Windows Vista Ultimate. I use it on XP Pro to run about a half dozen other operating systems including DOS, Windows 3.1 (don't ask me why, I guess because I can) BSD and even a couple of different XP configurations for testing.

You can run afoul of Microsoft licensing as you'll need a license for each MS OS installed in the virtual machine.

My main virtual machine host is an AMD 4800+ and while none of the virtual machines run as fast as they would if they were on a dedicated machine they aren't so slow that they can't be easily tolerated.

I'm not married to Virtual PC over any of the others for any other reason than I used it before Connectix sold out to MS and since it's now free updates are cheap. I don't know if it'd solve your problem but other than a bit of download time it wouldn't hurt to try if you still have a copy of XP you can virtualize.

[Kirkwood]

Same here. I found that all my very old applications will run on Vista and all my old MS aplications will run. Just need to check the compatibility box to XP.

What I’m having trouble with are licensed technical applications written in the last 3 years. The program installs, but won’t register/license itself correctly. The companies won’t provide a simple patch and require buying an upgrade. I guess I don’t blame them for wanting to make money off of this.

I do however really, really like Vista.

[ikka]

Go to VMware.com and download the free VMware Server for Windows. Install Windows 2000 or 98 or XP into a VMware virtual machine, and you can run that OS in a window.