As I pointed out in my IT Dojo post, “Remove Windows 7 or Vista from a dual-boot configuration with the Bootsect command”, dual-booting is good way to test betas and service packs before committing to a new OS.

Dual-booting also handy for tasks such as the following:

  • Testing software compatibility with multiple operating systems;
  • Running software that isn’t compatible with a new OS on a single machine;
  • And for use technical writers, being able to take screenshots of multiple operating systems.

Yet, we’re now able to adequately perform many of these tasks with virtual machines. I’m curious to know whether TechRepublic members are using virtual machines to perform the tasks they once reserved for dual-boot systems.