Audio not working in a Windows 7 Virtual Machine running in Virtual PC 2007

Windows XP and below used to support Sound Blaster 16 audio device. This was the chosen Audio device for Virtual Machines running in VPC.

Sound Blaster 16 for OS's earlier to Vista

Virtual PC 2007 team introduced a second device that was available on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 virtual machines.

Virtual Audio Device in Vista+

This device is only available if during creation of a Virtual Machine you select Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008.

Setting to select while creating a Win7 VM

The smoothest way to get sound in a Windows 7 virtual machine is to select the setting as shown in the above picture.

If you have already created a VM without selecting this setting there will be another popup after the VM starts the next time as follows

vpc says no sound

Device manager would show no sound device either

 

At this point you will need to reboot the Virtual Machine and install the Audio driver manually. The steps are illustrated in the pictures below

Step 1

At this point sound should start working in the Windows 7 Virtual Machine.