Microsoft removes hardware requirements for XP mode

Microsoft has announced that it is updating the XP Mode in Windows 7 to no longer require the use of CPU support for virtualization--such as Intel's VT or AMD's AMD-V. XP Mode is a feature found in the Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate versions of Windows 7, and was created to allow individuals or businesses upgrading to Microsoft's latest operating system to continue running legacy applications in a Windows XP virtual machine.

At a time when the success of Windows 7 was not guaranteed, Microsoft probably imposed the requirement for hardware virtualization support so as to maintain a minimum performance standard and user experience.

As noted by Emil Protalinski writing for Ars Technica, the move has proved troublesome and confusing as not all workstations have hardware virtualization support turned on in the BIOS, even if their CPU supports it in the first place. Exacerbating the issue is the fact that not every CPU made by Intel comes with virtualization support.

Personally, I had to grapple with the realization that Intel VT was permanently off at the BIOS level on my Sony laptop. I was fortunate in that Sony eventually relented and quietly re-enabled the feature in a BIOS update. Users with slightly older machines were previously left out in the cold, however.

Ultimately, this move is welcome news that will simplify matters for users or system administrators planning an upgrade to Windows 7 and who require the use of XP Mode.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Ars Technica
- check out this article at PCMag.com 

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