The Save PC's state option saves the current state of the operating system so that the next time you start the virtual machine, it will appear the same as when you shut it down. Any program or file that is open when you shut down using this option will be open when you restart the virtual machine.

Alternatively, you can also use the Fast Save method to shut down and save the state of your virtual machine. To use the Fast Save method, click the red Close button on the virtual machine window, or in Virtual PC, on the Virtual PC menu, click Quit Virtual PC. When you use the Fast Save method to shut down, Virtual PC quits all open virtual machines, and the state of their Windows-based programs are saved in their current state.

This safely shuts down a virtual machine that is running Windows. This option does not automatically save the current state of the Windows operating system. All data that is not saved prior to shutting down is lost.

Use this option when making changes to your virtual machine, such as turning the Undo Drives setting on or off, or when mounting a virtual hard disk image. You must also use this option before importing a virtual machine, transferring documents from a virtual machine to Virtual PC 7, or making a duplicate of a virtual machine. A Windows operating system and Virtual Machine Additions must be installed on the virtual machine for this option to be available.

If you do not have Virtual Machine Additions installed, you can shut down a virtual machine by using the Start menu in Windows. Click Start, and then click Shut Down or Turn Off. In Microsoft Windows XP Professional, the Start menu displays Shut Down if you are connected to a domain and Turn Off if you are not connected to a domain. This method does not automatically save the current state of the Windows operating system. All data that is not saved prior to shutting down is lost.

Turn off PC is equivalent to unplugging a physical computer. Do not use it unless the virtual machine is not responding and the Shut down option does not work. If your virtual machine is not running Windows, use this option instead of Shut down option to shut down your virtual machine.

This discards all changes that you made prior to shutting down. This includes documents that you created or programs that you installed. Because these changes were saved in a separate Undo file, the virtual hard disk image is not altered. When you restart the virtual machine, a new Undo file is created.

This saves changes that you made to your virtual machine directly in the virtual hard disk image. The next time you start your virtual machine, the changes are implemented and a new Undo file is created.

This saves the changes that you made in the Undo file, rather than in the virtual hard disk image. The virtual hard disk image is not altered. When you restart your virtual machine, new changes are added to this Undo file.