Windows XP Mode in Windows 7

The Windows XP Mode for Windows 7 is out now.

It is basically a virtual machine or a virtual pc running inside Windows 7, just like how you can run Linux or whatnot inside Windows.


It is available for anyone who owns Windows 7 Professional and above.

Runs pretty smoothly, but accessing things off the Windows 7 HDD can be a bit slow and lagging, for example running a song off Windows 7 in Windows XP mode feels like running a song on a weak wireless network, very choppy and lagging.

Yet to install any software on it to run or use a printer etc. with Windows XP. Maybe more RAM can solve the lagging problem, but Windows Xp Mode is much better than most Virtual machines OS you can install because it maps all your Windows 7 HDDs as network drives (BY DEFAULT, not set up required) so you are not stuck with running the local Windows XP virtual HDD only.



The download link is:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

"Windows cannot delete the active system partition"

Windows cannot delete the active system partition

Sounds like you are trying to delete or edit a partition that had/has a Windows installation on it, Trying to install a new window in that partition? (you can just install over it during the install process) Trying to use that partition for something else like as data storage? Well then you will need remove the system before you can re-format the partition for use.

Try this:

• Make sure the account you are logged into Windows with is an Admin one
• Windows + R
• msconfig
• Enter
• Boot > Delete the OS or windows you do not want any more
• Apply > Restart

Now go right-click My computer > Manage > disk Management > Try to re-format the partition, shrink it, delete it etc.

OK, so that doesn't work. This website : http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/itprovistasetup/thread/af3a1e24-214f-4e0e-b917-9530a27534de


Deactivate / Inactive an active partition:

Suggests doing things in command prompt to deactivate the partition you want to reformat. After doing a Google search I found out that only 1 partition can be active, so instead of doing the command prompt stuff, I tried this emthod and it worked:

1. Right-click My computer > Manage > Disk Management
2. Select the partition you are now wanting to use > Right-Click > Mark partition as Active
3. The other partition should now be inactive and ready for you to reformat, etc.

Hope this works for you! =]

Recovering / Migrating Mozilla Firefox / Thunderbird Profiles!

OK, I did a hard drive partition whilst running on battery and I left it running and forgot all about it, so.. logical tells us the battery didn't last as long as the process, hence my whole partition was partially stuffed up, big time!

Meaning windows would not boot. I ran the recovery options from the W7 disc and ta-da, Windows now boots.

OK now my desktop won't load at all, so my Windows install is pretty much stuffed up, ad not even the Admin or Safe-mode accounts can load anything up. I'll try a system restore point, opss I disabled that before for some unexplained reason :\

So now I am evaluating what I will lose if I do a fresh install over it, well Firefox Bookmarks NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO and also Thunderbird E-mails and address book, Ahh NOOOOOOOOOO this can't be happening, I don't make a regualr habbit of back up, only like once every 3 months. =.="

So I decided to do a fresh install but on a different partion and keep the sutffed up W7 partition so I can attempt to recover the programs etc. (not really recover but like I can acces the Program files oflder of the stuffed up W7 and at least have a remidner of what programs I had installed etc.

I separate my data and OS for this purpose, so that only Firefox and Thunderbird data is lost (hopefully, I haven't yet thought of anything else I might lose except for windows shortcuts and layouts which some can be copied and pasted and maybe saved games, which can also be pasted, see why I said install in a new partition?? you can continue to recover some stuff)


IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN MY EVENT STORY AND JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW TO RECOVER THE PROFILES OF MOZILLA SOFTWARE DO THIS: (Windows 7)
Read Red Tips below first before beginning to save time =)

• Go to: C:\Users\Gec\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox
  Where C = Drive letter of stuffed up W7
  Where Gec = name of your Windows profile (e.g. Gec's Pictures, i.e. the name you see at the log in screen)
  
  
• Go to "Profiles" > fn489th3.default
  Where fn489th3 = random, your one will not be called this
  
  
• Copy the whole fn489th3.default folder into:
  
  
• D:\Users\Gec\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
  Where D = new drive letter of working W7
  Where Gec = new windows account name
  
  
• Now in: D:\Users\Gec\AppData\Roaming\Firefox\profiles.ini
  
  
• Change "Path=Profiles/zvdf31jz.default" to "Path=Profiles/fn489th3.default"
  Where zvdf31jz.default = random name made by the new Firefox install
  
  
• Save the changes and now open up Firefox, most bookmarks etc. should be there with the exception of Themes.
  
  
• !!! The same works for Thunderbird, with the exception that the location is
  C:\Users\Gec\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird
  
  
  
• !!! To avoid this situation again, try using a Mozilla Backup tool called "MozBackup" (recommendation only, i am no way associated with the promotion of the product, BTW it's free anyway ;P)
  
  

TROUBLE SHOOTING / TIPS:

1. You need Firefox and or Thunderbird installed in the new W7 install first.
   
   
2. You also need to run the application once first and when asked, select "do not import
   anything" as this will set up the profile folders.
   
   
3. You need to go to Tools > Folder Options > View > Show hidden files, folders and drives
   before you can see the "AppData folder in D:\Users\Gec\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird
   
   
4. You may only see profile instead of profile.ini unless you un-check "Hide file extensions of known file types" (Tools > Folder Options > View > Hide file extensions of known file types"