Quicker Access to Windows 7 Virtual PC settings

To edit the settings of a virtual computer using Virtual PC in Windows 7 requires the opening of the Virtual PC console, selecting the virtual machine you wish to edit, and then pressing the ‘Settings’ button, as shown in the screenshot below.

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In order to reduce the number of required steps to do this (and assuming you know which file it is), you can edit a key in the registry that will add a new item to the Windows Explorer context menu that appears when right clicking on a file.  If you make the changes detailed below, you will be able to right click on the settings file for a virtual machine (files with the .vmc extension) and access directly the settings window, as shown below.

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Copy and paste the text between the lines below into a text file, but save it with the .reg file extension.  Then double click on it to import it into the registry.

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Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Windows.VirtualPC.VMC\shell\Settings]
@=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\
  00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,56,00,\
  4d,00,43,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,70,00,65,00,72,00,74,00,79,00,48,00,61,00,6e,\
  00,64,00,6c,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,31,00,31,00,\
  30,00,00,00
"Icon"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\
  00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,56,00,\
  4d,00,43,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,70,00,65,00,72,00,74,00,79,00,48,00,61,00,6e,\
  00,64,00,6c,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,31,00,30,00,\
  30,00,39,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Windows.VirtualPC.VMC\shell\Settings\command]
@="vpcsettings.exe \"%1\""

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As always, edit the registry at your own risk.  I can’t be responsible for anything…

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Cheers bud. Saved me a bit of time figuring it out!

  • Anonymous
    August 09, 2009
    Thanks for a nice hint... I was wondering how it can be made, and you did it :)

  • Anonymous
    August 10, 2009
    "As always, edit the registry at your own risk.  I can’t be responsible for anything…"  -  i hope it doesn't go wrong :-S A great tip though - keep up the good work - the best blog on technet!!!!!