downloading Virtual PC or Virtual box

Question

I have a newer Win 7 PC which I wiped out and installed XP. I am finding more and more programs that say I have to upgrade to Win 7. I want to install Virtual PC or Virtual Box, then install Win 7 with XP mode.

1) Can I do this on my 2nd hard drive so that I do not lose all of my programs and files?

2) Will I still have access to them in the Virtual programs?

3) If I install Virtual PC on my primary hard drive with Win 7 and XP, will I lose everything that is on my original installation?

PLEASE ADVISE

Answer 1

1) yes

2) have access to what?

3)  your original installation? original installation of what?

When you install virtual PC, it does not affect your current installation of Windows. Whatever you run in the virtualbox is completely separate from your regular Windows install. By definition anything in the virtualbox is unable to access the rest of your computer.