Working with Windows XP Mode

Windows Virtual PC utilizes a number of “Integration Components” to make it easy for you to access many of the same resources from within the Windows XP virtual environment as those that are used by your Windows 7-based PC.
This integration enables the two environments to share such things as network connections, clipboard content, printers, USB devices, Smart Cards, and external storage.


• Accessing Your Windows 7-based PC’s Network Connections
When working in Windows XP Mode, you can use the network connections of your Windows 7-based PC to access the Internet from your virtual machine. This means that many of your older Windows XP applications can access the Internet as needed, without any additional effort on your part.

If your company has a corporate network, you can domain-join the virtual machine to that network just as you would the physical machine.


• Sharing Files and Folders Between Environments
Because the Clipboard is shared between physical and virtual machines, you can copy and paste any data you want between Windows XP applications and their counterparts in Windows 7.

Although drag-and-drop operations are not permitted between the physical and virtual machines, you can access your physical machine’s hard drive from the virtual machine. In addition, the physical machine’s My Documents folder will appear on your Virtual
Windows XP desktop as well, for easy access to any files you may require.


• Accessing External USB Devices — Desktop Mode
Windows XP Mode for Windows 7 supports the use of external USB devices that are attached to your Windows 7-based PC. USB storage devices, scanners, and Smart Cards whose drivers are installed on the Windows 7 host and the virtual machine are automatically shared with the virtual machine if the integration features are enabled. You can also easily access the host CD drive, and print on a local or network printer from within your Windows XP applications.

If an attached USB device does not appear in the My Computer window, you will need to make it available to the virtual machine. This is done by going to the USB drop-down menu that appears either in the upper-left hand corner of the Windows XP desktop window (Desktop Mode), or at the top of the desktop (Full-Screen Desktop Mode). Click on the device’s name to capture it for use by the virtual machine.

To release the device for use once again by the physical machine, click on the device name once more in the drop-down USB menu. It is now ready for safe removal from the host PC.


• Accessing External USB Devices — Seamless Mode
When working with a Windows XP applications in Seamless Mode (that is, launched directly from the Windows 7 Start Menu, desktop, or Taskbar), you can access external USB devices through the application’s regular File Menu commands, such as Open and Save As.

If a USB device is not compatible with Windows 7, you can still use it in Seamless Mode. To do this, simply attach the device in Desktop Mode, as specified in the section above. Then when you run your application in Seamless Mode, you will have access to the device.

Source of Information : Microsoft® Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V)