How to tell whether your machine will support Windows 7 XP Mode (for Intel chips)

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As you may well have heard, Windows 7 will include an XP mode which allows you to run legacy applications in a virtual machine seamlessly. You also may be aware that the virtualisation technology used for XP Mode requires that the chipset supports virtualisation at the hardware level. So if your chipset doesn’t support it, you won’t be able to use XP mode on Windows 7.

So how can you tell? Well, one way is to inspect your bios to see if it has a hardware virtualisation option but if you’re using an Intel chip then there’s an easier way. Intel have provided a little utility that you can download from their site that will tell you. Get it from here: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?ProductID=1881&DwnldID=7838

Once you have installed it, click on the “CPU Technologies” tab and take a look at the “Virtualization Technology” setting. If it’s “yes” you’re in business.

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