Virtual Machine Issues

Jody Thornton

Member
Member
Messages
276
Location
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Hi Folks:

In the near future, I'm hoping to run the Consumer Preview of Threshold, so I'm attempting to get Windows 8.1 installed now to ensure that I'm ready and working. Plus I'd like to play around a bit with Windows 8.1.

I've realized that my system and my processor in particular won't support a 64-bit guest. So I'm trying to install the x86 build of Windows 8.1. Before I search for a source, will my system support this? My specs should be listed, but here are the relevant processor/system details.

HP xw8200 (two Xeon 3.68 GHz Processors - Netburst/P4 Style)
DEP can be enabled. I do NOT have NX.
Host OS: Vista Ultimate x64

I really wish I could just find a junker system to test out the OSs and see if I like them, but what is needed for a "junker" PC now is quite substantial.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 x64 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP xw8600 Workstation
    CPU
    Two Intel Xeon Core2 Quad 3.2 GHz Processors
    Motherboard
    Proprietary
    Memory
    16 GB DDR2 800 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia Quadro FX 3800 PCI-E
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster 213T 21" 4x3 Flat Screen
    Screen Resolution
    1600x1200
    Hard Drives
    Two Seagate Cheetah 300 GB SAS Disks
    PSU
    Proprietary
    Case
    HP xw8600 Workstation Case
    Cooling
    Two CPU Fans and a Larger Case Fan
    Keyboard
    PS/2 Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech USB Optical Mouse
    Internet Speed
    7 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox ESR 102
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Two LSI 3000 SAS Adapters
Windows 8 and 8.1 require PAE, NX and SSE2. In Windows 7 and prior NX was recommended but not required. It is now required.
These requirements will likely remain the same in future systems. More may be added.

All hardware in a virtual machine is virtualized, except the CPU. These features must be present in the CPU or it cannot support Windows 8 in a virtual machine.

System requirements - Microsoft Windows
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Windows 8 and 8.1 require PAE, NX and SSE2. In Windows 7 and prior NX was recommended but not required. It is now required.

I take it that includes the x86 build too right? :)

What would be the oldest CPU that supports these refinements? Am I pretty much requiring a DuoCore? Or is that even sufficient?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 x64 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP xw8600 Workstation
    CPU
    Two Intel Xeon Core2 Quad 3.2 GHz Processors
    Motherboard
    Proprietary
    Memory
    16 GB DDR2 800 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia Quadro FX 3800 PCI-E
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster 213T 21" 4x3 Flat Screen
    Screen Resolution
    1600x1200
    Hard Drives
    Two Seagate Cheetah 300 GB SAS Disks
    PSU
    Proprietary
    Case
    HP xw8600 Workstation Case
    Cooling
    Two CPU Fans and a Larger Case Fan
    Keyboard
    PS/2 Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech USB Optical Mouse
    Internet Speed
    7 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox ESR 102
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Two LSI 3000 SAS Adapters
NX and SSE2 are required for both x86 and x64. PAE is not used in x64.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
LOL....I should have remembered that PAE was just a 32-bit thing. I just meant processor support for NX and sse2, but thanks for the correction. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 x64 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP xw8600 Workstation
    CPU
    Two Intel Xeon Core2 Quad 3.2 GHz Processors
    Motherboard
    Proprietary
    Memory
    16 GB DDR2 800 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia Quadro FX 3800 PCI-E
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster 213T 21" 4x3 Flat Screen
    Screen Resolution
    1600x1200
    Hard Drives
    Two Seagate Cheetah 300 GB SAS Disks
    PSU
    Proprietary
    Case
    HP xw8600 Workstation Case
    Cooling
    Two CPU Fans and a Larger Case Fan
    Keyboard
    PS/2 Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech USB Optical Mouse
    Internet Speed
    7 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox ESR 102
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Two LSI 3000 SAS Adapters
Hi there

running an x-86 Guest usually has ZERO problems on any hardware that can run probably any Windows OS since Windows 95 !!!. Contrary to info often written in this section you don't even need the VT Virtualisation feature to be enabled or exist at all for x-86 guests using VMWARE -- some old PENTIUIM II processors will work just fine.

The Virtual BIOS may be able to support PAE even if it doesn't exist on the REAL BIOS - for example you can test some hardware features that don't exist on the REAL machine such as UEFI on a non UEFI machine.

Windows 7 (as a VM) will certainly work on old machines -- the only way to see if Windows 8.1 will work is IMO to try it - you don't have to activate immediately - although it will require a serial number.

What you could do for a test is to download the windows 8.1 enterprise trial -- I think (correct if I'm wrong) there is an x-86 version and see if that works.

To run a Windows 8.1 Guest though you will need to reserve a minimum of 1 GB RAM in your machine for it and your Host should have a minimum of 4GB if you are running Windows X-64.

Simply install the VM just as you would a Real machine and after powering it on the first time install the VMWARE tools - will be available from the vm menu.

Although not specifically stated by Ms yet I wouldn't be surprised if they were at least thinking about dropping the 32 bit OS's in future - even the smallest laptop these days is 64 bit capable and maintaining two sets of OS'es is just wasting resources.

It *Could* be conceivable that Threshold might be 64 bit only -- if not I would expect this to be the last 32 bit native OS that Ms makes.


Cheers
jimbo
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Centos 7, W8.1, W7, W2K3 Server W10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1 X LG 40 inch TV
    Hard Drives
    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
    Internet Speed
    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)
I installed VMWare Player, and we have lift off with the Eval x86 version. Thanks a million Jimbo!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 x64 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP xw8600 Workstation
    CPU
    Two Intel Xeon Core2 Quad 3.2 GHz Processors
    Motherboard
    Proprietary
    Memory
    16 GB DDR2 800 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia Quadro FX 3800 PCI-E
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster 213T 21" 4x3 Flat Screen
    Screen Resolution
    1600x1200
    Hard Drives
    Two Seagate Cheetah 300 GB SAS Disks
    PSU
    Proprietary
    Case
    HP xw8600 Workstation Case
    Cooling
    Two CPU Fans and a Larger Case Fan
    Keyboard
    PS/2 Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech USB Optical Mouse
    Internet Speed
    7 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox ESR 102
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Two LSI 3000 SAS Adapters

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Centos 7, W8.1, W7, W2K3 Server W10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1 X LG 40 inch TV
    Hard Drives
    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
    Internet Speed
    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)
Well I had PAE supported, but I had to go into my bios and enable DEP. But then the installation ISO booted.

What specifically does Windows 8 (x86) use PAE for? Does it have different limits than the usual 3.5 gb of RAM? Can it make use of RAM beyond 4 gb?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 x64 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP xw8600 Workstation
    CPU
    Two Intel Xeon Core2 Quad 3.2 GHz Processors
    Motherboard
    Proprietary
    Memory
    16 GB DDR2 800 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia Quadro FX 3800 PCI-E
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster 213T 21" 4x3 Flat Screen
    Screen Resolution
    1600x1200
    Hard Drives
    Two Seagate Cheetah 300 GB SAS Disks
    PSU
    Proprietary
    Case
    HP xw8600 Workstation Case
    Cooling
    Two CPU Fans and a Larger Case Fan
    Keyboard
    PS/2 Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech USB Optical Mouse
    Internet Speed
    7 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox ESR 102
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Two LSI 3000 SAS Adapters
I don't know what Windows 8 does with PAE. PAE stands for Physical Address Extension. DEP implies PAE but aside from that it is largely irrelevant to a 32 bit client OS. It allows the CPU to address RAM beyond 4 GB but all 32 bit client versions of Windows since about XP SP1 ignore all such memory. Server operating systems support PAE but not all support more than 4 GB RAM. All 32 bit client versions of Windows allow a maximum of 4 GB RAM, of which about 3.25 (more or less) will be accessible. This isa licensing restriction.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Oh I understand what PAE does completely. I just wonder why Windows 8 NEEDS it to be present now. I wonder if maybe it makes use of RAM in the 3.5 to 4 GB area by remapping devices perhaps to be above 4 gb. I've never heard as such. Oh well. Hey all I care is my VM is working. Let's just hope the Threshold preview comes out in an x86 flavour (even if the finished product doesn't), so I can try it out. :D
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 x64 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP xw8600 Workstation
    CPU
    Two Intel Xeon Core2 Quad 3.2 GHz Processors
    Motherboard
    Proprietary
    Memory
    16 GB DDR2 800 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia Quadro FX 3800 PCI-E
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster 213T 21" 4x3 Flat Screen
    Screen Resolution
    1600x1200
    Hard Drives
    Two Seagate Cheetah 300 GB SAS Disks
    PSU
    Proprietary
    Case
    HP xw8600 Workstation Case
    Cooling
    Two CPU Fans and a Larger Case Fan
    Keyboard
    PS/2 Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech USB Optical Mouse
    Internet Speed
    7 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox ESR 102
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Two LSI 3000 SAS Adapters
Windows 8 requires that the CPU support PAE to enable running the PAE kernel. Windows 8 also requires that the CPU supports DEP which runs as part of the PAE kernel. PAE is necessary only because it provide the necessary support for DEP. But Windows 8 (like all current client versions of Windows) makes no use whatsoever of the extended memory access capabilities of PAE. Memory access in Windows 8 is the same as any other version of Windows in which DEP is operating.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
I just setup a VM on an WIN8.1 PRO after several issues that proved to be a corrupt ISO file. I now have an installed WinXP SP3 VM and have installed my 32bit Applications on it and they are functional. Now I have discovered I do not had access to the files on the Host computers Hard Drive. I have tried the option of creating an internal virtual switch but still do not see the Host computers hard drive. What are my options? Really don't want to have to continuously burn files to a DVD from the Host drive then launch VM WinXP and copy those files to the VM virtual hard drive.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 PRO
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS / Republic of Gamers
    CPU
    Intel Core 17
Try Skydrive...beats burning CD's... :geek:
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    17074 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP dv7 3173nr
    CPU
    M520
    Memory
    5GB
    Screen Resolution
    1600x900
    Internet Speed
    120Mb/s
  • PC2
    HP A12 R7 17074
I just setup a VM on an WIN8.1 PRO after several issues that proved to be a corrupt ISO file. I now have an installed WinXP SP3 VM and have installed my 32bit Applications on it and they are functional. Now I have discovered I do not had access to the files on the Host computers Hard Drive. I have tried the option of creating an internal virtual switch but still do not see the Host computers hard drive. What are my options? Really don't want to have to continuously burn files to a DVD from the Host drive then launch VM WinXP and copy those files to the VM virtual hard drive.

Try Skydrive...beats burning CD's... :geek:

I see the Skydrive when I am in the Host on the Win 8.1 platform. When I launch my WinXP SP3 Virtual Machine in Hyper-V, I do not see Skydrive. How would I link Skydrive to my WinXP SP3 Virtual Machine so my 32bit apps have access to these files.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 PRO
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS / Republic of Gamers
    CPU
    Intel Core 17
Back
Top