Virtual Machine Additions allow you to extend the capability of Microsoft’s Virtual PC software (capabilities listed at the end of the article), however installing these additions can be a little confusing so I decided to post the instructions to install the Virtual Machine Additions for reference. If you have any comments or questions, please post them below.
Note: I used Virtual PC 2007 on Windows Vista.
1. While you are running one of your virtual pcs’, click on Action > Install or Update Virtual Machine Additions (or hit Right Alt + I)
2. You will be prompted with the dialog box above which states that a CD image will be inserted in the Virtual Drive, the CD-ROM contains the installation files for the Virtual Machine Additions. Click Continue so that the CD-ROM is loaded.
3. The installation will be started in your Virtual PC, click Next to proceed.
The additions install…
4. Once setup is complete, click Finish.
6. Click Yes to restart your Virtual Machine.
Features Available
Improved mouse cursor tracking and control
Greatly improved overall performance
Virtual machine heartbeat generator
Optional time synchronization with the clock of the physical computer
Folder sharing between host and guest operating system
More information on Virtual Machine Additions can be found on Microsoft’s Technet website
Article posted on 10 31st, 2008
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Thank you very much! Very useful indeed, much more useful than Microsoft’s convoluted help files.
@dalbaeb: Thank you for the kind words. It’s always encouraging when someone appreciates my work. Hope to see you back here soon.
Right said. better than MS help files.Thanks Gilberto !
@prasad: I really appreciate the positive feedback. I look forward to seeing you here more often.
thanks a lot .. it was a big help
Thanks a ton!!!
I was strugging for more than hour and the solution was right there above the screen!
Why does not Microsoft makes life easier on their help files??
@Yukti: I’m glad you find my guides useful, you are correct sometimes Microsoft fails to simplify things. Do you have any ideas for Virtual PC guides that would be useful? Would love to hear your input. Thanks for visiting.
I’m running Fedora 11 within VPC 2007 on WinXP and trying to follow your instructions, but step 3 fails — Fedora thinks the virtual CD is blank.
Without this, I can’t share a folder from the virtual Fedora to WinXP.
Any ideas?
@ddw: I think I have your reason. I just attempted to accomplish the same with an Ubuntu VPC and it did not work. If you take a look at the contents of the image the folders are titled as follows; dos, os2, windows – nothing for linux or so it seems. Hope this helps. If you do find a solution please post it below. Thanks.
Thanx a lot man! It was so easy to do… Great contribution!
Thank you!!
Thanks a lot! It was really big help.:)
@Arjun – You are welcome.
Many Thanks. You make work more easilier.
@Kathy – Thank you for the positive feedback. Hope to see you back here soon!
Thanks dude, helped me get MVP with xp3 working, you saved the delivery date on a website for a fortune 1000-company, lol
Hello, a very useful tutorial. Thank you…. It finally works!
thank you
But I have a problem
While
I running one of virtual pcs’, I cann’t click on Action > Install or Update Virtual Machine Additions (or hit Right Alt + I)
I Put Mouse on Install or Update Virtual Machine Additions and press it but it is not active what do you think the problem?
@Jonee – What operating system is running as the Virtual PC? This can help answer the question.
OLA, GIL, USO O XP PRO e instalei o WIN 2000, MAS NAO CONSIGO INSTALAR O Virtual Machines acréscimos, ALGUMA Resolução, ETC DICA QUE POSSAM ME AJUDAR?
@Jose Roberto – No entiendo muy bien el portugues…puedes comunicarte con espanol? Gracias.
Hey Gil Quick question. My host machine is Win 7 and my virtual is Fedora. When i click the Install/Update …..additions> it mounts a virtual disc inside of Fedora. However I am not sure where to proceed from there as I have files for windows and os2 and dos. Long and short how do you share files from a guest Fedora Core 8 to a host Win 7
@Sr. D – Virtual Machine additions are only for Windows….so they will not run in Linux environments. They do have VM additions for Linux, but you have to be using Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1. Hope this information helps.
From Microsoft's Website
Operating systems that support Virtual Machine Additions
Virtual Machine Additions is included for the following supported server operating systems:
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (all versions)
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 with Service Pack 6a (SP6a)
Virtual Machine Additions is provided as a convenience for the following client operating systems:
Microsoft Windows XP (all versions)
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 95
The Setup doesn't come up!
What OS are you using? Also if AutoPlay is disabled on the Guest OS (Windows) it will not launch AutoPlay in which case you have to go to My Computer and double-click on the CD drive on the guest machine. Let me know if this helps.