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Its exactly what it sounds like. Basically you will be able to run older applications that do not run in Windows 7 natively through what is known as Windows XP Mode. This is a nice feature that Microsoft has added to make 7 more appealing to those coming from XP to 7, which I have to say is a good thing, since all users moving from XP to 7 will have a long road ahead of them, since there is no upgrade option from XP to 7 directly. Moving to 7 will require a clean installation of 7, which means reinstalling all of those programs you need to operate day to day. XP Mode plays into this very well, actually.
Windows XP Mode is only available for Enterprise, Professional and Ultimate Editions of Windows 7. In order to run, you need to install Virtual PC 7, which is also currently in release candidate. From there, you can download (approx 448) a Virtual PC image of Windows XP. Once installed, you install your applications under the XP Virtual Machine. From within the Windows 7 Start Menu, under Windows Virtual PC, an entry will appear that says “Windows XP Mode Applications” It is here that you can execute the applications running in XP mode seamlessly through Windows 7. It will let you know that XP mode is starting and then the application will run as if it were running from Windows 7 natively.
However, it doesnt come without its disadvantages. In order to run Virtual PC, your processor must support hardware virtualization and must be enabled. This is done through your BIOS. Also, if you use VirtualBox, you cannot run in XP mode and run VirtualBox at the same time, as VirtualBox does not support hardware virtualization.
I noticed about a 1/2 GB increase in RAM usage when I started running in XP mode. Once I closed the application I was running in XP mode, it took some time for Windows to recover the RAM and actually close out of XP mode.
Overall, it works as advertised, which Im certainly happy about, as will most XP users who have legacy apps they absolutely cannot live without. If you're using a home edition of Windows 7, you're out of luck. This is certainly a nice way for Microsoft to appeal to its XP users, but its not quite there yet.
If you're interested in running XP mode, check it out. http://www.microsoft.com/windo…..nload.aspx. There are utilities listed on this site that will allow you to see if your PC supports hardware virtualization. Most newer processors should support it. However, if you're not comfortable with making changes in your system BIOS, I would suggest obtaining some help on getting this configured (There are also some general instructions from different PC manufacturers on how to make this change listed on the site).
Also, here is some reading from the Windows Supersite (Paul Thurott's personal site on Windows). http://www.winsupersite.com/wi…..ode_rc.asp.
By the way, Windows 7 is due for release October 22.
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