Windows – All I want is copy and paste

integrationvirtual machinewindows 7windows-xp-mode

This is really frustrating. I have a Windows 7 virtual machine inside a Windows 7 host. I can bring it up fine and it works great, but copy and paste between guest and host does not work.

So go I to the Tools menu in the Windows Virtual PC window and click on Enable Integration Features, because I am assume that is how you enable copy/paste. It brings up a dialog asking me to enter my credentials. By default, it's asking me for a password to a domain account that I am logged into the host PC with. I enter the password and it says `The login attempt failed'.

Then I thought maybe it's asking me for an account on the actual virtual machine. So I try to login with a local virtual machine account. This time, it thinks about it for about 10-20 seconds, then gives me the same `The login attempt failed' result.

Relevant facts:

  • The host is on the domain.
  • The guest is not merged into a domain
  • The host is Windows 7 64 bit
  • The guest is Windows 7 Professional N (32 bit)

What am I missing?

EDIT: I found the answer.

The credentials it wanted were for the guest OS. However, the User I created did not have a password. I assigned it a password, entered it and all is good now.

Kind of a nasty gotcha. I wish it was documented somewhere.

Best Answer

*I know you figured it out already. :)

When you enable the 'Integration Features' it changes the way you interface with the VM.

When they are installed and turned on it starts the machine in the background and then logs you into it via RDP.

So like 'traditional' RDP usage, you need credentials to create the session, and can't remote desktop into an account that has no password.

Also, things like resolution settings, copy/paste, drive connections etc. work the same as they do when you RDP to a remote machine (because you are. :) ).

It's pretty cool when you have a couple RDP's open and a VM or two, because you can't tell the difference by interaction, it becomes surprisingly seamless.

Hope that helps...

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