Aspire E15. Should I be able to install a virtual machine with Win 8.1 32 bit on this laptop

kickabuck
kickabuck Member Posts: 8 New User
edited August 2023 in 2019 Archives
Aspire E15. Should I be able to install a virtual machine with Win 8.1 32 bit on this laptop which now has win 8.1 64 bit on the host.  If not can I do a complete clean of C: without an automatic reinstall Win 8.1 64 bit. Then I want to be able to install WIN 8.1 32 bit. 32 bit is required to run auto diagnostic system that I have. Thanks.

Answers

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    Absolutely. I strongly recommend VMWare's player using a dynamic disk file for your guest 32-bit Win8.1. It's free for home use. https://www.vmware.com/products/player/faqs.html . I'm running 32-bit SuSE linux, Win98SE and WinXP as guests on a single Windows host. What's nice is that with sufficient memory resources, they all can run at the same time and communicate with each other through the network. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • kickabuck
    kickabuck Member Posts: 8 New User
    Thanks. I appreciate your response.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    If your Win8.1 host is an ACER factory installation, it is an OEM license for that particular machine NOT  a generic Microsoft license for a guest machine. Jack E/NJ    

    Jack E/NJ

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    Another option that ***might*** work under a single Win8.1 product key or license is to install 64-bit Cinnamon-flavored Linux Mint alongside 64-bit Win8.1 for a dual boot machine. Then you could boot into Linux install Linux-flavored VMWare Player to run a 32-bit Win8.1 guest under the 64-bit Linux host. In fact, I'm running 64-bit Mint Cinnamon almost exclusively in dual boot mode alongside Win10 because it's GUI can be set up with the same look & feel of Win7 but much faster. I haven't tried to install VMWare player yet on Linux so I can't guarantee 32-bit Win8.1 will work. But I bet it would. You want to try and be the guinea pig?   :) Jack E/NJ          

    Jack E/NJ

  • kickabuck
    kickabuck Member Posts: 8 New User
    Thanks JackE. I have started to remove the 8.1 64 bit from the Hard Dive (Clean HD) and then I will reinstall Win 8.1 32 bit ISO. According to microsoft support I can then use the host product key. Time will tell. Thanks for your help.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    OK. Are you making an image of the 64-bit setup just in case you want to go back? I'm not sure the hidden ACER recovery partiion will remain intact after you're done. Jack E/NJ 

    Jack E/NJ

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    I'm surprised the diagnostics won't install and/or run under 64-bit Win8.1 unless it's from the Win95 era. I have some 20-year old software and hardware like that. The main reason I run a Win98SE guest because I still use them.  Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ