Virtualizing means making an exact copy of your computer for a virtual machine. This can be useful for users who have different needs such as:
- If you have several operating systems and want to use them together, simultaneously.
I could then imagine having, in the same PC, a Linux system and a Windows one therefore, instead of setting a dual-boot so, either one starts or the other starts, I could copy the Windows one as a virtual operating system and use it inside Linux when needed.
- Ability to make a clone of the system and use it for testing, to install viruses and make any kind of disaster on the virtual PC, without affecting the real computer in the least.
- Being able to carry your virtualized computer on an external hard disk and use it wherever you want.
- Install Windows 7 without losing anything of your installation of Windows XP, so as to use them together.
In this article we see three programs with which you can virtualize your computer and make an exact copy in a virtual environment .
1) The first program I had already explained some time ago and is called Disk2vhd which is used to create a virtual machine of your Windows computer .
2) Paragon Go Virtual (no longer supported but still downloadable) is a tool that allows you to migrate your physical PC to a virtual environment .
It allows you to convert any physical system running Windows (XP, Vista, Windows 7) with all applications, settings, configurations and all files.
This Paragon program supports VMware, Microsoft Virtual PC and Virtual Box .
Among its features there is also that of being able to repair virtual systems that do not boot, even if created with other programs.
To use Paragon Go Virtual just download it, install it, select the copy by pressing the P2V Copy button and transfer the operating system and all the data to the virtual.
The wizard, although in English, is very simple and intuitive and also allows you to copy multiple partitions, always including the one where the operating system is installed.
During the wizard, you are also asked to choose the program, among VMWare, Virtual PC and VirtualBox, with which the virtual machine will be started.
In the end, all the real PC is copied into a single file that can be started using the chosen program.
3) Directly from Microsoft comes the support VMWare P2V migration program to make the copy of a Windows PC.
This tool aims to encourage migration from Windows XP to Windows 7, without losing the data of the old operating system.
Basically, if you have XP and you are using programs that perhaps, on Windows 7, will not work, then you can migrate XP to a virtual PC that can be used through the appropriate Windows 7 XP Mode tool.
This way you can use XP and Windows 7 on the same computer, without having to create dual boot or two partitions.
It includes Disk2Vhd and Microsoft Deployment Toolkit to convert XP into a virtual machine.
On Windows 7 and Vista you can open a VHD file from a virtual hard disk by following the guide to recover files from the backup image.
To understand these things you need to have clear in mind what virtual pc means and refer to the related article that explains how to create a virtual machine.
