Windows7How

Reasons to Use XP Mode Part I

March 26, 2010

Windows 7 is now out in the world; released to the masses by Microsoft on 22 October 2009. With the new operating system (OS) from Microsoft comes a touch of an older OS from the same location. Something they call Windows XP Mode is available with the Windows 7 release. If your PC is powerful enough – and the requirements are stiff, though they are not a quantum leap – you can turn your Windows 7 machine into a Windows XP machine. There are other ways to do this with the Windows 7 OS itself, but this Virtual PC is Windows XP in a real way. Applications which run in XP run in XP Mode. Why don’t we look at why this new feature, which is actually retro, is such a good idea…

First off, there is the compatibility. It is important to note that everything you could use and do in Windows XP, you can do here. Have an old game controller you just love but the company died in the recession (unfortunate, but true), so there is no Windows 7 driver coming? Well, as long as it worked in your Windows XP system, you can now use in with Windows 7. Even more interesting is that once you install Windows XP Mode on your system and install some applications there, they will also be accessible from your Windows 7 OS.

One good reason this is an important part of Windows 7 is something we touched on earlier; it has everything to do with an update to Virtual PC. It is far better than when it first graced our world with its presence, but it remains imperfect. The very nice features it does have with Windows 7 allow you to access all physical hard drive volumes, including the host – usually your Windows 7 install. All of this is done via a virtual machine.

An interesting byproduct of having Windows XP Mode is an extension of support. If you decide to run this OS on a regular basis, then you are running Windows XP. So, anything which is supported in Windows XP will be supported in your XP Mode. Longer support for the things you know and love! Additionally, you can use newer items with your Windows 7 install.

Microsoft has also been rather good to Windows XP users. It has continued to support this now eight-year-old OS and will do so in limited form until at least 2014. This is mainly because so many people and – especially – large corporate customers did not want to use Vista. After testing it, most declined the upgrade. Microsoft was forced to support it or risk alienating a huge number of the people it relies on for income. They have demonstrated with this feature that Windows XP is still very relevant to them and their audience.

Let’s not forget that age – eight years is a very long time in the computer industry, a very long time. Just look around you and see if you can find any piece of tech you use regularly that is older than ten years, or five years…not that easy, is it? With Windows 7 as a backbone for Windows XP Mode, you get a solid, secure and very compatible OS within which to work. It allows you to bring Windows XP into 2009.

Looks like we will have to learn more in Part II, sorry about that. You should already be able to see why it is good that Windows XP Mode exists. There are a few more important points about it as well, so go ahead and read the next part, you may find it interesting.

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Tags: microsoft, virtual pc, win 7, windows 7, windows xp, xp mode