Windows XP Mode - Install and Setup

How to Install and Setup Windows XP Mode in Windows 7​

   Information

Windows XP Mode is 32-bit XP Pro SP3 virtual machine.

Windows XP Mode for Windows 7 makes it easy to install and run your applications for 32-bit Windows XP directly from your Windows 7 32-bit or 64-bit based PC. It utilizes virtualization technology such as Windows Virtual PC to provide a Virtual Windows XP environment for Windows 7. Windows XP Mode provides only Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, or Enterprise users the flexibility to run many older productivity applications in a virtual Windows XP environment on a Windows 7-based PC.

UPDATE: Windows XP Mode now accessible to more PCs | Blogging Windows

   Note

Windows Virtual PC (step 1 below) is the latest Microsoft virtualization technology for Windows 7. It is the runtime engine for Windows XP Mode to provide a virtual Windows environment for Windows 7. With Windows Virtual PC, Windows XP mode applications can be seen and accessed from a Windows 7-based PC. For more detailed information about Windows Virtual PC, see Windows Virtual PC: Documentation

To find out whether your computer's CPU is capable of hardware-assisted virtualization. To check, download and run the Hardware-Assisted Virtualization Detection Tool.

• If you receive the message “This computer is configured with hardware-assisted virtualization,” you can run Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode. See the instructions below.
• If you receive the error message "There is no hardware-assisted virtualization support in the system," your computer's CPU doesn't support hardware-assisted virtualization. You can still use Windows XP Mode by installing an update to Windows 7. See Why am I receiving errors about hardware-assisted virtualization (HAV) when I try to use Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC?. Be aware that XP Mode will run much better if hardware-assisted virtualization can be enabled.

   Tip

• To Uninstall Windows XP Mode
  • Open Control Panel (icons view), click on Programs and Features, and select Windows XP Mode.
• To Uninstall Windows Virtual PC
  • Open Control Panel (icons view), click on Programs and Features, click on the View installed updates link in the left pane, then select Windows Virtual PC (KB958559).

   Warning

Windows Virtual PC Requirements:

• 1 GHz 32-bit / 64-bit processor required
• Memory (RAM)
  • 1.25 GB required, 2 GB memory recommended
• Recommended 15 GB hard disk space per virtual Windows environment
• Supported host (your computer) operating system:
  NOTE: Windows XP Mode can only be installed on Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, and Windows 7 Enterprise.
  • Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit or 64-bit)
  • Windows 7 Professional (32-bit and 64-bit)
  • Windows 7 Ultimate (32-bit and 64-bit)
  • Windows 7 Enterprise (32-bit and 64-bit)
• Supported guest (virtual machine) 32-bit only operating system:
  • Windows XP
    • Virtual Applications feature is supported only on Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Professional
  • Windows Vista
    • Virtual Applications feature is supported only on Windows Vista Enterprise and Windows Vista Ultimate
  • Windows 7
    • Virtual Applications feature is supported only on Windows 7 Enterprise and Windows 7 Ultimate

EXAMPLE: Windows XP Mode

Here's How:
1. Go to the Windows XP Mode webpage, select your language, and click on the Continue button. (see screenshot below)

2. If you have not already, you will need to validate your Windows 7 first. Click on Install to install the Genuine Windows Validation Component, or follow on screen instructions. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You will need to have Windows 7 activated and cookies enabled to be able to do this.

3. Download and Install Windows XP Mode
A) Select your language, and click on the Download button for the version (ex: WindowsXPMode_en-us.exe) you want to download. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: The "N" version of Windows XP is for the European version of Windows.

B) Save the WindowsXPMode_en-us.exe file to your desktop.
C) Double click on the downloaded WindowsXPMode_en-us.exe installation file to start installing it.
NOTE: The part of the name in red will vary for you depending on what language you selected (step 1).

D) Click on the Next button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you like, you could click on Browse and select another location to save the VHD file for XP Mode to instead of the default location in the screenshot below.

E) Click on the Next button. (see screenshot below)

F) If prompted by UAC, click on Yes.

G) When Windows XP Mode is finished installing, click on the Finish button. (See screenshot below)

4. Download and Install Windows Virtual PC
A) At the Windows Virtual PC webpage, select your language, and click on the Continue button. (see screenshot below)

B) Select your language, and click on the Download button for either the Windows6.1-KB958559-x86-RefreshPkg.msu (32-bit) or Windows6.1-KB958559-x64-RefreshPkg.msu (64-bit) file for your same 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7 version you have installed.

C) Save the Windows6.1-KB958559-x86-RefreshPkg.msu or Windows6.1-KB958559-x64-RefreshPkg.msu file to your desktop. (see screenshot below)

D) Double click on the downloaded Windows6.1-KB958559-x86-RefreshPkg.msu or Windows6.1-KB958559-x64-RefreshPkg.msu file to start installing it.

E) If prompted by UAC, click on Yes.
F) Click on Yes. (see screenshot below)

G) Click on the I Accept button. (see screenshot below)

H) When it is finished, click on the Restart Now button. (see screenshot below)
WARNING: This will restart your computer immediately. Be sure to save and close anything that you have open first.

I) When the computer is finished restarting, continue on to step 6 below.
5. To Open and Run Windows XP Mode
A) Open the Start Menu, then click on All Programs, expand the Windows Virtual PC folder, and double click on the Windows XP Mode shortcut. (see screenshot below)

6. Check the I accept box, then click on the Next button. (see screenshot below)

7. Type in a password and type it in again to confirm it, then click on the Next button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you would like to be logged on automatically whenever you open Windows XP Mode (step 5), then check the Remember credentials box.

8. Select (dot) the Help protect my computer by turning on Automatic Updates now box, then click on the Next button. (see screenshot below)

9. Click on the Start Setup button. (see screenshot below)

10. You will now see this for a few moments while Windows XP Mode is being setup. (see screeshot below)

11. When setup is finished and you did not check the Remember credentials box in step 7 above, then you will need to enter your password entered and click on OK. If you did, then skip this and continue on to step 12. (see screenshot below)

12. The Windows XP Mode - Windows Virtual PC window will now open. You are now in Windows XP Mode. (see screenshot below)

13. Next, be sure to install Integration Components and enable Integration Features.
NOTE: Sometimes this will be enabled for you automatically during installation.

14. Set Windows XP Mode Settings
A) In the Windows XP Mode window, click on Tools (menu bar) and Settings. (see screenshot above)

B) In the left pane, select Close/Shut Down. (see screenshot below)

C) In the right pane, select (dot) Automatically close with the following action, then select Shut Down and click on OK. (see screenshot above)
15. To Close Windows XP Mode
A) Click on the X in the upper right corner of the Windows XP Mode window like you would any other window in Windows 7. (see screenshot below step 19)

OR

B) In the Windows XP Mode window, click on Action (menu bar) and Close. (see screenshot below step 16)
16. Installing a Program in Windows XP Mode
NOTE: You would install a program in Virtual Windows XP just like you would in Windows 7 with the same access to everything in Windows 7. For example, hard drives, DVD drives, USB drives, Windows 7 folders and files, etc.....
A) After you have installed any program (ex: CCleaner) in Windows XP Mode, you will notice that there will now also be a shortcut to it in the Windows 7 Start Menu in the Windows XP Mode Applications folder under Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Double clicking on the program's shortcut (ex: CCleaner) in the Windows 7 Start Menu when Windows XP Mode is closed will open and run the program in Windows 7 but as if it you were running it in Windows XP Mode. You could also move or copy this Windows XP Mode Applications shortcut where you like in Windows 7 for easy use.




That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change Virtual Machine Settings in Windows Virtual PC
• How to Create a Virtual Machine in Windows Virtual PC
• How to Create Differencing Disks in Windows Virtual PC
• How to Delete a Virtual Machine Created with Windows Virtual PC
• How to Copy a Virtual XP Machine in Windows 7
• How to Add Limited User Accounts to Windows Virtual PC XP Mode
• How to Boot from a CD or DVD in a Windows Virtual PC
• How to Connect Windows Virtual PC to the Network
• How to Install, Enable, and Disable Windows Virtual PC Integration Features
• How to Select Host Devices to Share with Virtual Machines in Windows Virtual PC
• How to Enable the Built-in Administrator Account in Windows XP Mode
• How to Speed Up Performance of a Virtual Machine

 

[alaaden]

why the ram and the video card...
aren't the same as my original windows ^o)

 

[Brink]

Alaaden,

In a VM, it only uses generic drivers to run these devices virtually through your Windows 7 (host) instead. They will not be the same.

 

[alaaden]

Ohh ok thank you

 

[Night Hawk]

If it is able to run in XP, then you most certainly can. You can then create and place a shortcut of it from within the XP Mode VM into your Windows 7. When you run the game, it will be the same as running it in XP Mode.

Hey Shawn A great deal of that will depend on which game. I've been able to get some games on that simply will not run since they don't detect the physical video card or have sound. Sometimes the video memory inside the mode or OpenGL support presents a problem.

The best advice for anyone is simply "give it a try to see if goes on and runs" as far as any of them.

 

[bigboy]

This is an awesome forum for Win7 Reference material. Nice work!

 

[Brink]

Thank you BigBoy, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[Night Hawk]

Another welcome to SF from this end! bigboy I see you met our resident desktop expert Brink already! Your eyes will be in disbelief when you see all the guides he has written as well as numerous others that have been contributed!

 

[vinai55]

Thank you....

 

[raj11650]

so does the procedure to install another OS apart from windows xp posted already

say vista ubuntu etc...

 

[Night Hawk]

The method I found here to see Vista and later the 32bit 7 RC go on was by chance having the dvd in the optical once a new vhd was created. When simply going to start up the XP Mode I instead saw the Vista installer's first splash screen come up!

Likewise with a live cd for a distro like ubuntu with an install option you simply place that in the drive once you have a vhd ready to install onto. That's a separate item apart from the XP Mode's own vhd created during the installation process.

This being a 7 forum no guides are written for other OSs or versions. But you can look in the Installation and Virtualizaion sections for existing threads or start a new one for this there.

 

[Link2aavash]

Hi all, I have installed win7 ultimate 32-bit.I can't run xp mode.my system is HP dv5 1126em and intel core2duo and memory 3GB.but I can't run.there is any trick to run xp mode or I have to change in BIOS, if I have to change in BIOS how can do that, please your advice will be high appriciated.Thank you.

 

[Dinesh]

Hi all, I have installed win7 ultimate 32-bit.I can't run xp mode.my system is HP dv5 1126em and intel core2duo and memory 3GB.but I can't run.there is any trick to run xp mode or I have to change in BIOS, if I have to change in BIOS how can do that, please your advice will be high appriciated.Thank you.

Did you follow the tutorial?

 

[Link2aavash]

Hi all, I have installed win7 ultimate 32-bit.I can't run xp mode.my system is HP dv5 1126em and intel core2duo and memory 3GB.but I can't run.there is any trick to run xp mode or I have to change in BIOS, if I have to change in BIOS how can do that, please your advice will be high appriciated.Thank you.

Did you follow the tutorial?

yeah I did.

 

[Dinesh]

Did you check if your CPU supports Virtualization?
You can check by downloading this little app: GRC|SecurAble: Determine Processor Security Features|

 

[Brink]

Hello Link2aavash,

Did you run the test in the warning box at the top of the tutorial to maker sure your system meets the requirements for XP-Mode yet? If not, please run it to see what it says first.

 

[Link2aavash]

yeah, dinesh! it shows not supported. last was red color. pls how can do that n I can change in BIOS? please let me. thank you

 

[Link2aavash]

Hello Link2aavash,

Did you run the test in the warning box at the top of the tutorial to maker sure your system meets the requirements for XP-Mode yet? If not, please run it to see what it says first.

yes brink I already check as said dinesh. i think In BIOS, that option may be lock....I don;t know more

 

[Dinesh]

yeah, dinesh! it shows not supported. last was red color. pls how can do that n I can change in BIOS? please let me. thank you

Its not that the option is locked. Its not available.
Howeverm you can use apps like Virtualbox or VMWare to install windows xp and these apps works way better than XP Mode.

 

[skytb]

Hi! To day, I'm setup version Windows7 Utilmate, Step setup windows XP mode but do not success. Bacause Hardware- CPU do not support Virtualization. I'm Check in Bios and Software SercuAble:http://mega.1280.com/file/LXM6XCDF/ . Impotant that step check in Bios view support Virtualization, I thing do that. If you solution fix problem up please post help everyone. Tks!

 

[Link2aavash]

yeah, dinesh! it shows not supported. last was red color. pls how can do that n I can change in BIOS? please let me. thank you

Its not that the option is locked. Its not available.
Howeverm you can use apps like Virtualbox or VMWare to install windows xp and these apps works way better than XP Mode.

Thank you for informed. but I don't want to go this way. XP mode is not necessary for me. I had just tried for experience.