Datasheet

36 Chapter 1
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Planning for the Installation of Windows 7
This exercise shows you how easily you can integrate virtual applications into a user’s
desktop. Users don’t have to know all the details of how the virtual applications are
installed or how they work, and many end users don’t want to know. They just want to be
able to access an application when it’s needed.
If an administrator configured the virtual application to run from a shortcut like this,
the user will have very little indication that anything is different. They can still run their
legacy application, and you are still able to migrate your older systems to Windows 7.
Using Windows XP Mode allows you to run legacy applications on a Windows 7 system
easily. However, you can also use VPC to run other desktops that you create.
Running Applications from Other VPCs
The previous example showed you how to install applications in Windows XP Mode and
make them available from the Windows 7 Start menu, but you aren’t restricted to doing
this with only Windows XP Mode.
Developers are notorious for crashing their systems. They develop applications and,
during the test-and-debugging process, things sometimes go wrong. For example, an oper-
ating system that once worked now no longer works. Not only is the developer unable to
continue the development of the application, but they can’t even access email or do other
day-to-day work. While you can’t prevent a developer from crashing a development envi-
ronment, you can isolate the problem by creating a virtual environment for development
work.
You start with a regular Windows 7 desktop. You can then install another instance of
Windows 7 in a virtual machine and install applications within the virtual machine. As
long as the Auto Publish settings are set to Enabled, the applications will automatically
appear on the host machine’s Start menu for that PC once the shortcuts are copied to the
Start menu on the virtual machine. Hibernate the VPC, and you can then launch the pro-
grams in the same manner as you did with Windows XP Mode.
The only pieces that are missing from this puzzle are the steps you need to take to cre-
ate a Virtual PC image. Exercise 1.7 shows you the steps needed to create a virtual PC
machine. You can then install an operating system within this virtual machine.
EXERCISE 1.7
Creating Other Virtual PC Machines
1. Launch the Virtual PC console by clicking Start  All Programs  Windows Virtual
PC  Windows Virtual PC.
2. Click Create Virtual Machine in the title bar.
3. Enter a name for your VPC in the Name text box. You can either accept the default
location for the VPC or select another location. Your display will look similar to the
following graphic. Click Next.
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