Microsoft Virtual PC Editor's Review

If you’re the kind of person who needs to run multiple operating systems at the same time on the same computer, then Microsoft Virtual PC is the package for you.

What is it and what does it do?

Virtual PC is a free platform which allows you to create individual virtual machines on your Windows desktop. Each of these virtual machines acts as a physical computer in their own right and can run operating systems such as MS-DOS, Windows, and OS/2.
For those of us who need to support multiple operating systems, and switch between them easily with a convenient mouse click, Microsoft Virtual is virtually perfect.
It’s easy to install and guides you through the fun process of creating the first virtual machine. The software’s configurement and setting options are easily tweaked to suit your requirements and you can fine tune how it interacts with your actual computer.
To switch between operating systems is as simple as a walk in the park and you can also save virtual machines to disk and restore them at a later date.

Pros: It’s free, a convenient way to multi-task, and allows you to run old apps and games on your computer by loading an older OS in a virtual machine and firing that baby up.

Cons: Doesn’t appear to work effectively with home versions of Windows XP or Vista and offers no USB device support.

Conclusion: Microsoft Virtual PC may be considered by some as a blunt tool but it definitely gets the job done.
Running different operating systems on one machine without having to create separate partitions on the hard drive cannot be underestimated.
Despite its appearance of being complicated to use and only for computer geniuses, the Microsoft Virtual PC is very accessible and will appeal to anyone who wants to maximise their computer’s potential.