Q I recently replaced my old Windows XP computer with a new Windows Vista computer. I remember reading your Workshop on installing and running Windows 7 in a virtual environment and I wondered if I could attach my old hard disk to my new PC via an external eSata caddy and then use a program such as Virtualbox to virtualise my old computer on the new one?

Richard Oliver

A This is a very good idea and gives the opportunity to access old files and software, even if it may be slower than the old computer. You can use an external disk connected via eSata or USB but you will need a new one; it is not possible to plug in the old PC’s disk.

The Virtualbox tool used in our Workshop can do this but the instructions warn that it can result in lost data, so instead we recommend trying a program called VMware. It is very similar to Virtualbox but VMware also offers a converter program to run on the old computer.

VMware can be downloaded from our website. Using the old PC, click on the download link and enter your name and email address to register. Fill in the rest of the form and click in the box to agree to the terms and conditions.

You may want to click in the box below to remove the tick to opt out of receiving emails from VMware. Click on the Register button. A link for the download will be emailed to you.

Look in the email and click on the link named Activate your VMware vCenter Converter Standalone download. Click on the top link to download the Windows version of the Converter. Double-click on the downloaded file to start the installation wizard and click on Next.

Select ‘I accept the terms of the license agreement’ and click on Next twice. Leave local installation selected and click on next and then Install. The files will then be copied onto the computer. Leave the option Run Converter Standalone Client with a tick in it and click on the finish button.

When the Converter program starts, click on the Convert Machine button at the top of the Converter window. Select Powered-on machine in the top dropdown menu and select ‘This local machine’ in the options below. Click on Next.

Select VMware Workstation or other VMware virtual machine in the top dropdown menu and then select VMware Player 2.5.x in the next menu down.

Change the name if you want and click on Browse to select where the virtual PC should be saved. This should be the external disk. Click on OK to confirm and click on Next.

The edit window is next. You can use this to deselect drives to save space. Do not remove drives that are involved in booting the computer. If you dual-boot the computer, both the operating systems must be selected.

Click on Edit in the Data to copy section and then click in the boxes to remove the ticks from drives that should not be included. You can even select Min Size in the dropdown menu to keep the virtual PC image as small as possible. Also make sure Ignore page file and hibernation file is selected to reduce the amount of space needed.

Click on the close arrow in the top right-hand corner of those settings when you are finished and then click on Yes when prompted to save the changes. If the external disk is formatted using Fat 32 it will be split into chunks because of file size limitations.

Click on Next when you are happy with the options and a summary page will be displayed. Check the options carefully and then click on Finish. The first page will appear and the job will be shown along with its progress. When it has finished you can disconnect the external disk and plug it into the new computer.

On the new PC, follow these instructions to download the VMware Player. Double-click on the file when it has downloaded to start the installation wizard.

Click on Continue or enter your password if the User Account Control window appears. Click on Next twice, modify the shortcut options if you want, click on Next and then Install.

You may need to give it permission to connect to the internet if prompted by your firewall. Click on Finish and then restart your computer as prompted.

Click on the Start button, All Programs, VMware and the VMware Player. Click on the option to accept the licence agreement and then OK. Click on the Open icon and find the file created by the Converter on your external hard disk. Your old PC will now start in a window.

Baffled by jargon? See our free online jargon buster