Title: Windows Vista Pre-RC1 under MS Virtual PC 2004 SP1
Slug: windows-vista-pre-rc1-under-ms-virtual-pc-2004-sp1
Date: 2006-09-04 13:33:00
Author: Kartones
Lang: en
Tags: Virtualization, Systems-IT, Windows
Description: Tips for a smooth execution of Windows Vista Pre-RC1 under MS Virtual PC 2004 SP1

 <p>Well, as I can't right now install the pre-RC1 of Windows Vista in
any of my pcs, last weekend I decided to install it on a Virtual PC
2004 to see if it works... And it worked!</p>

<p><img src="https://images.kartones.net/posts/screenshots/winvista_prerc1.jpg" alt="Windows Vista RC1 under Virtual PC 2004" mce_src="https://images.kartones.net/posts/screenshots/winvista_prerc1.jpg"></p>

<p>The VM Additions work, at least the graphic driver (without them it
was hell to move a single window!), and well... you can test Vista. No
fancy 3D, and you should disable some things, but it works fast enough
to try it's new security system, tools, options rearrangement and such.</p>

<p>I've installed it on a P4 HT 3,4 GHz, 1 GB DDR2 Dual-channel RAM
(700 MB assigned to the VM), and a SATA HD (15 GB assigned), with
almost no other application running.</p>

<p>I've disabled/deactivated the following to try to optimise for speed:</p>

<ul>
<li>Cleartype font smoothing (<b>vast</b> performance improvement), and menu animations, fades, slides, and such (shadows and visual styles kept)</li>
<li>Windows Defender &amp; Firewall (no change in performance)</li>
<li>No screensaver/power-saving</li>
<li>HD not indexed for fast searching (took <b>a lot</b> to "deactivate" indexing because of the almost 6 GB Vista takes once installed)</li>
<li>Disabled System Restore</li>
<li>Defragmented the HD</li>
</ul>

<p>And now it goes quite good. It's not as fast as an XP (I've
developed with an VS2003 and XP Virtual Machine on lower specs PCs) but
I'll be able to play with the OS for a while :)</p>

<p><b>Note</b>: I haven't configured internet/LAN yet, so I hope VMAdditions' ethernet virtual driver works. Emulated Sound Card didn't.</p>