Virtual Vista, a quick how-to guide

Let's say that you want to try out Microsoft® Windows Vista™ on one of your current PCs but you don't want to use dual-boot method. The alternative is to use virtualization. Here are the 8 steps (notice I didn't say "8 simple steps" ;-) that I've come up with based on my recent experience. There is a lot to learn about Virtual PC 2007 and Windows Vista individually, so below is just a quick to-do list (not exhaustive instructions). You'll need to set aside a couple of hours to go through this (you've been warned).

1. Install the free Microsoft® Virtual PC 2007, "a solution that allows you to run multiple PC-based operating systems simultaneously on one workstation, providing a safety net to maintain compatibility with legacy applications while you migrate to a new operating system."
   
   NOTE: Don't gloss over the system requirements -- make sure that you well exceed the minimums! You'll want to use a powerful workstation (I tested using a 3 GHz CPU with 2GB RAM). No matter how loaded your computer is, it will barely be fast enough ;-).
   


2. If you're not ready to buy Windows Vista™ yet, you can download the free Microsoft Windows Vista 30-day Evaluation VHD (Virtual Hard Drive), "evaluate them for free in your own environment without the need for dedicated servers or complex installations".
   
   NOTE: You will need a Microsoft Windows Live ID (Passport, Hotmail, or MSN e-mail address) to log in and get the 1.5GB download (in 3 parts: Vista.part1.exe, Vista.part2.rar and Vista.part3.rar). Microsoft requires you to provide your contact and company information in order to register for the VHD Test Drive evaluation program.
   


3. Run "Vista.part1.exe" -- it will extract the necessary files: Vista.vmc, Vista.vhd, etc.
   
   
4. Double-click the "Vista.vmc" file. It will launch Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 and boot Vista for the first time. This will take a while. Then you'll create a user account and pick a country & time zone. Soon after that you'll be able to log in and it will prepare your desktop.
   
   
5. To improve security, turn off some features such as "Remote Assistance" and "Password protected sharing". I'm sure that there are many other things that can be done to improve security in Vista, but that's beyond the scope of this how-to guide. Now shut down Vista.
   


6. From the menu of the 'Virtual PC Console' pick "Settings" then click the 'Networking' line. For Adapter 1, choose an adapter from the pop-up list (e.g. Broadcom ... Gigabit).
   
   
7. Start Vista from the 'Virtual PC Console' window, and once you log in you should find that you have working Internet connection (e.g. the virtual networking adapter uses DHCP to get you connected). Pretty soon, Windows Update will figure out that you have Internet access and will start downloading lots of updates. This will take a while. The Vista.vhd file will start out at about 5GB but will grow as you install more software into your virtual Vista.
   
   NOTE: I had some trouble with Windows Update failing to install 2 updates (KB933566 and KB931213 published 6/11/07) even after I followed the Help instructions. Please add a comment to this blog entry if you found a way to solve that problem.
   
   
8. From the 'Virtual PC 2007' menu (use the right-Alt key to get your mouse pointer out of the Vista window and back to your PC's desktop) pick "Action > Install or Update Virtual Machine Additions". This will mount a virtual CD, so agree to autorun the setup.exe and follow the prompts, resulting in a reboot of course. Now you should have better drivers for sound and graphics the next time you start up.
   

If you have any questions, start at the Microsoft Virtual Hard Disk FAQ. Now that you're on the tip of the iceberg, enjoy the view!