Virtual PC question

whougonacall

Registered
Installing Windows XP on virtual PC 7.0 and on the Set Up it shows the existing partitions and unpartitioned space on my computer about 16 GB's
Then it asks me how I would like to format the partition
NTFS or FAT file system? will this mess things up on my hardrive for OSX? I only want to use Virtual PC just for a small job or two but 95% of my usage will be OSX. will formating the partition mess things up on my Mac?
 
I don't see any need in formating the disk. Did you setup a VPC drive over the assistent? Do it and when installing pick: keep the current filesystem (or something like this).
However, I am quite positive the formating won't affect your mac.
 
Are you sure? Formating my partition really sounds quite harsh for small amount of stuff I would liek to use a PC for, I think it might not be worth it, maybe I should invest in a cheap Dell laptop?
 
as I said: there is actually no need to format the disk. I am not sure how formating the disk would affect your real disk. Let's say I would be VERY surprised, if it would harm your system in terms of formating your mac disk.
 
it wants to know if you want to format that "virtual disk" that vpc uses. you can format it however you want. there will be a 16gig "file" in your virtual pcs folder that is essentially the image that vpc uses. you WILL NOT screw up os x or your drive doing it.
 
Like cfleck says, VPC's "hard drive" is really just a big file on your Mac hard drive.

Unless you're actually dragging things between VPC and OS X, there will be no HD changes outside of that file.

That said, I cannot speak to the importance of reformatting your VPC drive, but I can assure you that your OS X HD is safe.



(thank goodness this is only a virtual PC question, and not an actual PC question... :D )
 
Hey I have a few questions that may as well go here.

1. How the hell do I set up an internet connection with XP, with an Airport card? Windows 98 worked fine, just went online. On XP I have to do all this "how do you wish to connect to the Internet?" stuff and, I don't think it will recognise the Airport Card as a valid XP component.

2. Is it possible to get files from my Mac OS X system to my Windows XP Virtual System?

I wish to copy my music to my VPC music folder so I can then download it onto my Zen.

Thanks.
 
Versions 6 and up (maybe even 5 and up?) allow you to just drag file icons from the OS X desktop to the VPC desktop.

You can also map an OS X folder to appear as a network drive in VPC (see the VPC docs on how to do this ... it's been a while for me.)

Dunno about the airport card.
 
Ok, thanks! I guess the internet part isn't such a big problem. I will just download the drivers for my Zen off a Windows laptop and put it on my mac.

Thanks
 
Hey Mo,
actually the airport and internet thing is quite easy. You can share your airport connection over your mac to VPC. For VPC it is just some sort of a proxy. It doesn't matter how your mac handles the connection.
 
Zammy-Sam said:
Hey Mo,
actually the airport and internet thing is quite easy. You can share your airport connection over your mac to VPC. For VPC it is just some sort of a proxy. It doesn't matter how your mac handles the connection.

Alright, thanks!
You'll have to explain further, when I get my Pbook back tomorrow, I know very little about proxy, etc.

Thanks
 
Mo, it's not really a proxy. You will just need to share your macosx internet connection to VPC. You have this option somewhere in the settings. And once it is shared to VPC, it doesn't matter if you're connected over ethernet or airport.
 
Back
Top