Portable Microsoft Virtual PC 2007

[helphope]

Thanks for answering.
I'm not sure I understand.

You can do that without using my software, just copy the .vhd files from one computer to the other, then set up a new virtual machine that uses the copied vhd file as it's hard drive.

So there is no point in having a portable version of VPC?

[lococobra]

My wrapper allows you to use Virtual PC portably, not just move around virtual machines.

I assumed that before, you just meant you wanted to take the virtual hard drive from one computer to another. The virtual hard drives are just files, you can take them with you with no software installed at all. My wrapper allows you to actually use them.

I think I'm being very unclear in explaining this...

How's this: Yes, Portable Virtual PC will let you use Virtual Machines from one computer to another via pen drive.

[helphope]

Thanks for your patience.
It's not you who are unclear, i't's just me. I'm moving now into this field.

Thanks a lot

[stumpii]

This site I found has some great info on reducing the size of the image file. I think it was written for VPC2004, but all applies to VPC2007 as well.

The one part that I did not find clear was where the pre-compactor was. It is an ISO in the app folder, so mount the ISO as per normal through the CD menu.

Here is the site anyway: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000639.html

I reduced my 12GB image down to 1.2GB, which is XP plus a few programs.

[mandozza]

Hi lococobra,

I use the automatic and then the manual installation.

When I want to start portable virtual pc I got the following message:

TheVirtual Machine Monitor driver requird by Virtual PC is missing.

Please reinstall Virtual PC and try again.

I reinstalled Virtual PC a few times.

I always got the same message.

What did I wrong?

[Onesimus Prime]

Hello again,
I really enjoy your program, lococobra (or rather your wrapper, which lets me use this MS program ).
When I start it, it gives me a "Caution - Virtual PC" window, saying "Virtual PC could not open the Virtual Machine Network Services driver...."
It's not as debilitating as mandozza's Monitor driver problem; the VM still functions (and lots faster than QemuManager, which I was using before!), but it'd be nice to have full functionality if possible.

Thanks for all your work in making, and now supporting, this!

[stumpii]

Hello again,
I really enjoy your program, lococobra (or rather your wrapper, which lets me use this MS program ).
When I start it, it gives me a "Caution - Virtual PC" window, saying "Virtual PC could not open the Virtual Machine Network Services driver...."
It's not as debilitating as mandozza's Monitor driver problem; the VM still functions (and lots faster than QemuManager, which I was using before!), but it'd be nice to have full functionality if possible.

Thanks for all your work in making, and now supporting, this!

I get the same problem on occasions, but I can still access the network from within the VPC. I have the 'Shared Networking (NAT)' option selected as the network option in the VPC settings.

[stumpii]

Hi lococobra,

I use the automatic and then the manual installation.

When I want to start portable virtual pc I got the following message:

TheVirtual Machine Monitor driver requird by Virtual PC is missing.

Please reinstall Virtual PC and try again.

I reinstalled Virtual PC a few times.

I always got the same message.

What did I wrong?

Can you run VPC from the installation folder (i.e. before you try and make it portable)? If not, then there is a problem with the VPC installation. Do you have the correct 32 or 64 bit install?

[lococobra]

Lets see if I can clear up some issues...

The VMNet Services problem is one I've been dealing with for a while. I've got a new solution in mind that might fix the problem for good... but here's what you should know. Usually when you get this error, it's not that VMNet services are unavailible, it's that they haven't actually finished installing quite yet. If networking inside VM is working at all, then the VMNet service is working. For now, ignore the problem. Next release I'll make sure you never see that error msg again.

mandozza: Here's what I would do. I believe it's what stumpii was suggesting.

Completely wipe out your current instalation. Make sure you uninstall Virtual PC from your computer, as well as removing all of my wrapper's files. Then install Virtual PC and run it. If for some reason, virtual pc does not load correctly, then we have problems...

Here's the two possibilites:
1. As stumpii said, you may have the wrong version for your computer, or some element of the host install may be corrupted.

2. Some part of my code is malfunctioning.

If it's the first, you just have to find a way to get the base install of Virtual PC running before doing anything else. However, if it's door #2... I need to know as much as possible about what's happening. If this is the case, email me with the OS/Service pack you're using, and any events that happen before or after you launch the portable version and I'll see what I can do.

[stumpii]

Lets see if I can clear up some issues...

The VMNet Services problem is one I've been dealing with for a while. I've got a new solution in mind that might fix the problem for good... but here's what you should know. Usually when you get this error, it's not that VMNet services are unavailible, it's that they haven't actually finished installing quite yet. If networking inside VM is working at all, then the VMNet service is working. For now, ignore the problem. Next release I'll make sure you never see that error msg again.

Have you tried RunWait instead of Run for that part of the install, or code similar to:

Code: Select all

Run("VMNet...")
Sleep(100)
While ProcessExists("VMNet...")
   Sleep(100)
Wend

[lococobra]

Have you tried RunWait instead of Run for that part of the install...

Yes, of course. The problem with doing it that way is two fold.

1. I can't run any other setup tasks until it's done with that.

2. Often, the driver is actually installed and ready to be used long before the process closes.

The solution I'm probably going to go with will be to check for the VMNetSvc file located in the sys32 directory. As soon as that file exists, VPC should be ready to launch.

[stumpii]

Have you tried RunWait instead of Run for that part of the install...

Yes, of course. The problem with doing it that way is two fold.

1. I can't run any other setup tasks until it's done with that.

2. Often, the driver is actually installed and ready to be used long before the process closes.

The solution I'm probably going to go with will be to check for the VMNetSvc file located in the sys32 directory. As soon as that file exists, VPC should be ready to launch.

Cool. Look forward to future updates.

[mandozza]

Lets see if I can clear up some issues...

mandozza: Here's what I would do. I believe it's what stumpii was suggesting.

Completely wipe out your current instalation. Make sure you uninstall Virtual PC from your computer, as well as removing all of my wrapper's files. Then install Virtual PC and run it. If for some reason, virtual pc does not load correctly, then we have problems...

Here's the two possibilites:
1. As stumpii said, you may have the wrong version for your computer, or some element of the host install may be corrupted.

2. Some part of my code is malfunctioning.

If it's the first, you just have to find a way to get the base install of Virtual PC running before doing anything else. However, if it's door #2... I need to know as much as possible about what's happening. If this is the case, email me with the OS/Service pack you're using, and any events that happen before or after you launch the portable version and I'll see what I can do.

Long time ago...

Now I'm back.

Here what I did on 2 different computers, both use Win XP Pro SP2

1.) I installed Virtual PC 2007.
2.) I create a Virtual Machine.
3.) I start the Virtual Machine with VPC2007
4.) Shut down the virtual machine and close the console of VPC2007
5.) I start VPC2007 Portable - on both computer the automatic installation said it could not find an installation of VPC2007, but it copied all necessary files. If I tried to start VPC2007Portable on both computers I got the same message: The Virtual Machine Monitor driver required by Virtual PC is missing.
6.) I use the manual installation.
7.) I tried to start VPC2007Portable but I got the same message.

So I got the same message on two different computers - any Idea?

Best regards

[lococobra]

It's probably due to a timing issue in program startup. Does it work to run a virtual machine? Does it force the app to close?

If not, I wouldn't worry about it for now. I could put a longer delay in the program start up, but I'm looking for a more elegant solution than that.

[mandozza]

Hi lococobra,

here more information:

1.) With PortableVirtualPC I can not run any virtual machine, because after confirming the message "The Virtual Machine Monitor driver required by Virtual PC is missing" the window Virtual PC Portable appears and then the VPCPortable crashed - means the window does not dissapear - and the programm do nothing. I must kill it by the taskmanager.

2.) I can run any Virtual Machine with PortableVirtualPC until I deinstall the VirtualPC 2007. After deinstallation - I got the message: "The Virtual Machine Monitor driver required by Virtual PC is missing"

And these is complete the same on 2 different machines with WinXP Pro SP2.

If you need any more information - let me know!

Best regards and thank you in advance!

It's probably due to a timing issue in program startup. Does it work to run a virtual machine? Does it force the app to close?

If not, I wouldn't worry about it for now. I could put a longer delay in the program start up, but I'm looking for a more elegant solution than that.