Running Windows Vista 5365 under Virtual PC or Virtual Server

It's that time again (though I'm a little late to the game on this one... sorry for the delay)!  Let's get right down to it, shall we?

There are two significant changes when running this build in a Virtual Machine:

1. You no longer need to prepare your own Virtual Disk.  Windows Vista Setup can now install itself on to a completely blank disk, so there's no more special steps that need to be done ahead of time.
2. The Virtual Machine Additions performance enhancements from Virtual Server 2005 R2 no longer work in Windows Vista.  To get better performance, you'll need to download the Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 Beta and use the additions that ship with that.

Some quick reminders:

• If you're using Virtual PC, remember that VPC can't mount ISO files larger than 2.2GB.  You'll need to burn the ISO to physical media - or get some VirtualCD software and mount the ISO as a CD-ROM drive - and have Virtual PC pass it through to the guest.  Virtual Server 2005 R2 fixed this.
• Virtual Server 2005 R2 is *free* download now.  Give it a shot!
• Your Virtual Hard Drive should be at least 16GB.
• You're insane if you try to run Windows Vista in a Virtual Machine with less than 512MB of RAM allocated to it.
• Sound won't work in Windows Vista if you're running it in Virtual PC or Virtual Server.

Good luck!

Comments

• Anonymous
  April 28, 2006
  I think it's about time to see something new for Virtual PC 2004!
  
  We have to "borrow" virtual machine additions from Virtual Server 2005 R2, we have to ask support for patches, we will have no sound support for Vista... Shouldn’t be a statement of some kind if the support for this product is done?
  
  Installing Virtual Server 2005 R2, even if it's free, it's not always a solution to the problem...
  
  
  George J.
  
• Anonymous
  April 29, 2006
  Mike Kolitz of the MSDN Blog Virtually Vista has some good tips for those of you using Virtual PC...
• Anonymous
  April 29, 2006
  Hi George,
  
  I understand where you're coming from.  I wish there was something that we could announce publicly at this point.
  
  Rest assured, as soon as we can announce our plans for Virtual PC, we will do so.
  
• Anonymous
  April 29, 2006
  Just when I thought I have R2 and could attempt to run Vista, it requires SP1 :-(
• Anonymous
  April 30, 2006
  I must say the performance of vista on vpc with the vs2005 r2 sp1 additions is impressive... Now if only glass would work ;-)
• Anonymous
  May 02, 2006
  Thanks for the tips! Any improvements with the network problems you saw in the Feb CTP?
  
  Johan
• Anonymous
  May 03, 2006
  How do we obtain the latest build. I have msdn and they still have  5308  and not the laetest build.
  
  Thanks
• Anonymous
  May 04, 2006
  Not all builds are available to all programs.  I don't believe that 5365 will be made available to MSDN subscribers, but don't quote me on that.
• Anonymous
  May 05, 2006
  I get an error installing R2 about how it can't access some keys. Anybody did get the same error? (I am logged in as admin).
• Anonymous
  May 07, 2006
  The comment has been removed
• Anonymous
  May 07, 2006
  GParent - Are you installing R2 on Vista?
• Anonymous
  May 10, 2006
  No, I am trying to install Virtual Server 2005 on my own computer so I can run vista :P I'll just do it on my Dad's computer I guess.
• Anonymous
  May 10, 2006
  Gp: Check and make sure that the permissions on HKLMSoftware are set up properly.
• Anonymous
  May 16, 2006
  As far as I can tell, when MSDN subscribers can't get Vista 5365 and we can't get any prerelease of Longhorn Server, the reason seems to be that we paid for our subscriptions.  Why don't developers ever learn?  In order to obtain these builds we have to avoid paying for subscriptions.
  
  > but don't quote me on that.
• Anonymous
  May 16, 2006
  Norman,
  Again, I'm not the person to talk to about this since I'm not involved it the decisions about who to release builds to and who not to.  If you're not happy with what's being released to MSDN, you should take that up with MSDN Customer Service, as they can get the feedback to the right people.
  
  Otherwise, the most I can say - and it's my personal opinion - is that MSDN Subscriber != Beta Tester.   Nothing since 5342 has been declared a CTP, so if you're developing software for Vista, you should keep using that build until Beta 2 is released.  If you're just interested in testing software, MSDN really isn't the program for that.
  
  It's good to see that you're excited about testing Vista, though.  Do you have your own blog, Norman?
• Anonymous
  May 17, 2006
  The comment has been removed
• Anonymous
  June 04, 2006
  I Need those Vista Beta2 additions ;( .... What is going on are they gonna publish that  ??
• Anonymous
  June 14, 2006
  I've been looking for the Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 beta but it doesn't show in the list of available connections! Huw
• Anonymous
  June 15, 2006
  VPC 2004 is outdated and I don't want to install Virtual Server, only for using Vista. VMWare? Seems there is no other choice because MS leaves VPC users in the cold now.