Will running Windows 32-bit virtual machine on 64-bit Windows 7 fix this issue?

Question

I'm trying to run an old game, and oddly the expansion packs to the game only install on 32-bit Windows. I have 64-bit Windows 7, and it won't even let me attempt to install them. If I install a 32-bit Windows operating system on a virtual machine (e.g. XP), should this solve the problem?

Alternatively, is there any way I can trick the installer on the DVD into believing it is on a 32-bit system? I've tried running the game under compatibility mode for XP SP3.

Thanks in advance.

Solution

Yes you can install a 32 bit OS as a virtual machine. Please note however, that most VM applications do not support graphical cards, and as such you have no GPU in your VM. If it's a really old application, you might want to try installing dosBox on your own system and running the application from there.

Comments

[cybernard]

copy the CD to your hard drive so the files are not read-only. Find the setup.exe or whatever it is called and set that to XP compatibility.

[Seth]

You could try to install the game in the VM and copy the files afterwards or you might be able to extract them otherwise. Which specific game are you having issues with?

[NXW]

I'm using a laptop with Intel Integrated HD graphics. Is that likely to be a problem? I have a powerful CPU if it makes any difference.

[Master-Guy]

CPU doesnt make a difference for the graphics. Integrated HD graphics will not be HD for the virtual machine. Unfortunately there is no VM host application that supports GPU's

[NXW]

I didn't think it did. Thanks, I'll try running a VM and Windows XP Mode. Hopefully one of those will work.

[ssnobody]

As a note, virtualbox has experimental support for hardware graphics acceleration. See virtualbox.org/manual/ch04.html#idp96537744