Microsoft has released the community technology preview of SQL Azure database along with the preview of an SQL server driver for building PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) applications for the Azure platform.
The Azure Services Platform is seen as Microsoft's move into the growing cloud computing market, reports CNET News. SQL Azure database, which is a relational database, is a rival to Amazon.com's SimpleDB.
"With SQL Azure, developers building Web 2.0, ASP.Net and PHP applications can use familiar tools and data models to develop on a pay-as-you-grow, secure, scalable and highly available database service at minimal infrastructure cost," Microsoft Senior Program Manager, David Robinson wrote in a blog post Tuesday. He added, "There are really no comparable solutions available today."
SQL Azure's relational data model supports Microsoft and Sybase's proprietary extension to the SQL database language, Transact-SQL. There is a high degree of compatibility with SQL Server, allowing for easy migration of business and Web applications to the cloud.
The free trial will last until November, when the service is fully launched. There will be two editions, a Web Edition that stores up to 1GB of data for $9.99 per month, and a Business Edition that stores up to 10GB at $99.99 per month.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Prezi - The Next Generation Presentation Software
What's Prezi?
Prezi is a Presentation software like Powerpoint with ultimate features.
The Navigation, Zoom, Media support features are Awesome. It's the best Presentation software one can ever seen.
Visit : http://prezi.com/
Demo : http://prezi.com/prezi/27/try/#57
PS: This is not MS Tech. :|
Prezi is a Presentation software like Powerpoint with ultimate features.
The Navigation, Zoom, Media support features are Awesome. It's the best Presentation software one can ever seen.
Visit : http://prezi.com/
Demo : http://prezi.com/prezi/27/try/#57
PS: This is not MS Tech. :|
App-V : Application Virtualization
What's Application Virtualization?
Application virtualization is an umbrella term that describes software technologies that improve portability, manageability and compatibility of applications by encapsulating them from the underlying operating system on which they are executed. A fully virtualized application is not installed in the traditional sense[1], although it is still executed as if it is. The application is fooled at runtime into believing that it is directly interfacing with the original operating system and all the resources managed by it, when in reality it is not. Application virtualization differs from operating system virtualization in that in the latter case, the whole operating system is virtualized rather than only specific applications.
What's App-V?
Application virtualization is at the heart of Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V). It decouples applications from the operating system and enables them to run as network services. Application virtualization can be layered on top of other virtualization technologies—network, storage, machine—to create a fully virtual IT environment where computing resources can be dynamically allocated in real-time based on real-time needs. App-V's patented application virtualization, dynamic streaming delivery, and centralized management technologies make everything from deployments and upgrades to migrations and business continuity initiatives easier and faster with better agility.
Virtualized application environments enable each application to bring its own set of configurations and run without any installation within a virtual run-time abstraction layer on the client, so dependencies or effects on the configuration of the operating system are minimized. However, since applications execute locally, they run with full performance, functionality, and access to local services - including cut and paste, OLE, printing, network drives, and attached devices.
Application virtualization is an umbrella term that describes software technologies that improve portability, manageability and compatibility of applications by encapsulating them from the underlying operating system on which they are executed. A fully virtualized application is not installed in the traditional sense[1], although it is still executed as if it is. The application is fooled at runtime into believing that it is directly interfacing with the original operating system and all the resources managed by it, when in reality it is not. Application virtualization differs from operating system virtualization in that in the latter case, the whole operating system is virtualized rather than only specific applications.
What's App-V?
Application virtualization is at the heart of Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V). It decouples applications from the operating system and enables them to run as network services. Application virtualization can be layered on top of other virtualization technologies—network, storage, machine—to create a fully virtual IT environment where computing resources can be dynamically allocated in real-time based on real-time needs. App-V's patented application virtualization, dynamic streaming delivery, and centralized management technologies make everything from deployments and upgrades to migrations and business continuity initiatives easier and faster with better agility.
Virtualized application environments enable each application to bring its own set of configurations and run without any installation within a virtual run-time abstraction layer on the client, so dependencies or effects on the configuration of the operating system are minimized. However, since applications execute locally, they run with full performance, functionality, and access to local services - including cut and paste, OLE, printing, network drives, and attached devices.
jQuery - Ultimate JavaScript Library
jQuery : The Write Less, Do More, JavaScript Library
jQuery is not MS Technology But worth to read and use.
What is jQuery?
"jQuery is a new kind of JavaScript Library. It is a fast and concise JavaScript Library that simplifies HTML document traversing, event handling, animating, and Ajax interactions for rapid web development. jQuery is designed to change the way that you write JavaScript."
Well, lemme explain in simple. jQuery is a Javascript file and you can use the built-in functionalities via HTML. It's useful in AJAX actions, event handling and even for Animation.
Why should I use jQuery?
jQuery is CSS3(A Web Standard by W3C) Compliant and cross browser compliant. In current scenario we need to write custom JS code for validation, event handling and animation. Most of the applications not using common/standard JS code (Re-usability). jQuery reduces the effort with its powerful function lib.
Where can I get jQuery details?
To download latest version of jQuery login to http://jquery.com/
Browse thru the tutorials http://docs.jquery.com/Tutorials
The Write Less, Do More.
jQuery is not MS Technology But worth to read and use.
What is jQuery?
"jQuery is a new kind of JavaScript Library. It is a fast and concise JavaScript Library that simplifies HTML document traversing, event handling, animating, and Ajax interactions for rapid web development. jQuery is designed to change the way that you write JavaScript."
Well, lemme explain in simple. jQuery is a Javascript file and you can use the built-in functionalities via HTML. It's useful in AJAX actions, event handling and even for Animation.
Why should I use jQuery?
jQuery is CSS3(A Web Standard by W3C) Compliant and cross browser compliant. In current scenario we need to write custom JS code for validation, event handling and animation. Most of the applications not using common/standard JS code (Re-usability). jQuery reduces the effort with its powerful function lib.
Where can I get jQuery details?
To download latest version of jQuery login to http://jquery.com/
Browse thru the tutorials http://docs.jquery.com/Tutorials
The Write Less, Do More.
Google's Knol (Another Wikipedia)
Knol is not a Microsoft Technology. But Just thought of sharing this new thing.
Google's Knol (http://knol.google.com) is similar to Wikipedia. But the difference is that it's classified based on content and author as well. In Wikipedia content is focussed rather the Author. But in Knol you can read articles written by a author.
Well Knol is good initiative from Google for Knowledge Sharing. Google as usual the Best Web Ruler.
Why don't you give a try today?
Log on : http://knol.google.com
Google's Knol (http://knol.google.com) is similar to Wikipedia. But the difference is that it's classified based on content and author as well. In Wikipedia content is focussed rather the Author. But in Knol you can read articles written by a author.
Well Knol is good initiative from Google for Knowledge Sharing. Google as usual the Best Web Ruler.
Why don't you give a try today?
Log on : http://knol.google.com
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Plain CSS Menu
Copy paste the below code in a New HTML Page. Make changes as required.
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=EmulateIE7" />
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />
<style type="text/css">
body
{
font-family:tahoma;
font-size:10px;
}
.menu ul
{
list-style-type:none;
padding:0;
margin:0;
}
/* make the top level links horizontal and position relative so that we can position the sub level */
.menu li
{
float:left;
position:relative;
z-index:100;
}
/* use the table to position the dropdown list */
.menu table
{
position:absolute;
border-collapse:collapse;
z-index:80;
left:-1px;
top:25px;
}
/* style all the links */
.menu a, .menu :visited
{
display:block;
font-size:10px;
width:149px;
padding:7px 0;
color:#000;
background: #EDEDED;
text-decoration:none;
margin-right:1px;
text-align:center;
}
/* style the links hover */
.menu :hover
{
color:#FFFFFF;
background: #FF7700;
}
/* hide the sub level links */
.menu ul ul
{
visibility:hidden;
position:absolute;
width:149px;
height:0;
}
/* make the sub level visible on hover list or link */
.menu ul li:hover ul,
.menu ul a:hover ul
{
visibility:visible;
}
.backwards
{
unicode-bidi:bidi-override;
direction: rtl;
color:#FF6600;
font-size:11px;
text-align:left;
}
</style>
</HEAD>
<body>
<H4>CSS Menu</H4>
<div class="menu">
<ul>
<li><a href="index.html">DEMOS<!--[if IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
<!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->
<ul>
<li><a href="zero_dollars.html" title="The zero dollar ads page">Zero Dollars</a></li>
<li><a href="embed.html" title="Wrapping text around images">Wrapping Text</a></li>
<li><a href="form.html" title="Styling forms">Styled Form</a></li>
<li><a href="nodots.html" title="Removing active/focus borders">Active Focus</a></li>
<li><a href="shadow_boxing.html" title="Multi-position drop shadow">Shadow Boxing</a></li>
<li><a href="old_master.html" title="Image Map for detailed information">Image Map</a></li>
<li><a href="bodies.html" title="fun with background images">Fun Backgrounds</a></li>
</ul>
<!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table></a><![endif]-->
</li>
<li><a href="index.html">MENUS<!--[if IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
<!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->
<ul>
<li><a href="spies.html" title="a coded list of spies">Spies Menu</a></li>
<li><a href="vertical.html" title="a horizontal vertical menu">Vertical Menu</a></li>
<li><a href="expand.html" title="an enlarging unordered list">Enlarging List</a></li>
<li><a href="enlarge.html" title="an unordered list with link images">Link Images</a></li>
<li><a href="cross.html" title="non-rectangular links">Non-rectangular</a></li>
<li><a href="jigsaw.html" title="jigsaw links">Jigsaw Links</a></li>
<li><a href="circles.html" title="circular links">Circular Links</a></li>
</ul>
<!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table></a><![endif]-->
</li>
<li><a href="index.html">LAYOUTS<!--[if IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
<!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->
<ul>
<li><a href="bodyfix.html" title="Cross browser fixed layout">Fixed 1</a></li>
<li><a href="body2.html" title="Cross browser fixed layout">Fixed 2</a></li>
<li><a href="body4.html" title="Cross browser fixed layout">Fixed 3</a></li>
<li><a href="body5.html" title="Cross browser fixed layout">Fixed 4</a></li>
<li><a href="minimum.html" title="A simple minimum width layout">Minimum Width</a></li>
</ul>
<!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table></a><![endif]-->
</li>
<li><a href="../boxes/index.html">BOXES<!--[if IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
<!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->
<ul>
<li><a href="spies.html" title="a coded list of spies">Spies Menu</a></li>
<li><a href="vertical.html" title="a horizontal vertical menu">Vertical Menu</a></li>
<li><a href="expand.html" title="an enlarging unordered list">Enlarging List</a></li>
<li><a href="enlarge.html" title="an unordered list with link images">Link Images</a></li>
<li><a href="cross.html" title="non-rectangular links">Non-rectangular</a></li>
<li><a href="jigsaw.html" title="jigsaw links">Jigsaw Links</a></li>
<li><a href="circles.html" title="circular links">Circular Links</a></li>
</ul>
<!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table></a><![endif]-->
</li>
<li><a href="index.html">MOZILLA<!--[if IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
<!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->
<ul>
<li><a href="dropdown.html" title="A drop down menu">Drop Down Menu</a></li>
<li><a href="cascade.html" title="A cascading menu">Cascading Menu</a></li>
<li><a href="content.html" title="Using content:">Content:</a></li>
<li><a href="moxbox.html" title=":hover applied to a div">Mozzie Box</a></li>
<li><a href="rainbow.html" title="I can build a rainbow">Rainbow Box</a></li>
<li><a href="snooker.html" title="Snooker cue">Snooker Cue</a></li>
<li><a href="target.html" title="Target Practise">Target Practise</a></li>
<li><a href="splittext.html" title="Two tone headings">Two Tone Headings</a></li>
<li><a href="shadow_text.html" title="Shadow text">Shadow Text</a></li>
</ul>
<!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table></a><![endif]-->
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=EmulateIE7" />
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />
<style type="text/css">
body
{
font-family:tahoma;
font-size:10px;
}
.menu ul
{
list-style-type:none;
padding:0;
margin:0;
}
/* make the top level links horizontal and position relative so that we can position the sub level */
.menu li
{
float:left;
position:relative;
z-index:100;
}
/* use the table to position the dropdown list */
.menu table
{
position:absolute;
border-collapse:collapse;
z-index:80;
left:-1px;
top:25px;
}
/* style all the links */
.menu a, .menu :visited
{
display:block;
font-size:10px;
width:149px;
padding:7px 0;
color:#000;
background: #EDEDED;
text-decoration:none;
margin-right:1px;
text-align:center;
}
/* style the links hover */
.menu :hover
{
color:#FFFFFF;
background: #FF7700;
}
/* hide the sub level links */
.menu ul ul
{
visibility:hidden;
position:absolute;
width:149px;
height:0;
}
/* make the sub level visible on hover list or link */
.menu ul li:hover ul,
.menu ul a:hover ul
{
visibility:visible;
}
.backwards
{
unicode-bidi:bidi-override;
direction: rtl;
color:#FF6600;
font-size:11px;
text-align:left;
}
</style>
</HEAD>
<body>
<H4>CSS Menu</H4>
<div class="menu">
<ul>
<li><a href="index.html">DEMOS<!--[if IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
<!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->
<ul>
<li><a href="zero_dollars.html" title="The zero dollar ads page">Zero Dollars</a></li>
<li><a href="embed.html" title="Wrapping text around images">Wrapping Text</a></li>
<li><a href="form.html" title="Styling forms">Styled Form</a></li>
<li><a href="nodots.html" title="Removing active/focus borders">Active Focus</a></li>
<li><a href="shadow_boxing.html" title="Multi-position drop shadow">Shadow Boxing</a></li>
<li><a href="old_master.html" title="Image Map for detailed information">Image Map</a></li>
<li><a href="bodies.html" title="fun with background images">Fun Backgrounds</a></li>
</ul>
<!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table></a><![endif]-->
</li>
<li><a href="index.html">MENUS<!--[if IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
<!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->
<ul>
<li><a href="spies.html" title="a coded list of spies">Spies Menu</a></li>
<li><a href="vertical.html" title="a horizontal vertical menu">Vertical Menu</a></li>
<li><a href="expand.html" title="an enlarging unordered list">Enlarging List</a></li>
<li><a href="enlarge.html" title="an unordered list with link images">Link Images</a></li>
<li><a href="cross.html" title="non-rectangular links">Non-rectangular</a></li>
<li><a href="jigsaw.html" title="jigsaw links">Jigsaw Links</a></li>
<li><a href="circles.html" title="circular links">Circular Links</a></li>
</ul>
<!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table></a><![endif]-->
</li>
<li><a href="index.html">LAYOUTS<!--[if IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
<!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->
<ul>
<li><a href="bodyfix.html" title="Cross browser fixed layout">Fixed 1</a></li>
<li><a href="body2.html" title="Cross browser fixed layout">Fixed 2</a></li>
<li><a href="body4.html" title="Cross browser fixed layout">Fixed 3</a></li>
<li><a href="body5.html" title="Cross browser fixed layout">Fixed 4</a></li>
<li><a href="minimum.html" title="A simple minimum width layout">Minimum Width</a></li>
</ul>
<!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table></a><![endif]-->
</li>
<li><a href="../boxes/index.html">BOXES<!--[if IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
<!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->
<ul>
<li><a href="spies.html" title="a coded list of spies">Spies Menu</a></li>
<li><a href="vertical.html" title="a horizontal vertical menu">Vertical Menu</a></li>
<li><a href="expand.html" title="an enlarging unordered list">Enlarging List</a></li>
<li><a href="enlarge.html" title="an unordered list with link images">Link Images</a></li>
<li><a href="cross.html" title="non-rectangular links">Non-rectangular</a></li>
<li><a href="jigsaw.html" title="jigsaw links">Jigsaw Links</a></li>
<li><a href="circles.html" title="circular links">Circular Links</a></li>
</ul>
<!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table></a><![endif]-->
</li>
<li><a href="index.html">MOZILLA<!--[if IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
<!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->
<ul>
<li><a href="dropdown.html" title="A drop down menu">Drop Down Menu</a></li>
<li><a href="cascade.html" title="A cascading menu">Cascading Menu</a></li>
<li><a href="content.html" title="Using content:">Content:</a></li>
<li><a href="moxbox.html" title=":hover applied to a div">Mozzie Box</a></li>
<li><a href="rainbow.html" title="I can build a rainbow">Rainbow Box</a></li>
<li><a href="snooker.html" title="Snooker cue">Snooker Cue</a></li>
<li><a href="target.html" title="Target Practise">Target Practise</a></li>
<li><a href="splittext.html" title="Two tone headings">Two Tone Headings</a></li>
<li><a href="shadow_text.html" title="Shadow text">Shadow Text</a></li>
</ul>
<!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table></a><![endif]-->
</li>
</ul>
</div>
Internet Explorer 8 Rendering Modes
Rendering Mode Control
If you’ve been making websites for a while, you’ll remember at least one browser transition where you needed to address issues with the way your past work appeared in the newest browser. It’s just the reality of being a web designer: old work needs to be tested and new work needs to be adjusted every time there’s a new release of a major browser.
Those who are new to web design have lucked out because Internet explorer 8 allows the designer to specify the rendering mode of pages on an individual basis. Leveraging this provides you with an easy way to instantly “fix” pages, and when permanent solutions are developed, you can easily specify that the page displays in the most recent Internet Explorer rendering mode regardless what that version is.
All of this magic happens with a simple little meta tag:
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="" />
(Where represents one of the modes below)
IE=5
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=5" />
This forces IE 8 to render the page in “Quirks” mode.
IE=7
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=7" />
This forces IE 8 to render the page using IE 7 Strict mode.
IE=EmulateIE7
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=EmulateIE7" />
This forces IE 8 to use the !DOCTYPE declaration in the page to determine the rendering mode.
IE=8
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=8" />
This forces IE 8 to display the page in Internet Explorer Standards mode.
IE=EmulateIE8
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=EmulateIE8" />
This forces IE 8 to use the !DOCTYPE declaration in the page to determine the rendering mode.
IE=edge
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="edge" />
This forces Internet Explorer 8 to render in the most recent mode. For instance; currently this would behave like using a value of IE=8, but when IE 9 is available that will be the mode that IE=edge will render in.
This forces Internet Explorer 8 to render in the most recent mode. For instance; currently this would behave like using a value of IE=8, but when IE 9 is available that will be the mode that IE=edge will render in.
Obviously, if you’re the designer of a site and you get a call letting you know that it doesn’t “look right” in Internet Explorer 8, you’ll most likely want to insert the IE 7 rendering meta tag until you can diagnose the rendering issue on your local computer and then publish your changes to the server.
Read in Detail : http://expression.microsoft.com/hi-in/dd835379(en-us).aspx
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Microsoft Virtual PC 2007
Microsoft Virtual PC 2007
About Virtual Technology
Virtual technology is making real world environment in logical or virtual way without using actual components. It may sounds like Simulation. With this technology you can simulate an environment with less effort / resources and cost. Microsoft Virtual PC uses this technology to provide real time OS in Virtual way.
Why I need Virtual Technology?
Virtual technology benefits, such as enabling a software developer to test their software, on different operating systems, before release. For instance, there’s no reason why you can’t host a copy of Windows ME, Windows 2000 and another copy of Windows XP, for testing purposes.
For instance, instead of trying and testing software on your computer, why not install a virtual PC for this purpose? This means that you can freely install as much software as you wish, without the installation affecting your everyday computer – you can decide what software you like to use, before you install on your computer, for real.
With virtual technology, you can simply switch back to a previous state. You can install your virtual operating system and save the current state (ie the current installation) and then switch back to that, at a later date, if your virtual operating system becomes unstable.
Virtual PC 2007 enables to host Windows Server 2003, XP, Vista, Linux, Unix as a virtual operating systems. It supports over 16000 Operating Systems.
Microsoft now provides all its new products in VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) format for evaluation.
The VHD has the OS and product installed by exerts. User just creates a Virtual Machine map the VHD. Ie. Don’t need to allocate a separate PC/Server to evaluate. No need to spend time/effort for Installation. Sounds cool huh?
You don’t need to buy Microsoft Virtual PC. Just visit Microsoft website and download the latest version of Virtual PC for Free. Download Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 SP1 @ http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=28C97D22-6EB8-4A09-A7F7-F6C7A1F000B5&displaylang=en
(Note: This URL taken at the time of creating this article, please check Virtual PC site for latest Version.)
Virtual PC Site: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/virtualpc/
Hardware requirements
400 MHz Pentium-compatible processor (1.0 GHz or faster recommended)
Min 512 MB RAM (2 GB RAM is recommended)
Min 35 MB of disk space
CD/DVD Drive (to install new OS on VM) or Image Drive Software (PowerISO, Nero) or VHD File of OS
Software requirements
Microsoft Windows (Windows XP/2003/Vista)
Each of the computers must be using the NTFS file system. Windows Server 2003 includes a conversion utility (Convert.exe) that you can use to convert an existing file allocation table (FAT) volume to NTFS without losing data.
Installation
Microsoft VPC installation is straight forward. Just execute the setup and follow the steps mentioned which are self explanatory.
Once Virtual PC setup finished, you’ll see Virtual PC Console. If you’re not getting the VPC console, Right click over Virtual PC icon on System Tray and select Show Virtual PC Console menu.
Now the Virtual PC is ready to use.
Create a New Virtual Machine
Now I gonna show you how to create a New Virtual Machine with Windows 2003 Server. Make sure your PC has minimum 512 MB RAM, 2 GB free space on Hard Disk, Windows 2003 Setup CD and CD Drive or Image file (.iso or .nrg) with Image Drive Software (PowerISO, Nero Full Version) or VHD File of the OS. You can download Evaluation VHD files of Windows 7/Windows Sever 2008 on Microsoft site at free cost. For this demo I use Windows Sever 2003 image file (.nrg) with PowerISO software.
1. We’ll create new Virtual Machine with required configuration. In virtual PC Console select File -> New Virtual Machine Wizard.
2. Click Next
Note: Virtual Machine file .vmc has the Virtual Machine settings. I recommend, create a folder in a drive which has more space and select for VMC.
! In some PCs, other programs try to take VPC’s RAM which results unexpected System reboot. Don’t execute High memory consuming applications while running Virtual PC.
7. Select A new virtual hard disk option.
8. Specify a name for VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) and memory space.
Note: VHD file grow rapidly based on programs/files you install/copy in VMC. You can specify even more than your Hard disk capacity, but when you save your VMC machine and it requires more memory than your hard disk have then it’ll show error.
9. Finish the VMC Wizard. The Virtual Machine is created and it’s like a New PC with Empty Hard Disk. You need to install an Operating System (and hardware drivers if required).
10. Now let’s see the VMC configuration. Click “Settings” on Virtual PC Console.
You’ll see the Configuration and you can alter this anytime except when the VMC is running (The settings will be disabled on that time).
11. If you want you can add More Hard disks of different location. This will be useful when you have free space on different drives. Each HD will be shown as different drive in VMC (like C:\, D:\). You can store files on drive which takes memory on location that mapped to the VHD.
12. Select Undo Disks and check “Enable Undo Disks”. This setting allows you to keep your VMC content safe from any crash on current session. (ie. All changes in VMC on current session will be stored in Undo Disk file which is like Buffer/Temp memory). When you wish, you can save all Buffer contents to original VHD which is called Merging VHDs. If the Enable Undo disk option is not selected, then all your changes will be saved directly in original VHD.
I recommend using Undo Disk always.
13. Select Networking and choose Network Adapter.
By default VPC selects the Network card which exists in Host PC.
If you enable this then you can use any shared folders from any PC on Network.
Rest of the settings is self explanatory.
14. Now insert Windows Server 2003 Setup CD on Drive. If you have Windows 2003 image then use PowerISO – Virtual Drive Manager or Nero – Image Drive. As I mentioned I am using Windows Server 2003.ngr image with PowerISO – VDM.
(Note: PowerISO is tiny CD Burning program, sizes about less than a MB having Virtual Drive Manager utility which mounts OS/CD images and shows as content CD inserted in Drive on the PC. You can create any number of virtual drives with this program where Nero 7 provides only 2 Image Drives. )
Right click on PowerISO and select Drive -> Mount Image. Then Select your Image file. Now in My Computer you’ll have new CD Drive icon along with all other drives and have the CD Contents.
Note: VPC identifies Primary CD Drive, if you have CD Drive and try to use OS image with PowerISO then VPC won’t take Virtual Drive. In this case disable CD Drive for sometime. (Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Systems Tools -> Computer Management. Select, right click on CD Drive and disable.)
15. Now open Virtual PC Console, select the VMC and click Start. In the VMC window, select CD Menu -> Use Physical Drive (E:). Now VMC will show the Windows Server 2003 Setup Screen. Please follow the steps and finish.
16. Now you have a Virtual Machine with Windows Server 2003 on your own.
Try all your applications/programs on the server. The same way you can install Linux, Unix or any other OS. To login on VMC press Right Alt + Delete. (Ctrl + Alt + Delete will be on Host PC’s control)
Note: Once you click on VMC then your mouse may not come outside. Press Right Alt button to get back the mouse on Host PC. For Full screen and Restore use Right Alt + Enter.
17. Install Virtual Machine Additions. (Select VMC Window Action Menu -> Install Virtual Machine Additions.) It’ll install VM Additions which enable you copy files from Host PC to VPC via Drag and Drop and more other options.
18. After completing installation save State via VMC Action Menu -> Close -> Save State and Changes. This turns the VMC like stand by/Hibernate mode. Now you exit from Virtual PC. If you select Shut down option in VMC then you’ll get option only to save changes on Hard disk or delete changes. Save changes option will store all temp VHD contents to original VHD.
19. Save VHD after installing Windows Server 2003 and driver setups on Original VHD. For evaluating software start the VMC, install and evaluate. If you want save the state or delete the changes which keep your Server State untouched.
20. You can move the VHD to any other PC by copy the VHD and map a new VMC in the other PC. Note: You can’t copy VHD when VMC is running. Always save the state permanently on VHD before copying/moving to other PC. Same way you can use VHDs downloaded from Microsoft. Just Create new VMC and Map the VHD.
Disclaimer
This article created by me and no copyrights reserved. You are free to distribute, if you wish. Feedbacks/Suggestions are always welcome.
- Venkatesh R
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