You can "only" download and install Windows XP Mode if you own Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise or Windows 7 Ultimate. You said previously that your computer had Windows 7 Home Premium, and that doesn't entitle you to use XP Mode. If you have one of the required OS's, when you install Windows XP Mode it simply will NOT prompt you for a key.
My apologies, I screwed up. The version I meant was 3.1.5...not 3.5 at all.
I would like to repeat again here. It was true my office computer runs Win7 Home Premium but I recently purchased win7 Pro OEM from Newegg and installed. Now, the office computer run windows 7 pro.
Monday, I will try to install XP Mode (downloaded from Microsoft site) and then v. 3.1.5 VMWare player (I found it and downloaded this morning). I would like to see whether installing VMWare player asks to prompt key or not. I am now learning how to do with virtual system.
Initially, I was following this website as a reference to create XP mode (Create an XP Mode for Windows 7 Home Versions & Vista - How-To Geek). That instruction described to use WinXP CD and VMWare player (no description about the use of Microsoft XP Mode and Virtual PC. That's why I was planning to buy XP Pro OEM CD. It now seems that I do not need to buy it even with VMWare player.
XP Mode is a freebie from Microsoft for people who have Windows 7 Professional and upwards.
Whether you install it under Microsoft's Virtual PC or VMware Player you will not be asked for a product key nor will you be asked to activate it.
As long as the host system is legal and above board XP Mode will install OK.
This should help: Install and use Windows XP Mode in Windows 7
And this one: Run XP Mode in VMware Workstation or Player with Activation Intact « My Digital Life
Do bear in mind that XP Mode is no good for early graphic-intensive programs such as Adobe Photoshop 7, but for legacy applications such as Quicken 2000 or Microsoft Office 97 it is fine.
People tend to use it for older applications that won't run under Windows 7.
That is exactly what I want. A lot of date was encrypted using "CD Lock" program in Win XP and burnt DVD disks. CD Lock program for Windows 7 has not been yet released. That's why I want XP mode to decrypt the old data in Windows 7 machine.
My plan is to copy the CD Lock program into a flashdrive and install it in Windowx XP mode. I hope that data or programs in flashdrive are accessible to XP mode(note: XP mode installed in Virtual PC did not see a separate D-drive in the computer).
Then, I want to decrypt data in CD-Lock encrypted CD disks.
I hope this should work.
If it works, my question is how to export decrypted data from XP mode into windows 7?
When a USB device is connected to host, XP Mode shows it in the Virtual PC USB menu. Those devices that can be automatically shared (integration must be enabled!) are shown as shared so you can access them from both host and guest. If the device is not shared, selecting it will attach it to XP Mode, and selecting again will release it and connect back to the host.
You can also select a shared device to attach it directly to XP Mode, in which case it is no longer usable from host.
When integration is enabled you can move files back and forth between host and XP Mode quite easily. Just open one of the host's drives visible on XP Mode's My Computer view and copy / paste or drag and drop as you wish:
- Attach = Device connected to host, not available from XP Mode. Selecting device will attach it to XP Mode, after what device is no longer available from host
- Release = Device connected to XP Mode, not available from host. Selecting device will attach it to host, after what device is no longer available from XP Mode
- Shared = device available from host and XP Mode. Selecting device will attach it to XP Mode, after what device is no longer available from host
You could also see if this trick is something for you; moving XP Mode's My Documents folder to host let's you access your personal files stored on XP Mode even when XPMode is not running: https://www.sevenforums.com/virtualization/137514-change-my-documents-folder-xpmode.html#post1181192
Kari
Thank you for the information concerning the BIOS and virtual PC. However, several months ago I downloaded this software without making any changes to the BIOS. This is the first time that I have heard about it. However, all is well so I will leave it as it.
If it isnt't broken, don't fix it.
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