Windows 2000

phantom · Post by **phantom** » 30. Oct 2008, 08:58

I was interested in trying out VirtualBox but when I try to install it I get this error: "This application only runs on Windows XP or above.". Is there any way to get VirtualBox to work on Windows 2000 Professional?

Post by **Sasquatch** » 30. Oct 2008, 23:48

Only if you install 1.5.6 or older. The newer versions use specific system calls that are not available in 2000, like CPU Virtualisation.

phantom · Post by **phantom** » 23. Nov 2008, 21:28

Sasquatch wrote:system calls that are not available in 2000, like CPU Virtualisation

Funny, I managed to run Virtual PC 2007 in Windows 2000 by modifying the installer slightly, and hardware virtualization seems to work just fine. This is clearly a case of a developer selectively excluding a perfectly useable OS without any technical reason.

Post by **sandervl** » 23. Nov 2008, 23:46

phantom wrote:Funny, I managed to run Virtual PC 2007 in Windows 2000 by modifying the installer slightly, and hardware virtualization seems to work just fine. This is clearly a case of a developer selectively excluding a perfectly useable OS without any technical reason.

There are technical reasons for it, although they have nothing to do with cpu virtualization. We use system interfaces that aren't available in Win2k and do not wish to invest the time and resources to support this (host!) platform.

phantom · Post by **phantom** » 29. Nov 2008, 12:39

sandervl wrote:There are technical reasons for it, although they have nothing to do with cpu virtualization. We use system interfaces that aren't available in Win2k and do not wish to invest the time and resources to support this (host!) platform.

I like how you aren't specific about what's going on at all. It shows you're not really sure what the reason is.

Post by **Sasquatch** » 29. Nov 2008, 12:59

phantom wrote:I like how you aren't specific about what's going on at all. It shows you're not really sure what the reason is.

It would be too complicated to explain it, and even if he did, you probably wouldn't understand. Just keep it at what it is. Some functions they use isn't available on Win2k Host.

Post by **sandervl** » 29. Nov 2008, 13:42

phantom wrote:
sandervl wrote:There are technical reasons for it, although they have nothing to do with cpu virtualization. We use system interfaces that aren't available in Win2k and do not wish to invest the time and resources to support this (host!) platform.
I like how you aren't specific about what's going on at all. It shows you're not really sure what the reason is.

I know exactly what the reasons are and feel no obligation whatsoever to explain myself in great detail to somebody like you. Look at the source code yourself.

Post by **TerryE** » 29. Nov 2008, 17:06

phantom, having a pop at the developers is not helpful. The reasons for W2K being dropped as a host have been discussed before on this forum. I don't see why a user has the right to accuse one of the developers that they are "not really sure what the reason is" just because they don't want to go through these all again. Perhaps a more pertinent question is why you didn't just research these debates on the forum in the first place?

This discussion isn't a constructive one so this topic is locked.