Ｗａｙｎｅ：This is my life in technicolor！

《 轉載來源：癮科技 》

Windows 7（Ultimate 跟 Professional）將有個 XP Mode 這個吃下 XP 的虛擬平台，不過當中卻有個『但是』沒跟大家說清楚，就是硬體相容方面的問題。

首先，您的電腦記憶體必須要有 2GB RAM 以上，同時還有對於 CPU 的方面要求，也就 CPU 必須支援晶片等級的虛擬環境；雖然目前不論是 Intel（Core i7）或是 AMD 家（Athlon 64）的近期推出處理器都有支援，不過稍舊一點 CPU，究竟有誰在白名單裡頭，兩家公司目前都沒有講清楚，這也就有待大家傷腦筋了。

看來各位傷腦筋的時間，也不過是幾奈秒而已，主站讀者提供了一個軟體，可以用來檢測自己的電腦是否支援 XPM 一類的虛擬平台，有興趣的朋友可以下載測試一下。

[原文連結]

《 原文來源：CNET News 》

More on Windows 7's 'XP Mode'

Microsoft on Tuesday offered up a few more details on its once-secretive project to use virtualization to offer an "XP Mode" for Windows 7.

As noted on Friday, Microsoft is using its Virtual PC technology to allow Windows 7 users to run programs that work in Windows XP but not in Windows Vista. On Tuesday, it noted some more of the fine print regarding the product.

As far as technical requirements, XP Mode needs a beefier system than that required to just run Windows 7 or XP alone, including at least 2GB of memory and a system that has chip-level virtualization from either Intel or AMD. One of the challenges is that today it is often not that easy to tell whether one's PC has such support.

"Some PCs have it and some don't," said Scott Woodgate, a director in the Windows unit. "It's not as clear as it should be relative to which PCs have (hardware-based virtualization) support and which don't."

At its core, XP mode consists of two things, the Windows Virtual PC engine and a licensed copy of Windows XP Service Pack 3 as a packaged virtual machine. Although neither piece will be included in the Windows 7 box, XP Mode will be a free download for those who have a license to Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.

Microsoft is aiming XP Mode primarily at small businesses, Woodgate said."That's a class of customers that may have Windows XP apps that they may want to run on Windows 7," he said.

Larger businesses may also have need to run older applications, but typically want control over things like who can install programs on their machines and other management issues. For them, he said, Microsoft has a product called MED-V that allows such control. An updated version of MED-V, due to be in beta within 90 days of the launch of Windows 7, will add support for Windows 7's XP Mode, he said.

One of the benefits of XP Mode over Microsoft's existing virtualization products is the fact that, after a setup process, the Windows XP virtual machine runs in the background so users don't have to manage multiple desktops. XP Mode automatically installs shortcuts for XP programs in the Windows 7 start menu. The experience from that point on is similar to the one offered by VMware's Fusion and Parallels in their virtualization products.

Woodgate noted that XP Mode isn't a security solution. Indeed, to protect their systems, users will need antivirus software running both on their Windows 7 desktop as well as a copy running inside their Windows XP virtual machine.

The beta version of XP Mode is debuting alongside the Windows 7 Release Candidate that is going to developers this week and being made publicly available on May 5. Microsoft said a final release will depend on the feedback to the beta, but Woodgate said Microsoft hopes it can be ready for download at the same time Windows 7 is made broadly available.

Microsoft has been working on the XP Mode as long as it has been developing Windows 7, and Woodgate said even he is surprised it stayed secret for so long.

The existence of XP Mode emerged on an enthusiast site on Friday, later confirmed by CNET sources, and then through an official company blog post.