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General discussion

Using XP mode

Jun 27, 2010 4:14AM PDT

These may be stupid questions, but I have not seen anything that answers them directly. I need to experiment with XP mode because of some minor problems accessing a site running Citrix Server. The site runs properly with MS Java Virtual Machine but has a few problems with Sun Java. As far as I can see the only solution to that on a Win 7 machine is to use XP Mode.

I'm in the middle of installing all of the Win XP security updates in XP mode. My impression is that I will have to run Windows Update periodically from within XP mode in order to keep XP mode patched. Do I also need to run AV software inside XP mode? My host system has AV protection but I don't know if it helps inside the virtual machine. I'm a bit concerned about performance issues because my Win 7 laptop is near the lower end of the requirements for XP mode.

When I installed XP Mode the system chose a user name for me (XPMUser) and there was no apparent opportunity to choose a different user name. My suspicion is that if I try to keep that user name it will create problems with Single Sign On when I have to access other PCs on the home LAN. Is there any barrier to using my regular Windows user name in XP mode?

The only time I actually need XP mode on this PC so far is when I go to a specific web site (the Citrix Server site). I have read that it is possible to set Win 7 so that specific programs always run in XP mode, but is there a way to set things up so a specific web site always opens in IE in XP mode?

Thanks.

Discussion is locked

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Do I also need to run AV software inside XP mode?
Jun 28, 2010 1:24AM PDT

Do I also need to run AV software inside XP mode?

YOUR CHOICE. It was hotly debated what would happen if a virus ran wild in a VM but since XP mode can access other bits of your machine it should be treated just like any other PC that runs Windows.

User name. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2346464,00.asp and other places cover that. Should not be a big deal if we are using some web apps.
Bob

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Regarding AV: That's what I was afraid of ...
Jun 28, 2010 3:48AM PDT

The problem, of course, is that it is very easy to accidentally browse somewhere that I did not intend to go in XP mode. If I have browser windows open in both Win 7 and in XP mode stuff will eventually happen that was not what I intended.

The downside is that since the netbook/laptop is pretty low on the performance scale to begin with adding in the demands of anti-malware will make it feel even more sluggish.

Just for grins I ran a CPU speed comparison from passmark. The CPU speed of the new 1.3 GHz dual core netbook is about 60% faster than my old 3 GHz Pentium 4 desktop, but when I run XP mode on the netbook the benchmark runs just under 50% of the old Pentium 4 (about 20-25% of the speed of the underlying Win 7 box). IOW, I'm used to running IE 6 on a 5 year old box, but XP mode on my new netbook runs about like a 6-7 y/o computer. The disk and display results were not quite as degraded but the CPU performance was awful.

I guess I'll do the safe thing and install the AV but my suspicion is that it isn't going to be pretty.

I hope that I'm correct that XP mode slows down the host system ONLY when it is actually open?

Judging from the article you linked there's potentially a lot not to like in XP Mode but for now it does something I need that Windows 7 does not do so I will just have to live with it. For me it will be better than trying to set up dual booting.

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Here the story is far different.
Jun 28, 2010 3:57AM PDT

The Core 2 Duo I have is VTx enabled so I see little speed loss. And for protection it has Google's PC Tools Spyware Doctor which has such a light touch that I don't notice it.

Next month I'll move to some i5 but not yet.
Bob

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PS. XP mode slow when open?
Jun 28, 2010 3:59AM PDT

Sorry but the XP mode I use has nothing running so all it does is take a bit out of RAM. The usual 4GB RAM, 7 64 bit Pro setup seems to not skip a beat.
Bob