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Installing Windows Vista RC2 on Virtual PC

Installing Vista RC2 (Build 5600) on Virtual PC

In terms of names, Vista has now finished its Beta testing and we now have RC2 (Release Candidate Two).  You will be able to upgrade from RC2 to future versions of Vista.

Whether you have Vista RC2, RC1 or a Beta build then this page should help you with the Virtual PC install, I also have instructions for older Vista builds, they are probably obsolete, but just in case that is the only version you have, here are the references:5536 5472, 5456, 5308, 5270 and 5112.

Topics for Installing Vista RC2 on Virtual PC

• Introduction to Installing Windows Vista on Virtual PC
• First Goal - Get a Copy of the Vista Build
• Second Goal - Create a Simple Microsoft Virtual PC
• Third Goal - Capture the CD - Use Physical Drive
• Fourth Goal - Create a Partition for the Vista Install
• Post Installation and Troubleshooting

Introduction to Installing Windows Vista on Virtual PC 2004

From the outset, I believed that it would be possible to install Vista RC2 on Microsoft's Virtual PC 2004**.  My background is that I have installed about 25 virtual machines before I installed Vista RC2.  I choose to install Virtual PC 2004 on Windows Server 2003, even though the setup says explicitly that this host operating system is not recommended.  The reason that I mention these two facts is to give you confidence; to emphasise that while I am no great expert on Virtual PC, yet I got Vista working.  I would also like to report that installing Vista on Virtual PC gets easier with each successive build number.

**The latest version of Virtual PC is 2005.  While it looks flashy, has more features, I just cannot get along with version 2005, principally because it drives me mad; every time I do anything it asks for my username and password.

For experienced techies, who are geniuses at computing, all you need to do is absorb these key concepts:

1. Download an Image from connect.microsoft, or order Vista RC2 free from CPP (Consumer Preview Program), you may get a DVD with Build 5438, which you can install on your own computer. The final alternative is via a TechNet or MSDN subscription.
2. Create a new Virtual Machine with Virtual PC.
3. Capture the image of the Vista RC2 (or Beta 2) in the Virtual Machine.
4. Patience and faith that the Vista RC2 install will work.

For ordinary mortals, I will provide step-by-step instructions to help you install Vista RC2 on Virtual PC.

First Goal - Get a Copy of the Windows Vista Build

Perhaps the best way to get a copy of the Windows Vista is from Microsoft's CPP (Customer Preview Program) Microsoft has reopened its Windows Vista Customer Preview Program and will release RC2 to several million users to test in coming days please check on Microsoft's site rather than ask me for the DVD.

Long term, it would be useful for you to sign up for the Vista Beta CPP (Customer Preview Program), however ,they keep changing the procedure, thus you need to contact Microsoft, not me, for the Vista software.  Each year two or three MVPs and MCTs get black-balled for giving out product keys and other information, and I don't want to be one of those struck off.  Consequently for once, I cannot help you with Vista product DVDs.

One of Microsoft's satellite companies called Connect deals with Beta downloads.  You can find them at connect.microsoft.com.  The reason that I am vague about how I got started with Connect is purely bad memory.  I cannot be sure whether it was a bonus of being an MCT, MVP or whether I just saw the site and applied to trial Microsoft's Beta software.

What I do remember is getting stuck when I first joined, I could never seem to find the downloads, then I could not find the product keys - most frustrating.  My message is this, once you have been accepted into the Vista Beta Program, search and you will find everything that you need there on the Connect site - somewhere. Incidentally, I also applied for the Exchange 2007 (E12) Beta, and after a few days received links to download that DVD ISO image, thus getting an account with Connect will be useful in the future, for example with Longhorn.

The Actual Vista RC2 image

When you select your Vista RC2 image, make sure that you have the appropriate version for your x86 or x64 processor.  In my case Microsoft Connect site supplied me with a single file, which was a DVD image in ISO format.  Incidentally, I applaud Microsoft on their download engine - File Transfer Manager, this software is intelligent and continues where you left off, (should the internet connection time-out and you have to reconnect).  As I mentioned earlier, many of the Vista Beta are available on DVD, which is much more convenient for the install.

It is always worth reading the Release Notes and in this instance the gem in Microsoft's document was that there would be an upgrade path from Vista RC2 to future versions.

Second Goal - Create a Simple Microsoft Virtual PC

My advice is keep the New Virtual PC setup as simple as possible, just follow the defaults, the one exception is increase the 512 Ram memory for your Vista Virtual Machine to 1GB.  By all means adjust the settings once you have created the machine and installed the operating system.

1. From the Virtual PC Console, click New...
2. Create a virtual machine.
3. Choose a location with at least 16 GB of free space.
4. Operating System, Other or Windows Server 2003 it doesn't matter.
5. Adjusting the Ram - 512 MB Ram is recommended, I choose 1,050 MB.
6. A new virtual hard disk.
7. Name and Location.  Previously, I created a special partition for VM images..
8. Finish.

Third Goal - Capture the CD - Use Physical Drive

If you have a copy of Vista on DVD, then you can skip this step.  Else this is the situation so far, we have obtained the ISO DVD image, now we want to boot the Virtual Machine.  The problem is that we want to boot, not from the physical CD, but from the bootable ISO image.

Nero's ImageDrive
There is problem with booting Virtual machines using Vista ISO images, this started with build 5308 and including RC2.  These builds are over the 2.2 GB DVD limit that Virtual Machine 2004 understands.  (Build 5270 was under 2.2 GB).  Solution, I invested $48 in Nero 7.  From Nero 7's many utilities, I selected ImageDrive. What Nero ImageDrive does is make the ISO image appear as a Physical drive, as a result you can by-pass the 'Capture ISO Image' which has the 2.2 GB limit.

What ImageDrive did for me was capture the vista_5600.16384.060829-2230_x86fre_client-LR1CFRE_EN_DVD.iso to the I: drive.  (Your drive letter is likely to be E: F: or G:).  The upshot is that you see a new drive letter in both Windows Explorer and in the Virtual Machine console.

What we do in the Virtual PC console, is click on the top menu called 'CD'  and select - Use Physical Drive I: (See screen shot, bearing in mind that your drive letter will be different).

Fourth Goal - Create a Partition and Install Vista

The first thing I did was to capture the I: drive to my DVD image (courtesy of Nero ImageDrive).  Once the virtual machine booted it asked for the Locale, I selected United Kingdom.  The first few menus were straightforward, the only slight hiccup was the CD Key, I requested a '5342 and Up Ultimate Keys' and they worked on my RC2 build.  I guess the key phrase is 'and Up'.

Earlier versions gave me enormous frustration when Windows Install asked the question 'Where do you want to install Windows', however Vista RC2 handled creating the virtual disk smoothly.  (Problems with Build 5308)

Once clicked on Microsoft's licence agreement, the install continued expanding cabinets, copying files and installing Vista's default features, I came back 30 minutes later and found that the Windows Install had completed successfully.

At the end of the install, Vista asks you to set the Region and Time Zone.  Another bonus was that Vista Beta recognised the United Kingdom keyboard layout I specified at the beginning of the install.

In terms of efficiency and intelligence, Vista has Microsoft's best install technology to date.  For example, XP installs are a pain, in that they halt after about 10 minutes and ask you to input networking information.  Vista install had no such interruption, moreover, it appeared to automatically detect the network and give it self, not an APIPA, but a suitable IP address for the subnet where I installed e.g. 192.168.0.10.  This was not magic, it picked up the IP address either from and XP machine with Internet Sharing or the traditional Windows DHCP server.

When you decide to install Windows Vista RC2 on a Virtual Machine, don't be in a hurry.  Have a good book to read, or a T.V. program to watch.  The install takes 40 minutes and while there are long intervals where no human input is required, the whole procedure slows up the host machine.

Train Signal has just released their New Windows Vista Training Course.  As an MCT trainer, I am a huge advocate of Train Signal’s products.  What impresses is me is that they demonstrate everything that they teach and they stay away from traditional 'lecture-style' training.  If you are looking for a complete DETAILED coverage of Windows Vista, then I highly recommend that you give this course a try.  I have reviewed their 18 hours of videos myself, and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed!

Watch a Vista Training Video Demo.

Post Installation Tasks and Troubleshooting

A new development when installing Vista is the need to create the administrator's account, as a security initiative, Microsoft no longer create a person called 'Administrator' by default.

Virtual Machine Additions

When the the earlier Vista builds finished installing, I was disappointed.  In 5308, the 256 color resolution meant an atrocious display of any graphics moreover, the machine ran unacceptably slowly - even for Beta software.  Then I remembered the Virtual Machine Additions.  In a nutshell installing this add-on transformed my Vista RC2 experience.

Build Vista RC2

With Vista RC2 I learnt from this experience and attempted, emphasise attempted, to add the Virtual Machine Additions before I started the install.   Therefore, I was slightly surprised when later the Virtual PC kept asking me to install the Virtual Machine Additions.

To install the Virtual Machine Additions - again, I launched the Virtual PC console and clicked the 'Action' Menu and selected, 'Install the Virtual Machine Additions'.  It seemed to install very quickly - too quickly.  To cut a long story short, this procedure was useless, the machine kept prompting me to install the Virtual Machine Additions. 

Solution to Install Virtual Machine Additions in RC2

Finally, I went for the throat.  I allowed the Virtual PC switch the D:\ to the Virtual Machine Additions, but then I took over manually and drilled to D:\windows\ and double clicked setup.  From here the Setup InstallShield Wizard appeared, took its time, but installed the Virtual Machine Additions properly.

What lulled me was the fact that RC2 (and 5472) had good graphics from the start and silly me thought the slow performance was down to a checked beta version, the reality was the slow performance was down to lack of Virtual Machine Additions.

Solution for Vista RC2

Install the Virtual Machine Additions 'by the book', click on the file menu, Install Virtual Machine Additions, just agree when the UAC (User Account Control) dialog box prompts you.  I will probably never know if my experience with the previous build was user error or a beta bug.  Beta testing is like that, stuff happens and I am not sure who to blame, me or Vista Beta.

Further Post Installation Tasks

I found that the best setting for Network Adapter1 was to select the host NIC.  In particular, this configuration cured a specific problem:  Virtual PC could not open the Virtual Machine Network Services driver, or The Virtual Machine Network Services driver has failed to install.

My machine was fortunate in having 2 GB of Ram, so I allocated 1 GB to Vista.  The problem was the Virtual PC Console would not let me use more than 300 MB.  The error was: The virtual machine could not be started because there was not enough memory available on the host.

The true problem was interference from other programs, in my case Nero CD burner, in another case SQL.  Therefore, try judicious zapping images in Task manager until you find the root cause, I say again, take care ending processes.  The safe way would be to remove programs via the Add or Remove Programs.

Footnote

The above problem did not occur with Vista RC2 (only 5270).  I credit Microsoft for ironing out that behaviour, however, it could have been the fact that I upgraded from Nero 6 to Nero 7.

  Once you have installed Vista in your virtual machine, access it via Remote Desktop from your host machine.

Extra info kindly sent by 'Trombone'

Summary of Installing Windows Vista in a Virtual PC

Obtain your copy of Windows Vista by either downloading an Image from connect.microsoft, or on DVD from CPP (Consumer Preview Program).  Launch the Virtual Machine console to create a new Virtual disk / image / machine.  Capture the image from the CD menu.  The actual installation takes about half an hour, but the menus are straightforward, even easy if you have experience from installing XP.

See Also

● Vista Home   ●  Aero Graphics   ● Vista Explorer    ● UAC

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