Whether information technology's for nostalgia or to run one-time software, there are benefits to running a Windows XP machine—for the right reasons. Patently, information technology's non recommended to run Windows XP as your merely operating system, every bit information technology's outdated, unsupported, and full of security risks.

Thankfully, information technology's entirely possible to set up a Windows XP virtual machine for gratuitous. While the official methods require a Windows seven PC, you tin can use Windows 10 and other operating systems, although this method requires a bit of a workaround. To get Windows XP running as a virtual car, you'll take to follow these instructions carefully.

Downloading Windows XP and Extracting Installation Files

To brainstorm using your Windows XP virtual machine, you'll demand to use a PC running Windows 10, with virtualization enabled in the BIOS or UEFI settings. You lot tin can use another operating system, but these instructions accept been designed with Windows 10 in listen.

The operating system you use will also need to be supported past VirtualBox, the software we'll be using to run Windows XP.

  • If your PC is ready, download the Windows XP Fashion EXE file from the Microsoft website (named WindowsXPMode_en-united states of america.exe). If the file is no longer hosted on Microsoft, you tin can download it from CNET. In one case downloaded, don't run the file. This XP installer is only supported by Windows vii, and then we'll need to excerpt the files you'll need from it to go XP to run on Windows 10.
  • If your PC doesn't already have information technology installed, download and install 7-Zilch earlier you proceed. Once 7-Goose egg is installed, locate your Windows XP installer file in Windows File Explorer, then right-click the file.
  • From there, click 7-Zip > Open archive > Cab to open up the EXE file in the 7-Naught File Manager.
  • In the seven-Zero File Manager, double-click the Sources folder, then double-click the xpm file. This will open a second vii-Zippo File Manager window containing your Windows XP virtual car files.
  • Select the contents before clicking the Extract push.
  • Cull a suitable location for your files. You may demand to create a new folder earlier you do this. Once you lot're fix, click OK to extract the files to your PC.
  • Open the folder containing your Windows XP files in Windows File Explorer. Locate the VirtualXPVHD file, right-click > Rename, then change the name from VirtualXPVHD to VirtualXP.VHD, adding a period between XP and VHD.

Calculation the VHD file extension changes this file to a virtual hard disk file, supported by VirtualBox, assuasive yous to run Windows XP equally a virtual auto.

Setting Up a Windows XP Virtual Automobile Using VirtualBox

Afterwards you've extracted your Windows XP download files, you're ready to begin setting it upwards as a virtual car.

  • First, y'all'll need to download and install VirtualBox. Once installed, open VirtualBox and click the New button to begin creating a new virtual machine.
  • In the Create Virtual Machine window, click the Expert Mode button at the bottom.
  • Blazon Windows XP in the Name box to automatically configure the settings to suit XP.  Double-check that the Version is set to Windows XP (32-bit), and then set up the Memory Size to around 512MB or higher. You tin can go college, although XP volition be fine with less.
  • In the Hard Drive section of the Create Virtual Machine window, select Use an existing hard disk drive file. Printing the folder icon next to information technology, so click Add in the Hard Disk Selector window.
  • Locate the VirtualXP.VHD file, then click Open to add it. Once VirtualXP.VHD appears in the Hard Deejay Selector window, select it, then printing the Cull button.
  • In one case yous've returned to the Create Virtual Motorcar window, double-check your settings are correct before pressing the Create push.

Last VirtualBox Configuration and Windows XP Testing

Your newly created Virtual XP simulator will appear as a virtual automobile in the VirtualBox Director. You'll need to make a few changes before you begin running information technology, however.

  • In VirtualBox Managing director, select your XP virtual machine and click the Settings button to begin configuration.
  • Click the System tab first. Nether Kick Guild, uncheck Floppy, and then reorder the items into the post-obit guild using the side arrows: Hd, Optical, Floppy, Network.
  • Click the Display tab. Increment the Video Retentiveness from 16MB to 128MB using the slider in the Screen section.
  • Once your settings are correct, click OK to save your Windows XP virtual machine settings. You tin now run your XP machine for the first time by clicking the Start button.
  • Yous'll need to confirm some initial XP settings when y'all run XP for the first time as a virtual auto, such as your keyboard layout and time zone. Confirm these settings at each stage by pressing the Next push button.
  • Give your XP virtual machine a name, as well as provide an Administrator password. Yous can leave the password blank if you'd prefer. Click Next to go on.
  • After confirming your time and appointment settings, XP will complete the setup procedure and reboot. Once this has completed, click Devices > Insert Guest Additions CD Image in your VirtualBox window. This will install additional drivers and settings to make your XP experience piece of work ameliorate in VirtualBox.
  • Follow the setup process, pressing Proceed Anyway to any driver warnings that appear.
  • With VirtualBox Guest Additions installed, click Finish to reboot your XP virtual machine.

The Windows XP virtual machine that loads at this point can but be used for 30 days as it lacks a valid license. If you can detect your Windows license fundamental for Windows XP (from an older PC, for instance), you may exist able to add together it to your virtual automobile straight, although information technology may still non activate.

To featherbed this, create a snapshot of your virtual machine immediately afterwards creating it.

  • With your XP virtual machine running, click Car > Take Snapshot. Give your initial Windows XP Snapshot a proper noun before pressing the OK button.
  • If yous want to restore your virtual machine to this snapshot later, press the menu icon side by side to your XP virtual motorcar in VirtualBox Director and select Snapshots. From hither, select your snapshot before pressing the Restore push.

Restoring your Windows XP virtual auto using a snapshot will reset the clock, assuasive you to apply XP indefinitely, although you lot volition lose whatsoever files or software you've installed after this betoken.

Running Newer Operating Systems In VirtualBox

Once your thirty days are up, don't forget to revert dorsum to your initial VirtualBox snapshot to reset the clock on your XP licensing if you desire to go along testing it.

You can only do and so much with a Windows XP simulator similar this, but if you want to keep testing, you tin can try out other operating systems every bit VirtualBox virtual machines. For instance, if you want to requite Linux a try, install Ubuntu in VirtualBox instead.