Is it worth creating XP mode in windows 7

If you instead of free XP Mode want to install XP from your own install media, then you need a licence. However, there's nothing to gain regarding performance, so there's simply no reason not to use completely free, licenced XP Mode.

Thanks for that Kari, I was fairly certain I was correct when I pointed out earlier that the OP wouldn't need to by Windows XP, but it does no harm to convert an assumption into fact. :)

seavixen32 said:

Yes, with 8GB available, you can give XP Mode up to 3.25GB.

I just finished installing XP mode. It seems XP mode is working but with a minor problem which I am going to post.

Could you please advise me how to allocate 3.25 GB for XP mode? I have no slightest idea how to do it. I owuld very much appreciate it if you could tell me step-by-step. TIA.

pparks1 said:

You want to use the free licensed copy of XP mode that you get from buying your Windows 7 pro license.

My comuter is Dell XPS 8000 which win 7 Home Premium was pre-installed. I tried to create XP mode using a Dell XP Pro (came wth three of my Dell XP computers). For Dell computers, installation of WinXP with Dell WinXP disk does not need to type in product key. When I tried to use the Dell XP Pro disk for Dell XPS computer, it required products key. So the attemp to create XP mode was aborted.

Then, as seavixen32 suggested, I downloaded XP mode and virtual PC from microsoft website. Installation went any hitch. One problem is that it requires to instal KB898461. I could not make it. The error was "Not enough storage is avaiable to process this command". I have enogh space in C-partition (69GB free space). There are more space in a separate D-drive.

However, when I clicked Windows XP mode after rebooting the computer, it shows a nice Windows XP screen box. I will try to install XP-compatible software next week to use XP mode.

Now, my intended question is how I can install KB898461.

hummer7 said:

pparks1 said:

You want to use the free licensed copy of XP mode that you get from buying your Windows 7 pro license.

My comuter is Dell XPS 8000 which win 7 Home Premium was pre-installed. I tried to create XP mode using a Dell XP Pro (came wth three of my Dell XP computers). For Dell computers, installation of WinXP with Dell WinXP disk does not need to type in product key. When I tried to use the Dell XP Pro disk for Dell XPS computer, it required products key. So the attemp to create XP mode was aborted.

Then, as seavixen32 suggested, I downloaded XP mode and virtual PC from microsoft website. Installation went any hitch. One problem is that it requires to instal KB898461. I could not make it. The error was "Not enough storage is avaiable to process this command". I have enogh space in C-partition (69GB free space). There are more space in a separate D-drive.

However, when I clicked Windows XP mode after rebooting the computer, it shows a nice Windows XP screen box. I will try to install XP-compatible software next week to use XP mode.

Now, my intended question is how I can install KB898461.

Please ignore this post. I was confused between Win 7 and XP mode screens. I downloaded KB898461 within XP mode. Then, I was able to instal it successfully inside XP mode.

I am slowly learning what XP mode is.

hummer7 said:

seavixen32 said:

Yes, with 8GB available, you can give XP Mode up to 3.25GB.

I just finished installing XP mode. It seems XP mode is working but with a minor problem which I am going to post.

Could you please advise me how to allocate 3.25 GB for XP mode? I have no slightest idea how to do it. I owuld very much appreciate it if you could tell me step-by-step. TIA.

I'm trying to remember from when I last used XP Mode, but I think it's on the lines of launching the Virtual PC, highlighting the XP Mode operating system and editing the RAM settings from there.

Better still, have a look at this tutorial.

Windows Virtual PC - Change Virtual Machine Settings

pparks1 said:

You want to use the free licensed copy of XP mode that you get from buying your Windows 7 pro license.

I use virtual machines and XP mode all of the time. For the most part, they perform great. Not really any slower than my physical machine for 95% of tasks that I perform. You aren't going to really game on them, but most everything else works fine.

Now, if you want to use VMWare Player instead of Microsoft's product (and I would heavily recommend the use of VMWare Player), you can actually convert the activated XP Mode for free. Here is the process.
1). Download and install XP Mode
2). Download and install VMWare Player (I would suggest the 3.x version of the product as it will natively convert the XP Mode).
3). From within VMWare Player, choose File, Import XP mode and it will convert it and it will remain activated.

If you want to use VMWare Player 4.x, you will have to add a couple of extra steps. There is currently an issue with 4.0 and it won't import XP Mode natively at present time. Instead, you also have to download the VMWare Converter 5.0 standalone product (also free), and perform the client/server (Advanced) install, and then you will be able to go into VMWare Player and convert that XP mode.

Note: I've been having problems with VMWare Player 4.0.2 not being able to get updates and download the latest version of VMWare Tools. This seems to be a known issue with 4.0.2. So, if you are going to use the VMWare Player 4.x product, I'd likely suggestion 4.0.1. Or just use 3.5.x, as this one seems stable and has fewer problems.

pparks1, your post is very instructive. I plant to create xp mode with VMwarekplayer. As I posted earlier, when I opened up VMPlayer, it prompted to type in product number for XP cd (after inserting XP cd). From your post, it seems that I do not need to buy a new XP CD but download and instal Microsoft XP Mode file. That is great. Then, how to suppress the command to type in product # of XP CD?

Secondly, I have VMWare player 3.1.1 and 4.02 files. You recommended to install 3.5.x version. I was not successful to locate the v. 3.5.x version. Do you know where to download from?

Thanks for your comment.

I tried to locate VMWare playier version 3.5. x this morning. None. What I found out was that an earlier version of 4.0 was 3.1.5. Am I missing ?