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To access Microsoft Virtual PC console, navigate to
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Start ->
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Programs ->
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Microsoft Virtual PC
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Sometimes the window of the Virtual PC can trap your mouse, restricting its
movement to only that particular window on your desktop. In such case simply
press the right ALT key to move the mouse freely, as well as to make a click
anywhere outside the Virtual PC.
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When you start using Virtual PC console, Symantec Antivirus window might pop up
with a warning on your screen. Closing that window will not help: the antivirus
warning is likely to pop up again. In such case simply move the Symantec
warning window out of your way and let it hang there for the entire duration of
the Virtual PC session.
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To install new OS environment under the virtual PC, that is, to create new
Virtual Machine, choose
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New ->
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Create Virtual Machine ->
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Give it a name, for example, "JohnDoeWindows2000"
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Leave all other parameters with default settings (you will have a chance to
modify these parameters later, as you will become more experienced user of
Virtual PC).
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Please note that the field name "Location" provides a full path and a name of
the VMC file. This file is a pointer to the set of files that contains your
"virtual disk", that is, a set of permanent files which store your Virtual
Machine environment between sessions.
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Leave memory prompt at its default setting, 1024MB (1GB). You will be able to
increase memory for the Virtual Machine later, once it has already been
created.
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The next prompt is "New Virtual Disk." Leave it at its default size, 16GB,
which is plenty of disk space for all our class needs.
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Change location of the "New Virtual Disk" file with VHD extension to root
directory of the D: drive. For example,
D:\JohnDoeWindows2000.VHD
Note: Once the install is complete, this is where your virtual machine stuff is
saved between sessions. Your VHD file, along with the subsequently created set
of V01, V02, ... files will be located here:
D:\JohnDoeWindows2000.VHD
D:\JohnDoeWindows2000.V01
D:\JohnDoeWindows2000.V02
. . .
Later, in case if you would like to take the entire virtual machine home and
continue to experiment with it, you may copy these files on a flash drive.
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Save your Virtual Machine. So far you have created a pointer to your new
Virtual Machine, which lives inside the VMC file.
Note: when the physical machine reboots, the VMC pointer file will disappear.
That is not a problem, since the actual settings have already been saved on the
D: drive.
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Insert distribution CD of the operating system that you would like to install
into CD-ROM drive.
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Double click th e Virtual Machine. It will boot the virtual system to-be in its
own window, and you should soon see the installation process running inside the
Virtual PC. Note: you may need to manually specify which CD-ROM drive to use,
but the drive still must be configured as bootable in BIOS CMOS settings of
your physical machine.
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Tip: avoid multiple VM sessions running at the same time because of the system
memory/speed considerations.
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When the install is complete and the virtual machine reboots, you may change
settings for your new VM and increase available memory. (The original setting
is 128MB, which is really a small amount of memory for Windows 2000 or XP
system.)
Additionally, you can choose Action menu of the Virtual PC console and click
"Install or Update Virtual Machine Additions," to keep your system
"up-to-date."
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Finally, if there is a need to clean up and physically remove the virtual
machine, you have to remove it from the Virtual PC console and also manually
remove all of the corresponding VHD, V01, V02, ... files located on the root
directory of the D: drive.
Note: Remember, there are multiple courses that use Virtual PC in this
classroom, so please be considerate and extra careful not to remove someone
else's virtual PC!
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