Running 32-bit XP via Fusion on 64-bit Mac Pro

[peterwerner]

First the good part – I've had Windows Vista Ultimate x64 installed on my Mac Pro for the last 6 months and it runs seamlessly both as a startup OS (via Boot Camp) and alongside Leopard via Fusion.

The bad news – the company I work for has just developed a piece of Windows software that it is mandatory for us to use for certain key tasks. This software makes use of 32-bit "JET" cponenents of Windows and hence will absoutely not run on any 64-bit OS! Since I appear to stuck with this thing they've laid on me, it seems like my only alternative will be to find a cheap copy of 32-bit XP and install it under Fusion.

My quesiton is, is it possible to create a second Fusion volume (I really don't want to get rid of my Vista setup, which is otherwise great) that runs a 32-bit OS? (Even if the Mac itself is 64-bit.)

I'm assuming this is something I can do, but I just want to make sure.

[WoodyZ]

FWIW Your company should be providing you the means by which to run this software and you not have to acquire XP... tell your boss to provide the OS for you! :smileyhappy:

Anyway obviously you haven't spent much time reading the documentation and I say this because if you had you wouldn't have to ask this question however yes you can run Windows XP x86 and you can run as many Virtual Machines as you have the resources to.

[peterwerner]

"FWIW Your company should be providing you the means by which to run

this software and you not have to acquire XP... tell your boss to

provide the OS for you! :)"

I wish. I'm actually an independent contractor to this company and have to provide my own resources as part of the agreement I have with them. Not the best deal really, but for various reasons, I continue to work with them.

"Anyway obviously you haven't spent much time reading the documentation

and I say this because if you had you wouldn't have to ask this

question however yes you can run Windows XP x86 and you can run as many

Virtual Machines as you have the resources to."

I'm aware that I can run more than one virtual machine – I didn't make that clear. Its just the part about running a 32-bit OS on a computer based on 64-bity Intel that I'm not sure about. "x86" means 32-bit, right?

[WoodyZ]

I'm aware that I can run more than one virtual machine – I didn't make that clear. Its just the part about running a 32-bit OS on a computer based on 64-bity Intel that I'm not sure about. "x86" means 32-bit, right?

Yes in this context x86 is 32-bit.

Have a look at Supported 32-Bit Guest Operating Systems in VMware Fusion System Requirements