For more on XP mode, check this link and the related Reading links.
Quote from Ed Bott’s blog:
A heavily hyped new Windows 7 feature, XP Mode, won’t work on some Intel-based products? The problem is caused by the Byzantine way Intel packages its CPU technology—adding, removing, and tweaking features like bus speed and cache size to hit the widest variety of price points for PC makers.
The new Windows Virtual PC (now available as a beta release for the Windows 7 Release Candidate) requires hardware-assisted virtualization. For your PC to run XP Mode in Windows 7, the CPU has to support Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT) or AMD Virtualization (AMD-V), and this support has to be enabled in the BIOS.
In the case of Intel’s phenomenally confusing product matrix, VT support is added and removed from CPU models for reasons that have more to do with marketing than technology. You can’t necessarily tell from the model number whether VT support is present or not. If you buy a brand-new PC and pick the wrong CPU, Windows Virtual PC won’t be able to host the virtual machine that powers XP Mode. And spending more money can actually hurt you in some configurations.
Below and attached, you will find a text file which includes what Intel CPU’s will support VT.
Lol, I am a happy owner of Q6600 which should support Intel VT. However I checked my bios settings and couldn’t find any option like ‘Intel Virtualization Technology’. My guess is that a bios update is a must if one wants to take advantage of Win 7’s XP mode, or am I mistaken? What do you guys think?
Some BIOS don’t display all the possible settings a CPU has, and may be enabled by default (Mine is the same CPU as yours and I don’t see the option either). I am trying to find additional information to support this.
Note too, some of my BIOS settings don’t come with a usable explanation. I had to search the OC forums for this information.
As for Virtual XP mode, personally I don’t require it, but it is nice to know it is [supposed to be] available for my hardware.
What’s even worse is that most options available in bios aren’t explained in the motherboard’s manual either - lol. I can’t understand the rationale behind it - the manufacturers apparently assume that everyone is familiar with such terms as ‘cpu gtl reference’ or ‘DRAM static read control’. It’s a shame because I paid over the odds to get my dream mobo - ASUS Maximus Formula and yet have to search the Internet for their definitions which is a bummer. :-\
If your BIOS doesn’t show you VT options, it doesn’t support VT.
So VT option should be showed you in your BIOS option.
Otherwise your MB company should provide you updated BIOS for VT.
If not?
You can’t use VT even if your CPU supports VT.
Check your MB first.
