Just recently I wrote about a few glitches that exist within Windows 8 Consumer Preview, one of this had to do with missing pixels while rendering 3D gaming. At the time I said I had yet to find a fix for the problem. It is still true that this is no Windows 8 Consumer Preview 'native' fix, but I have found a fairly easy work-around.
So what did I do to get flawless 3D gaming running on my Windows 8 Consumer Preview laptop? I installed VMware Workstation 8. Using virtualization software I installed Windows XP in a similar fashion to the Virtual PC/Windows XP Mode combination that is offered in some versions of Windows 7.
It actually installed with a fair amount of ease and Windows XP runs very good. I tried installing Sims 3, a game that didn't work very well in Windows 8 Consumer Preview, and found that everything worked as perfect as it possibly could.
Is my Windows XP experience within Windows 8 Consumer Preview as good as virtualization within Windows 7? Yes, it runs perfectly.
So if you find that Windows 8 Consumer Preview has a few flaws in areas like 3D, virtualization software is a truly reasonable way to work around the problem. The downside is that you will need to purchase this software if you don't already own it, and free solutions like Virtual PC do not work in Windows 8 Consumer Preview at the moment. Believe me, I tried.
For many users it might be wiser to install a dual-boot solution that has Windows 7 and Windows 8 Consumer Preview running on PC, or even run Windows 8 Consumer Preview inside of Windows 7 using Virtual PC or VMware.
For the more adventurous types though, Windows 8 Consumer Preview is fairly stable and can make a decent primary or even solo OS.. just keep in mind that you may run in to problems. Luckily, virtualization might solve most program compatibility issues you run in to.
Just remember, if your PC isn't powerful enough you might find that your virtual OS experience inside of Windows 8 Consume Preview might be less than ideal.
Has anyone else tried VMware inside of Windows 8? Perhaps the older VMware Workstation 7? Or maybe even an alternative virtualization program?
Share your thoughts below.
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