How to Install Virtual Machine Additions in Virtual PC 2007?

Virtual Machine Additions are the additional tools which are installed in a virtual machine in order to get optimum performance. Performances may include better graphics easy mouse movements drag-and-drop feature smooth functioning of a virtual machine etc. These additions however have some limitations. Virtual Machine Additions can only be installed when a guest operating system is installed on a virtual machine. In other words first of all you need to create a virtual machine and install an operating system on it. Once it is done you can install Virtual Machine Additions using the instructions given below:

1. Make sure that the guest operating system in the virtual machine is running.
2. On the virtual machine window click on Action menu from the menu bar and click on Install or Update Virtual Machine Additions.
3. On the displayed MessageBox read the information carefully click on Continue button.
4. On Welcome to Setup for Virtual Machine Additions page click on Next button.
5. On Installing Virtual Machine Additions page wait till the process completes and on Setup Complete page click on Finish button.
6. 
7. You will be displayed with a message box asking you to restart your virtual machine. Click on Yes button to do so. Once your virtual machine is restarted you can use this virtual machine as a normal physical computer.

User Experience:

Before installing Virtual Machine Additions you will notice that there are two mouse pointers displayed on your Windows screen. One mouse pointer will be of your physical Windows and the other one will be the mouse pointer of the guest operating system installed on your virtual machine. If you want to use mouse inside the virtual machine you need to click on the desktop of the guest operating system which is installed inside the virtual machine. In this case you will not be able to use your mouse in physical machine. Also without Virtual Machine Additions installed you will notice that mouse movements are not as smooth as they are in the physical machine. To release mouse pointer from the virtual machine you need to press Right ALT key. However after installing Virtual Machine Additions you will find that there is only one mouse pointer for both physical and virtual machine. You will also experience that you can now drag and drop items from your physical machine to the virtual machine.

Note:

If you want to use Ctrl+Alt+Del key inside the virtual machine you need to press Right Alt+Del key.