Bare Bones Hints Center for Virtual PC (VPC)
Sorry we haven't made this fancy (yet) but felt some advice about use of Virtual PC was
important enough to get out there for our users to put up this ugly web page. As you
come up with additional advice or counsel to offer, please send it to our webmaster for this site!
Topics
System requirements
- Don't try this unless you have a fairly fast (100 MHz or higher) PowerPC.
- A higher speed will result in better performance.
- The minimum hard drive space is 300 Mb - that is if you don't intend to ever run a
program on the PC.
- A gigabyte or more is really desirable for running with a few pieces of software.
- To avoid memory crashes, better plan on 32 Mb of RAM for the PC.
- Since the Mac needs some RAM, too, you'll probably need at least 64 Mb installed in your
Mac.
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Installation hints
- ALMOST follow the installation instructions on pages 2-3 to 2-5.
- Select "Easy Install".
- As soon as installation is complete, open the new "Extras" folder in the
"Virtual PC folder"
- Open the folder HD Utility.
- Run (double-click) the program "Virtual PC HD Utility". A message window
should appear instructing you to select a drive.
- Under the File menu, select "Open HD Image".
- Locate and select the "Windows 95 (260 MB)" disk image in the Virtual PC
folder.
- Enter 511 as the desired size for the drive.
- A message will appear when the process is done that the drive cannot be expanded more
than 511.
- Following this, also create a D-drive and set up a shared folder according to the helps
on this site.
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Why 510 Mb?
- "Windows '95" software takes at least 150 megabytes.
- "Windows '95" contains some bugs that may cause you to wish to upgrade to
"Windows '98" at a later date.
- Hard drive space is used for virtual memory - you'll want about 100 Mb empty on the C:\
drive.
- Some software (FrontPage) may also run better if installed on the C:\ drive along with
"Windows '95".
- In fact, 510 Mb is not enough for real work on the PC, you'll need to set up an
additional D-drive (instructions below).
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Setting up a D-drive (Space for
programs/applications and files you create)
- (If the VPC menus are not visible: While running Virtual PC, hold down the
"Apple" key.)
- Select "Virtual PC Preference Settings" under the Edit menu.
- Click the D Drive choice in the left column of preferences.
- Choose "New D Drive" in the dialog box.
- Enter a drive size (if possible, the maximum setting of about 750 Mb is desirable).
- Click Create.
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Setting up a Shared Folder (A handy way to
send files back & forth between Mac and PC AND some extra storage space!)
- Begin by creating a New Folder while in the Mac environment.
"SharedFolder" or some similar name would be a good choice.
- Switch back to the PC work environment.
- Get into the "Virtual PC Preference Settings" under the Edit
menu (remember to hold down the "Apple" key to see the VPC menus!)
- Click Shared Folders in the left column and select your new
"SharedFolder" in the right portion of the dialog box.
- Click Share Folder...
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Using the Right Mouse button (what right
mouse button?)
- Many actions on the PC may be accomplished (easier) by clicking a second mouse button -
the right mouse button.
- To specify how the one-eared Mac mouse will simulate a right-click, get in to the VPC
Preferences (as above).
- Click Mouse in the left column of preferences window.
- Select Shift-click in the right dialog box portion of the preferences
window.
- Click OK.
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Increasing RAM for the PC (and decreasing
RAM for the Mac at the same time)
- This operation is performed on the Mac side of your computer.
- Single click on the VPC icon in the Virtual PC folder on the Mac HD.
- Select "Get Info" from the File menu (or click Apple-I).
- Enter the desired minimum amount and the preferred amount of RAM.
- Remember that each "1000" equals one megabyte (e.g. 30000 = 30 Megabytes).
- Remember that the larger these numbers are, the less RAM that remains available to the
Mac when VPC is running.
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Start-up, shut down, and
reboot for VPC
- To start up VPC, double-click its icon on the Mac.
- To shut down VPC, select "Shut Down..." from the Start pop-up
menu. Respond to the prompt with OK to "shut down".
- To force shut down of VPC (if the system seems to be frozen on the PC), hold down the
"Apple" key and select "Quit" from the File menu.
- (If the VPC menus are not visible: While running Virtual PC, hold down the
"Apple" key.)
- Note that if you force a shut-down, you'll get a rude message about your bad habits the
next time you start-up the PC.
- To reboot the PC, select "Shut Down..." from the Start pop-up
menu. Respond to the prompt with OK to "Restart".
- If things, really get bad, you may need to restart the whole computer - use the keys for
rebooting the Mac, then re-run VPC.
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Switching from PC to Mac mode
(assuming VPC is running and you don't want to shut down)
- (If the VPC menus are not visible: While running Virtual PC, hold down the
"Apple" key.)
- Click the VPC icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
- Select "Hide Virtual PC" from the pop-up menu. Voila!
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Switching from Mac back to hidden VPC
- Click the icon in the upper right corner of the screen - this icon will be the icon for
whatever program is currently active on the Mac (such as the "Finder").
- Select "Virtual PC" from the bottom section of menu choices.
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Ejecting disks & other disk hints with VPC
- Note that if you insert a disk while using VPC & switch back to the Mac, the disk
will NOT show up on the Mac desktop - it is the property of VPC!
- Since there is no mechanical 'eject' button on a Mac, there is an alternative.
Click the "Eject floppy" on the VPC Toolbar (at the bottom of the VPC screen).
- If the "Eject floppy" icon is gray on the VPC Toolbar, then the PC does not
recognize the floppy in the drive. Switch to Mac platform and eject the disk on that
platform.
- To eject a CD, click the "Eject CD" on the VPC Toolbar.
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Adjusting screen dimensions on the PC
- Old Macs allow for screen displays of 640 x 480 pixels, many laptops allow 800 x 600,
and new G3 laptops will allow 1024 x 768. Here is how to adjust the VPC to use the
full screen.
- Choose "Settings" from the Start menu.
- Select "Control Panels" from the "Settings" menu.
- Double-click the Display icon in the "Control Panels" folder.
- Click the "Select Settings" tab
- Move the slider to the desired dimensions.
- Click "Apply" and the screen will be resized as a preview for 15 seconds.
If the change is acceptable, click OK.
- If the change is not acceptable, just waiting for 15 seconds will cause the dimension
setting to return to its previous values.
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Making VPC toolbars & Mac menus visible
- Maximizing VPC screen dimensions may hide the VPC tools and Mac menu choices from view.
- To see the VPC toolbar and Mac menus, press the "Apple" key.
- You may then use the mouse to click a tool or select from the VPC menu choices.
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Getting Upgrades
Hints from around the District