This is a really exciting scenario: You want to get your user(s) upgraded to Windows 7, but they’ve got XP systems with applications that they just can’t do without. For some reason, the applications won’t work under Windows 7.
“Hey Kevin – Isn’t that what XP-Mode in Windows 7 is for?”
Exactly. For those of you who don’t know about it, “XP Mode” is the ability to run what under-the-hood is a copy of Windows XP as a virtual machine.. but giving users access to applications on their desktop as if they were running natively in Windows 7.
But let’s take the scenario a step further… they already have XP running on a physical box. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a tool that would simply migrate in a P2V (Physical-to-Virtual) fashion an existing XP computer into a virtual machine that then will run under Windows Virtual PC on Windows 7?
“Yes!”
Well.. we have a new “Beta 2” of a Solution Accelerator that allows you to do just that. It’s called the P2V Migration Solution Accelerator. And even better, this most recent beta also allows you to automate it in a grand fashion using System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Operating System Deployment if you so choose.
Here are some more resources:
- Register for the Beta: connect.microsoft.com
- Watch Jeremy Chapman describe and demonstrate P2V Migration on TechNet Edge
- Read more about P2V Migration on the Springboard Series Blog
Absolutely Full of I.T. 