If your computer doesn’t meet the requirements, here is an alternative to Windows XP Mode for Windows 7 called VMLite XP Mode. VMLite XP Mode is similar to Microsoft XP Mode but doesn’t require hardware virtualization. It allows you to run Windows XP at the same time from your desktop running on a different host operating system.

VMLite XP Mode creates a virtual Windows XP environment in Windows 7 so that you can run your older applications. Through seamless integration, you can install such applications and invoke them directly from Windows 7 Startup Menu.

VMLite XP Mode Features

• Provides similar functions as Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode from Microsoft
• No requirement for hardware-assisted virtualization, namely, it runs without VT-x or AMD-v
• Provides seamless integration with host desktop to run applications from Windows XP virtual machine
• Host files can be accessed from within the XP Mode virtual machine easily
• Support 3rd party virtual machine images
• Runs on any PC with Windows XP and above as host operating system
• Highly performed, XP Mode boots in 15 seconds

To install VMLite XP Mode, it needs VMLite Workstation and a licensed copy of Windows XP in virtualized image file format. A licensed copy of virtualized Windows XP image file can be the one provided by Microsoft, or prepared by VMLite Workstation or 3rd party vendor such as VMWare from licensed Windows XP in factory CD/DVD.

Download VMLite XP Mode

Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode, the latest virtual Windows XP environment for Windows 7 that allows you to run Windows XP from your Windows 7 desktop requires processors capable of hardware-assisted virtualization with AMD-V, Intel VT or VIA VT turned on in the BIOS.

To determine whether your PC works with Windows XP Mode:

Step 1. Does my PC have a CPU with support for hardware virtualization?

• Download and run the Hardware-Assisted Virtualization Detection Tool
  • If you receive the message “This computer does not have hardware-assisted virtualization,” your computer does not meet the hardware requirement for Windows Virtual PC
  • If you receive the message “Hardware-assisted virtualization is not enabled on this computer,” go on to Step 2 below.
  • If you receive the message “This computer is configured with hardware-assisted virtualization,” download and install Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode.

Step 2. Does my PC BIOS support hardware virtualization, and is it turned on? Instructions to turn on hardware virtualization in your PC BIOS are specific to OEM models. Visit Windows Virtual PC Configure BIOS on how to enable hardware virtualization in the BIOS.

The screenshot above shown if your computer has a HAV capable processor and this feature (HAV setting) is enabled on the processor (from the BIOS). You can install Windows Virtual PC or Windows XP Mode on the supported Windows 7 edition.

Windows XP Mode requires downloading and installing both Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC. Windows Virtual PC provides a simple wizard to set up Windows XP Mode with just a few clicks.

Once you have installed Windows XP Mode, click the Windows 7 Start button, then select All Programs > Windows Virtual PC > Windows XP Mode to begin setup. You will be asked to create a new password and whether or not to receive Automatic Updates. Once the setup is complete, you will see your new Windows XP Mode environment as a window on your Windows 7 desktop.

It enables Windows XP virtual environment and Windows 7-based PC to share network connections, clipboard content, printers, USB devices, Smart Cards, and external storage. When working in Windows XP Mode, you can use the network connections of your Windows 7-based PC to access the Internet from your virtual machine.

Windows XP Mode for Windows 7 enables you to run your Windows XP applications directly from the Windows 7 desktop in what is called “Seamless Mode.” This means that once you’ve installed an application, it will also appear in your Windows 7 All Programs menu, along with all of your other Windows 7 applications.

USB storage devices, scanners, and Smart Cards whose drivers are installed on the Windows 7 host and the virtual machine are automatically shared with the virtual machine if the integration features are enabled. To attach or release the USB device from virtual machine, click on the device name once more in the drop-down USB menu.

You can install applications in Windows XP Mode just as you normally would on a physical PC. For example, you can install applications via web, from storage devices, or from physical media such as CD/DVD.

Clipboard is shared between physical and virtual machines, you can copy and paste any data you want between Windows XP applications and their counterparts in Windows 7. You can also access your Windows 7 folders such as My Documents, Pictures, Desktop, Music, and Video, from inside the virtual Windows environment, such as Windows XP Mode.

Download Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC from here. For information on how to set up Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode, check out “Running Windows XP Mode with Windows Virtual PC” on the Support and Videos page.

The purpose Microsoft release this VHD let user experiences how Windows vista and office can improve business insight, help protect and manage content, and reduce IT costs and improve security.

To run this VHD edition of Windows Vista Enterprise and Office 2007 is easy. All you need is download all-in-one package from Microsoft Download Center and run it on Microsoft Virtual PC or Microsoft Virtual Server without making any modifications. Make sure you reserve 10GB of hard disk space and approximately 768MB of memory to run this VHD combo smoothly.

You get this Windows vista and Office 2007VHD combo from microsoft.com/downloads/ (file available in VHD image format). Approximately 448.8 MB – 2548.8 MB size.

if you want to evaluate the windows vista only. You can go this Windows Vista VHD from this link.

Walk2Web allowing you to visualize a network of linked website. Just enter a URL onto the website and then you will be presented with a visual map of all the websites which are linked to it and from it. You can see the linked website screen-shot thumbnails when you move your mouse over to the link.

Walk2Web allows you to rate any site with thumbs up or thumbs down, save the site to public or private bookmarks, tag the site and comment on the site.

Walk2Web is an interesting way to explore the web visually by walking through sites and their links.

Beside that, G.ho.st virtual computer also integrate various application from web2.0 to arcade games which provides standard working environment for business purpose and relaxing environment. You can even upload your files from your computer and personal data that you need to G.ho.st online storage management services. With the upcoming wave of widget desktop product, I think g.ho.st would be a great match for the gadgets we’ll soon be adding to the desktops of our personal computers.

One of the best features on virtual computer is that never have to reboot on virtual computer. Meanwhile, There is a backups features on our data and taking care by specialist. Everything is available out there on the browser on a single unified file system.

Since G.ho.st virtual computer is develop under on Lazlo platform, The services required javascript enabled browser like Firefox and IE to run G.ho.st virtual computer, The javascript enabled browser is required to allow pop up window. Meanwhile, Your browser required to set accept cookies and latest flash player available.

I pretty much impressive by G.ho.st Virtual computer performances although they can still improve office productivity more productive. Overall, g.ho.st virtual computer is definitely one of those companies looking to eliminate the need for Windows software.

This announcement of V-Available seem like a great virtualization solutions for server consolidation and improved data center efficiency since it can deliver a solutions that can address both planned and unplanned downtime in virtual environments.

“Although consolidation and legacy migration have been the primary motives for server virtualization, going forward we see high availability and disaster recovery for business resiliency as key reasons why organizations will deploy virtualization software,” said John Humphreys, Program Director of IDC’s Enterprise Virtualization program.

To improve V-Available, Marathon has bring in their flagship product Marathon’s everRun™ fault tolerant technology to intergrate with XenSoource, The leader in infrastructure virtualization solutions based on the open source Xen™ hypervisor. The partnership among both parties to establish to create a more powerful and efficient virtual environment solution with fault tolerant availability with lower cost, ease of use, higher availability and protecting virtual workloads.

Marathon has grown its customer base to include more than 1,200 companies. The company has also signed more than 125 reseller and other strategic partners that are key to expanding the company’s reach in growing markets throughout the world.

The existence of V-Available Initiative has prevent greater proliferation of server virtualization, especially to critical data operation. As IT administrator point of view, V-Available has benefit to end user to ensure the server operation services availability. Meanwhile, cutting down IT budget and consolidate server on virtual environment with simply and complete confidence.

Huddle is a true collaboration, knowledge management and teamwork tool that enables networks of people to form, work together and communicate. Virtual workspaces called ‘huddles’ are used to manage projects, share and review documents, monitor timelines and discuss work across the members of the group. It lets you see who’s online and how everything is progressing. All activities, messages and information can then be shared across the users’ organization, or transmitted to other members of the network.

Huddle’s features:

• Ability to control people’s access to specific areas & different content
• Ready-to-go web access; no customization required
• Document & marketing collateral storage
• Project workflows & approval notification
• Document audit-trail and version control
• Ability to add comments to documents
• Calendar & milestone tracking
• Detailed user management
• Auto alerts across all documents, dates, comments
• Team information page, pictures, contact details
• ‘Who’s using the system’ information
• Whiteboards
• Brandable web portal
• Manage disparate projects from one interface

Benefit of using Huddle:

• Reduced time and resource spent on routine tasks
• Improved project and agency management
• Improved knowledge management, transmission & retention
• Reduced mail costs
• Increased creativity through online collaboration
• Standardization of key processes
• Greater visibility of work across an organization
• Increased control of confidential information
• Improved partner/customer collaboration
• Increased speed of response to market changes
• Reduced time to market of new concepts or products
• Increased productivity

Huddle is flexible and brandable and works across all major operating systems and browser types. You can try Huddle by signing up it’s FREE account. This free account allows you to store up to 25MB of documents and invite 4 people to work with you. Visit http://www.huddle.net/pricing.asp for more information about other Huddle accounts.

With Microsoft Virtual PC 2007, you can create and run one or more virtual machines, each with its own operating system, on a single computer. This provides you with the flexibility to use different operating systems on one physical computer.

Virtual PC 2007 runs on: Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Tablet PC, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, and Windows Vista Ultimate.

Full version of Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 is now available as a free download on Microsoft Download Center.

They also provides User Manual how to set-up and how-to information. This manual might ease you for installation and configuration for Wmware workstation 6.
Here is the new features on WMWare Workstation 6.0 Beta:-

• Support for Windows Vista
• Multiple monitor display
• Integrated Virtual Debugger
• Automation APIs via Expanded VIX API 2.0
• Headless mode
• Easy Upgrade or Downgrade of VMware Virtual Machines
• Automatic Update to the Latest Version of VMware Tools
• Appliance View for Virtual Appliances
• Run Virtual Machines in the Background
• Enhanced File Sharing and Copy and Paste Functionality
• Cross-Platform Drag-and-Drop Functionality
• Virtual Machines Can Act as VNC Servers
• New Online Help System for Workstation
• Battery Information Is Now Reported in the Guest
• Increased RAM Support
• Support for Paravirtualized Linux Kernels
• User Interface for Mapping a Virtual Disk to a Drive Letter on the Windows Host
• Support for High-Speed USB 2.0 Devices
• Improved 64-bit Guest Support on Intel EM64T VT-capable processors
• New 64-bit Sound Driver
• VMware Player 2.0
• Player Extensions Framework

i think Wmware workstation 6 perhaps is the first virtualization software for Windows Vista. But i don’t have time to test the Virtualization software out. If you have free time and already play around WMware workstation 6 beta. Please let us know what is your comment on the WMware workstation 6.