As some of you may have heard by now, I asked: What about bob?

This was referring to a failed program made by Microsoft, Microsoft BoB, which failed because it was condescending, cost $100 at the time, and... well, you should try it some time.

Well, as it won't work on XP easily, I decided to try and install an earlier version of Windows... But who wants to mess with their main os, especially if their main OS is as inflexible to changes as Windows?

^_^ Say hello to Microsoft's (Free) Virtual PC 2007!

Here I am running Windows 3.1, and openSUSE 10.2, and installing Windows.
I can pause, shutdown, and run any of em.



This tutorial covers how to install, setup, and use a virtual PC on a Windows OS. If anyone knows how to do this on linux/mac, please let me know.

Part A. Preparation
Step1. Unless you have a 64 bit Operating system (And believe me, you probably don't),
go to this web page and download the 32 bit version of Virtual PC 2007.
{Download Virtual PC 2007}
Step2. Install it to your computer with default settings.
Step3. Run it. It should be at "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Virtual PC\Virtual PC.exe"
^_^ There, you have the software ready to begin.

Now you just need some Operating Systems to install:
Windows Operating Systems:
^_^ There are several, but for historical sake, I would try 1.0, 3.1, 95, and 98. I highly suggest Microsoft BOB as well, which is easiest to install on the 95 and 98 systems. However, if you don't own 95 and 98, I can't help you.
Windows 3.1 is supplied by Windows, for free! (You can get it here.)
{To install Windows 1 or Windows 3.1, your going to need an install of MS-DOS, any level. Or use FreeDos.}
Linux Operating Systems:
O.O there are THOUSANDS of these, and almost all are free.
Some of my fav's:
openSUSE 10.2 : Easy to use, Supported by Novell. It is a well liked OS. Free.
Ubuntu 6.10 ~ Another well liked OS, Also supposed to be fairly easy.
Thousands of other Free, online Operating Systems ~ Try em out!

Part B. Creating my Virtual Computer
So here is a picture of my 3 OS's that I have installed so far, Windows 98,3.1, and openSUSE 10.2.
Notice that you can right click any of them, and choose a variety of options.


Step1. Start Virtual PC 2007, and click the icon in the system tray to open the main console as show above.
Now, click on the "NEW..." button:


This will pop up a wizard to help walk you through setting up a new virtual computer.
Click on the "Next" option.


Step2. Now you can select what you want to do.
Since we want to make a new virtual computer, select the first option and choose next.


Step3. Click the browse button, and by default you should be looking in a folder called "My Virtual Machines", in your "My Documents" folder. I like to create a folder here based on what OS I plan to install, for organizational reasons, but you can just make up a name and click "Open".
Now, for this tutorial, I am making a machine for Windows 95, so I named mine Windows 95.
Original, no?


Once you have selected where and what to name your new computer, click "Next" again.

Step4. Now we get to choose what profile to use.
Just choose Other if your Operating System is not listed (95 isn't).


Step5. Now we get to pick how much ram our computer gets to use.
Remember, this will be taken out of your ACTUAL Ram, so do not pick a huge amount or your REAL operating system will slow down a LOT, and possibly become unstable. You can also change this later, so don't feel too worried about what you pick.

For openSUSE, I gave 512 MB of ram, since I love openSUSE, and I know their OS would use it well.
However, for Windows 3.1, I gave it 32MB of ram... even though it only needs 8MB to be super fast. Gotta love older OS's.
Just use "Using the Recommended RAM" if you don't want to bother with it for now.
For Windows 95, I gave it 256 MB of ram, a rather large chunk, but oh well.


Step6. NOW we get to making a hard drive for our virtual computer.
Select the second option, "A New Virtual Hard Disk".


Step7. By default, it will save in the same place that you saved the OS stuff earlier, with the same name.
Unless that bothers you, then don't mess with it.
Change the Virtual Hard Disk Size to however much you wish to give...

In my case, I gave 1024 MB (1 GB) of space to Windows 3.1,
4096 MB (4GB) to Windows 98, and a big chunk to openSUSE.
Since the OS I was installing was Windows 95, I gave it 2048 MB (2GB).
By Default, the Hard Drive will expand if it gets full I think.


Step 8. This one is not REALLY a step, but whatever.
Press "Finish".


I now have a machine ready for an OS!

Part C. Installing an OS on My Virtual Computer
As you can see below, I now have a Virtual Computer!


On a side note, you can change settings for this Virtual Computer by right clicking any of them and choosing "Settings"...
Here is a picture of me changing my Ram designated for this OS:


Unfortunately, when we start it nothing shows up since we installed nothing:


Have no fear! Installation is here!

Step1. Gather your installation tools. If you have an ISO of a CD or DVD, your basically already done. If you have a real CD or DVD, you are also done. If you have a .ima, .vfd, .img, or .dsk image of a floppy, you are ALSO done.

If you don't, we need to convert your installation files into one of the above:
The easiest way is a combination of the following programs:
I. ISO recorder, which allows you to make ISO images out of ANY folder, ANY drive, for free. You can move things to older OS's that have cd/dvd drives this way pretty easily.

II. Deamon, Which lets you take an ISO and make a virtual cd/dvd drive out of it, so that you can use that ISO without burning it. (Free) (Download here.)

III.a. Total Uninstall (The Last Freeware Version) ~ I am only suggesting this because of number 3.b, which is shareware. If you use This program to install stuff, it takes a picture of your system before and after, and when you are ready to uninstall, it undoes ALL OF IT. ^_^ This means nothing left behind, and you can redo the trial without a reinstall. Free.
III.b. WinImage <PLEASE SOMEONE GIVE ME A BETTER OPTION> which, although it is a trial version, lets you open, edit, and create floppy images of almost any type (Just make sure you choose .ima or .img). The size needs to be 1.44 to work correctly with Virtual PC 2007.... I would LOVE to replace this, and if I HAD a floppy drive I could just make images of files on it, but I dont so I cant.
If you can't find any other program either, then go ahead and use this thirty day trial: here.

Ok, messy, I will admit it.

At this point, you should have either an ISO, IMG, IMA, or a mounted image in Deamon.

If you have a mounted image in Deamon, make an ISO out of it.
If you have a folder that needs to be a floppy img:
If you have a folder that needs to be an ISO (Like if you want to move stuff):
Install ISO Recorder V2 if you haven't already.
Right Click the folder and choose "Create ISO Image File".
Choose where to save it, and select Start.[/color][/quote]

At this point, you should have either an ISO, IMG, or a IMA.

Step2. You can either use real life items (Floppy drives, which are detected automatically, or your real life CD/DVD/Deamon Virtual Drive).

To mount these CD/DVD/Floppy images, just click on either of the two menu items below:
"CD", "Floppy"
Then select either "Use Physical Drive ?:", or "Capture ISO Img...", which lets you use one of the ISO's we made earlier.


Follow instructions for your individual OS from that point on!

^_^;;; This is a big topic, so please let me know if I missed anything major.

O.O OH, and show us what you did!

Here is a great (Free) program to take some pics of it:
HandySnap

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