Sony VAIO Virtualization Block Means Most Can't Run Windows 7 XP Mode

Windows 7's XP Mode was billed as a way for upgrade-shy enterprise users to make the jump to Microsoft's new OS without losing access to their prized legacy apps.  Unfortunately, if you've kitted out your workforce with shiny Sony notebooks it's not something you'll be able to take advantage of; Sony have confirmed that their current VAIO range do not support the Intel Virtual Technology (VT) necessary for XP Mode to function.

In fact the support was purposefully disabled, with Sony product marketing spokesperson Xavier Lauwaert claiming that the company's engineers blocked VT out of concern it might "expose our systems to malicious code that could go very deep in the Operating System structure of the PC and completely disable the latter."  However he also revealed that Sony is looking to retroactively enable VT support "on more recent models".

Lauwaert also denied speculation that Sony had saved money by purchasing Intel chips that were cheaper due to not including VT support.  The company is yet to officially confirm which models will see the virtualization technology enabled.

[via Engadget]