Some settings you might want to edit:
First, the amount of RAM. You can assign as much as you want to. Maximum is about half a gig less than the amount of RAM on your host:
A virtual machine can not use GPU and audio card of your host; instead, it uses emulated hardware. GPU setting lets you to choose how much video RAM is used, my recommendation is to use the maximum 128 MB. Also, with Windows guest machines it is recommended you enable both 3D and 2D acceleration:
Here you have a very limited choice of audio devices you can use:
From
Shared Folders you can select all host folders you want to have available in guest. Click the small folder symbol at right to add folders:
When XP guest is running, you can add any of host's CD/DVD drives or any ISO-file to be used as guest machine's D: drive:
USB menu let's you choose which host USB devices should be attached to guest:
To change the resolution of your XP guest you just need to change its window size (if Guest Additions are installed). Resolution is then adjusted automatically. You can also switch to full screen or seamless mode:
The VirtualBox menu bar disappears when full screen or seamless mode. To show VirtualBox menus, move the pointer over the lower edge of the taskbar (in the middle of taskbar):
Seamless mode is something I like and use very much. It integrates the guest completely to host desktop, making its display transparent, shared with the host. Here's an example, my desktop just moments ago. Main display on the right showing normal Seven desktop, left display running XP guest in seamless mode:
Ask if you need to know more.
Kari