We have just published a hotfix for Windows Virtual PC that addresses a compatibility problem when trying to install on an AMD Bulldozer system.

You can download it here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2519949

Cheers,
Ben

Last week I was asked, on Twitter, if it was possible to publish a built in application (like Internet Backgammon) from Windows XP mode.  The answer is: Yes, but it is a little tricky.

Most people use Windows XP mode to run specific applications that they have that will not run under Windows 7.  These people do not want to have their start menus cluttered with all the applications that populate the Windows XP menu – they just want to access their applications.  For this reason, we block publishing of all of the built in applications in Windows XP – but you can unblock them.

To test this out – I published Internet Backgammon on one of my systems.  The process that you need to follow is this:

1. Figure out the path and name of the executable that you want to publish.  In my case this was “bckgzm.exe” in “C:\Program Files\MSN Gaming Zone\Windows”:
   
2. Then you need to open RegEdit and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Virtual Machine\VPCVAppExcludeList
3. Search the entries here and you should find a string value with a name of the executable (“bckgzm.exe” in my case) and a data value of the path.  Delete this key.
4. Reboot the virtual machine.

After doing this – the application will appear in the Windows 7 start menu:

And you can run it as an integrated application:

Cheers,
Ben

Here is a problem that I was asked about a while ago:

When I try to start a DOS application that switches to fullscreen in Windows XP Mode – it fails with an error that states “The video device failed to initialize for fullscreen mode.  Choose ‘Close’ to terminate the application.”  Why is this happening – and how do I fix it?

The reason why this happens is because Windows XP mode uses Remote Desktop technology for its integrated mode – and Remote Desktop does not support the video modes needed by fullscreen DOS applications.  The simplest way to make this work is to disable integrated mode.

This will get you from failure:

To success:

Cheers,
Ben

By default, Hyper-V will not let software inside of a virtual machine attempt to generate network traffic with a MAC address other than the address that Hyper-V has assigned to the virtual machine (known has MAC address spoofing).  The reason why this is not allowed by default is that it is relatively uncommon to need to do this, and MAC address spoofing can be used for malicious purposes.

However, I found that I needed to enable this on one of my virtual machines recently.

For a while now I have been running Hyper-V on my primary desktop system – which means I have been unable to run Virtual PC on it directly.  I have a couple of other computers handy (including my laptop) where I run Virtual PC instead.  But there are times when I am working on my desktop computer – and I do not want to switch to another computer in order to confirm something about Virtual PC.  To solve this problem – I simply run Virtual PC inside a Hyper-V virtual machine!

This has been working fine for me – and I have mostly been using Windows XP mode with the default settings.  But the other day I needed to do some advanced networking operations, that would not work with the default network setting of using Shared Networking (NAT).  After changing the virtual machine to use the host network adapter directly – I was surprised to see that I was unable to get an IP address from my DHCP server:

It took me a while to figure it out – but Virtual PC uses MAC address spoofing in order to generate network traffic that looks like it is coming from the virtual machine (and not from the host).  I quickly enable MAC address spoofing and everything was good-to-go.

For the curious – the user interface for enabling this setting can be found on the network settings page on Windows Server 2008 R2:

And under the Advanced Features section of the network settings page on the Windows 8 Developer Preview (which is what I am running at home at the moment):

Cheers,
Ben

Before I get started today – I want to make one thing very clear: the content of this post is not officially supported by Microsoft.  Feel free to try it out – but if you hit problems do not go contacting Microsoft Product support – as this is unsupported.

With that out of the way:

When using Windows XP Mode the display is limited to using 16-bit color.  If you try to change this you will see that you cannot:

For most situations – 16-bit color works fine.  However, there are some applications that require greater color depth.

It is possible to get 24-bit color support by doing the following:

• Start Windows XP Mode
• Run regedit
• Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services
• Create a new DWORD value with a name of ColorDepth and a value of 4
• Restart the virtual machine

After doing this you will see that you now have 24-bit color support.  Now – to answer a couple of obvious questions:

• If this is unsupported – why is this option even there?  Use of 24-bit color is supported on Windows Server 2003, but it is not supported on Windows XP.  This is a case where you can enable this on Windows XP due to similar components being used.
• Why is it not supported – it seems to work?  While it works in many cases, there are times (which I have seen myself) where programs that work correctly with 16-bit color do not work correctly with 24-bit color.
• 24-bit isn’t good enough, I need 32-bit color depth?  Your best option here is to disable integration mode.  This will put you back on our emulated video card – that can support 32-bit color depth (but you lose all of the nice integration features).

Cheers,
Ben

If you are using Windows XP mode on an LCD display – you may notice that the font looks a little jagged.  The reason for this is simple.  ClearType is not enabled.

While Windows Vista and Windows 7 both enable ClearType by default – Windows XP (which was released when LCD screens were not as common as they are today) does not.

Thankfully it is quite easy to enable ClearType on Windows XP mode.  First, you will need to start Windows XP mode and login to the desktop (this should happen automatically for you).  Then you will need to:

1. Right-click on the Desktop and select Properties
2. Change to the Appearance tab in the Display Properties dialog
3. Click on the Effects… button
4. Make sure that Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts: is checked and choose the ClearType option (it will be Standard) by default:
   
   
   
   
5. Hit OK on the Effects dialog and OK on the Display Properties dialog

After doing this you should notice an immediate improvement in the clarity of the fonts in Windows XP mode.

Cheers,
Ben

Just over a week ago – we posted some details on how to run the Windows 8 Developer Preview in a virtual machine (read all about it here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/09/16/running-windows-8-developer-preview-in-a-virtual-environment.aspx).

I have been getting a lot of questions and information here – so I wanted to follow up with some details:

• While the Windows 8 Developer Preview does run under Hyper-V – there is a known problem with running the Windows 8 Developer Preview on Hyper-V in Windows Server 2008 R2.  If you are doing this / are planning to do this you should have a look at this hotfix: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;2526776
• In the above article we stated that the Windows 8 Developer Preview does not work under Virtual PC / Virtual Server.  A lot of people have been asking me if there is some unofficial tweak / hack that can be used to make this work – but the answer is a definitive “no”.  Sorry, but there is nothing more to say there.

Cheers,
Ben

It is possible to get into a state where Windows XP mode stores the wrong logon information.

There are a couple of ways to hit this problem – but the most common cause is because you have changed your password inside Windows XP.  The result is that when you start Windows XP mode you see the following error message:

After getting this error message you then have to type in your password to logon.  Unfortunately this will not fix itself automatically.  Fortunately it is not too difficult to fix manually.

The core problem is that Windows Virtual PC has a saved copy of your old logon information – and this information needs to be updated.

To do this you will need to:

1. Stop the virtual machine
2. Open the settings for the virtual machine
3. Go to the Logon Credentials page
   
   You should see a user name on this page:
   
   
4. Click on Delete saved credentials
   
   This should cause the user name field to be cleared:
   
   
5. Start the virtual machine
   
   You should be prompted for your logon information:
   
   
   Make sure that you check the option to Remember my credentials:
   

Now your Windows XP mode should logon automatically for you again.

Cheers,
Ben

As I mentioned yesterday – I have been working on a completely automated virtual machine build process that does not use templates (but build everything from scratch).  One of the key tools that I have been using for this process is WIM2VHD – which allows me to generate new VHD files directly from Windows installation media.

However – I wanted to go a step further and have the virtual machines generated using this process boot in a completely unattended fashion.  My ultimate goal here was to go from nothing to having a virtual machine logged into the desktop with no external interaction.

Luckily, WIM2VHD allows you to specify a unattended installation file to be injected into the virtual hard disk.  I installed the Windows Automated Installation Kit for Windows 7 and then used the Windows System Image Manager to create some unattended installation files.  One of the interesting problems though is that not all sections of the unattended file are referenced when used with WIM2VHD.  In fact, only the specialize and oobeSystem sections are used.  So I had to figure out how to do everything I wanted in these two sections.

Below are the unattended files that I created (with serial numbers struck out):

Unattended file for Windows 7 32-bit:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <AutoLogon>
                <Password>
                    <Value>p@ssw0rd</Value>
                    <PlainText>true</PlainText>
                </Password>
                <Domain>QuickSetup</Domain>
                <Enabled>true</Enabled>
                <LogonCount>1</LogonCount>
                <Username>Test</Username>
            </AutoLogon>
            <ComputerName>QuickSetup</ComputerName>
            <ProductKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-*****</ProductKey>
            <TimeZone>Pacific Standard Time</TimeZone>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <Identification>
                <JoinWorkgroup>QuickWorkgroup</JoinWorkgroup>
                <UnsecureJoin>true</UnsecureJoin>
            </Identification>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>
                <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
                <ProtectYourPC>3</ProtectYourPC>
            </OOBE>
            <UserAccounts>
                <AdministratorPassword>
                    <Value>p@ssw0rd</Value>
                    <PlainText>true</PlainText>
                </AdministratorPassword>
                <LocalAccounts>
                    <LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
                        <Password>
                           <Value>p@ssw0rd</Value>
                           <PlainText>true</PlainText>
                        </Password>
                        <Description>Test</Description>
                        <DisplayName>Test</DisplayName>
                        <Group>Administrators</Group>
                        <Name>Test</Name>
                    </LocalAccount>
                </LocalAccounts>
            </UserAccounts>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <InputLocale>en-us</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-us</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
            <UILanguageFallback>en-us</UILanguageFallback>
            <UserLocale>en-us</UserLocale>
        </component>
    </settings>
</unattend>

Unattended file for Windows 7 64-bit:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <AutoLogon>
                <Password>
                    <Value>p@ssw0rd</Value>
                    <PlainText>true</PlainText>
                </Password>
                <Domain>QuickSetup</Domain>
                <Enabled>true</Enabled>
                <LogonCount>1</LogonCount>
                <Username>Test</Username>
            </AutoLogon>
            <ComputerName>QuickSetup</ComputerName>
            <ProductKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-*****</ProductKey>
            <TimeZone>Pacific Standard Time</TimeZone>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <Identification>
                <JoinWorkgroup>QuickWorkgroup</JoinWorkgroup>
                <UnsecureJoin>true</UnsecureJoin>
            </Identification>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>
                <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
                <ProtectYourPC>3</ProtectYourPC>
            </OOBE>
            <UserAccounts>
                <AdministratorPassword>
                    <Value>p@ssw0rd</Value>
                    <PlainText>true</PlainText>
                </AdministratorPassword>
                <LocalAccounts>
                    <LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
                        <Password>
                           <Value>p@ssw0rd</Value>
                           <PlainText>true</PlainText>
                        </Password>
                        <Description>Test</Description>
                        <DisplayName>Test</DisplayName>
                        <Group>Administrators</Group>
                        <Name>Test</Name>
                    </LocalAccount>
                </LocalAccounts>
            </UserAccounts>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <InputLocale>en-us</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-us</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
            <UILanguageFallback>en-us</UILanguageFallback>
            <UserLocale>en-us</UserLocale>
        </component>
    </settings>
</unattend>

Unattended file for Windows Server 2008 R2:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <servicing></servicing>
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <AutoLogon>
                <Password>
                    <Value>p@ssw0rd</Value>
                    <PlainText>True</PlainText>
                </Password>
                <Domain>QuickSetup</Domain>
                <Enabled>true</Enabled>
                <LogonCount>1</LogonCount>
                <Username>Administrator</Username>
            </AutoLogon>
            <ComputerName>QuickSetup</ComputerName>
            <ProductKey>*****-*****-*****-*****-*****</ProductKey>
            <RegisteredOrganization>Microsoft</RegisteredOrganization>
            <RegisteredOwner>Ben Armstrong</RegisteredOwner>
            <TimeZone>Pacific Standard Time</TimeZone>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <Identification>
                <JoinWorkgroup>QuickWorkgroup</JoinWorkgroup>
                <UnsecureJoin>true</UnsecureJoin>
            </Identification>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <HideLocalAccountScreen>true</HideLocalAccountScreen>
                <HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>
                <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
                <ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>
            </OOBE>
            <UserAccounts>
                <AdministratorPassword>
                    <Value>p@ssw0rd</Value>
                    <PlainText>True</PlainText>
                </AdministratorPassword>
            </UserAccounts>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <InputLocale>en-us</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-us</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
            <UILanguageFallback>en-us</UILanguageFallback>
            <UserLocale>en-us</UserLocale>
        </component>
    </settings>
</unattend>

Using these files with WIM2VHD is quite simple – you just use a command like this:

cscript wim2vhd.wsf /wim:"I:\sources\install.wim" /sku:ULTIMATE /VHD:".\NewClient.vhd" /size:40000 /disktype:dynamic /unattend:unattendClient32.xml

Cheers,
Ben

The other day I had someone contact me with this question:

“I am running a program in Windows Virtual PC where I need to use the F1 key to bring up help information inside the virtual machine.  However, whenever I press F1 the Windows Virtual PC help comes up instead.  How to I get the F1 key to go to the virtual machine and not to Virtual PC?”

The answer to this is quite simple.  If you open the virtual machine settings, go to the Keyboard entry and select To the virtual machine:

Then all key combinations – including F1 – will be sent to the virtual machine.  There are some problems with this though:

1. This setting is per-virtual machine – so you need to set it on each virtual machine manually (the default setting is In full screen view only)
2. You cannot change this while the virtual machine is running – so you will need to hibernate / turn off the virtual machine first

Cheers,
Ben