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Windows 7 - Virtual PC and Virtual XP Mode


Jonas@Solidmakarna

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We've been discussing this here at work and I would like to share our thoughts, to get some fresh ideas and questions from you guys!

 

I believe that the "new" things is to have your PC running an almost empty Windows 7 install, having only IronCAD and Virtual PC installed to it. In the Virtual PC environment you run another Windows session (Win XP) where you have the rest of your needed programs running. Such as Office programs and e-mail etc. That way you can have IronCAD taking all the resources it needs directly in Win 7, more than 3GB RAM in the 64-bit version for example, while all the other programs are running on "virtual" hardware, not really interfering with IronCAD and vice versa.

 

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/

 

Microsoft are even letting you download a virtual Win XP for free for this purpose. With a Virtual PC you have the whole PC as a "file" which even makes it easy to create backups, so you have a whole "Office-machine" as a file in other words! It also makes it a lot easier to even think about reinstalling the "mother" OS, because you then only have to install IronCAD and Virtual PC, then open the "office-machine" file in the Virtual PC program!

 

As soon as I can get my hands on an installer for Windows 7 64-bit I will format my hdd and install it to have a real try. The only problem right now is where to find it. It looks like MS have done a great job removing all the Win 7 RC files from the whole net. MS is releasing Win 7 in the end of October as it looks today.

 

 

So...

Would you even consider having your PC working this way? With a "mother" OS having only IronCAD and Virtual PC running side by side, with all other programs running in the Virtual environment. Or does it sound to inconvenient and complex?

 

That is what I/we wonder.

Thanks!

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After experiencing this in the opposite direction running Windows XP on a virtual machine so I could use Mac OSX with email and other needed applications. I don't see any reason to bother. This worked for a while until I lost the IronCAD license in the VM and I could only use IronCAD in Boot Camp anyway where it should be. That's another problem in itself.

 

I think you'll find it's better only using Windows 7 by itself and not using a virtual machine running another OS. I don't see any benefit and it seems to me like it would take more resources to run the VM with all the other apps than it would running everything in one OS.

 

Anyone else?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Jonas, You have just described my system exactly, except that instead of installing a virtual PC software system, I just went down to Office Depot and bought my virtual PC for a few hundred bucks. Works great. IronCAD on the big box, Office and related turdware on the little box. 100baseT between the two. It's magic, I tell you!

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Jonas, You have just described my system exactly, except that instead of installing a virtual PC software system, I just went down to Office Depot and bought my virtual PC for a few hundred bucks.  Works great.  IronCAD on the big box, Office and related turdware on the little box.  100baseT between the two.  It's magic, I tell you!

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That is a great setup Eric! We have an IC consultant at our office who has a similar setup, one brutal Dell workstation 8GB RAM with only IronCAD (64-bit) and also a laptop workstation with IronCAD + all other programs. He has both machines running beside each other. He has no problems what so ever when running IronCAD alone. But before that he had all kinds of problems, I think most of the things we've ever reported has been seen on the old machine of his wink.gif

 

I know a few other users that will start using this dual machine setup, I'm sure they will be happy about it. It's definitely more easy to use than a virtual PC setup, but it will cost you a bit more...

Edited by Jonas@Solidmakarna
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It would be to easy to say yes, because there are other things that you have to count in as well. But for those having large assemblies on a 32-bit system it is very important that you keep as much performance for IronCAD to use as possible.

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I know a few other users that will start using this dual machine setup, I'm sure they will be happy about it. It's definitely more easy to use than a virtual PC setup, but it will cost you a bit more...

26524[/snapback]

 

I would have to agree with that... I think running 2 separate boxes worked best for me and when I had that setup it was great, besides that how much does it cost to buy another PC now days?

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... besides that how much does it cost to buy another PC now days?

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If you factor in the cost of your time futzing around with and tweaking the virtual PC software, etc. etc., I think a mere few hundred for the extra PC puts you ahead of the game!

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