Whether it's for nostalgia or to run old software, there are benefits to running a Windows XP motorcar—for the right reasons. Obviously, it's not recommended to run Windows XP as your but operating arrangement, every bit it's outdated, unsupported, and full of security risks.

Thankfully, it'due south entirely possible to fix up a Windows XP virtual machine for free. While the official methods require a Windows vii PC, you lot can apply Windows x and other operating systems, although this method requires a scrap of a workaround. To get Windows XP running equally a virtual machine, you'll take to follow these instructions advisedly.

Downloading Windows XP and Extracting Installation Files

To begin using your Windows XP virtual machine, y'all'll demand to use a PC running Windows ten, with virtualization enabled in the BIOS or UEFI settings. Y'all can use another operating system, simply these instructions have been designed with Windows ten in mind.

The operating organization y'all utilise volition besides need to be supported by VirtualBox, the software we'll exist using to run Windows XP.

  • If your PC is fix, download the Windows XP Way 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 download it from CNET. One time downloaded, don't run the file. This XP installer is just supported by Windows seven, so we'll need to extract the files you'll demand from it to get XP to run on Windows 10.
  • If your PC doesn't already have it installed, download and install 7-Zip earlier you continue. Once 7-Zero is installed, locate your Windows XP installer file in Windows File Explorer, and then correct-click the file.
  • From there, click 7-Goose egg > Open archive > Cab to open the EXE file in the seven-Zip File Manager.
  • In the seven-Cipher File Managing director, double-click the Sources folder, and then double-click the xpm file. This volition open a 2nd vii-Zip File Manager window containing your Windows XP virtual auto files.
  • Select the contents before clicking the Extract push button.
  • Choose a suitable location for your files. Yous may need to create a new folder earlier y'all do this. Once you're ready, click OK to excerpt the files to your PC.
  • Open up the binder containing your Windows XP files in Windows File Explorer. Locate the VirtualXPVHD file, correct-click > Rename, then change the name from VirtualXPVHD to VirtualXP.VHD, calculation a period betwixt XP and VHD.

Adding the VHD file extension changes this file to a virtual hard disk file, supported by VirtualBox, allowing you lot to run Windows XP as a virtual machine.

Setting Up a Windows XP Virtual Machine Using VirtualBox

After yous've extracted your Windows XP download files, you're gear up to begin setting it up as a virtual machine.

  • Outset, you lot'll demand to download and install VirtualBox. Once installed, open up VirtualBox and click the New button to begin creating a new virtual motorcar.
  • In the Create Virtual Car window, click the Adept Mode button at the bottom.
  • Type Windows XP in the Name box to automatically configure the settings to suit XP.  Double-bank check that the Version is set up to Windows XP (32-fleck), then set the Retention Size to around 512MB or higher. You lot tin go higher, although XP volition exist fine with less.
  • In the Hard Drive department of the Create Virtual Auto window, select Utilize an existing hard disk drive file. Press the folder icon side by side to information technology, then click Add in the Hard Disk Selector window.
  • Locate the VirtualXP.VHD file, then click Open up to add together it. Once VirtualXP.VHD appears in the Hard Disk Selector window, select information technology, then press the Choose button.
  • Once you've returned to the Create Virtual Machine window, double-check your settings are correct before pressing the Create button.

Final VirtualBox Configuration and Windows XP Testing

Your newly created Virtual XP simulator will appear as a virtual machine in the VirtualBox Manager. You lot'll demand to brand a few changes earlier y'all brainstorm running it, notwithstanding.

  • In VirtualBox Managing director, select your XP virtual automobile and click the Settings push to brainstorm configuration.
  • Click the Organisation tab first. Under Boot Social club, uncheck Floppy, so reorder the items into the following order using the side arrows: Difficult Disk, Optical, Floppy, Network.
  • Click the Display tab. Increase the Video Memory from 16MB to 128MB using the slider in the Screen department.
  • One time your settings are right, click OK to relieve your Windows XP virtual machine settings. You can now run your XP automobile for the first fourth dimension by clicking the Start button.
  • Yous'll need to confirm some initial XP settings when you run XP for the first fourth dimension as a virtual machine, such as your keyboard layout and fourth dimension zone. Confirm these settings at each stage by pressing the Next button.
  • Give your XP virtual machine a name, too as provide an Administrator password. Y'all tin can exit the countersign blank if you'd prefer. Click Next to proceed.
  • Afterward confirming your time and date settings, XP will consummate the setup process and reboot. One time 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 feel piece of work better in VirtualBox.
  • Follow the setup process, pressing Continue Anyway to any driver warnings that announced.
  • With VirtualBox Guest Additions installed, click Finish to reboot your XP virtual machine.

The Windows XP virtual motorcar that loads at this betoken can only exist used for 30 days as it lacks a valid license. If you can find your Windows license central for Windows XP (from an older PC, for instance), you may exist able to add information technology to your virtual machine direct, although it may still not actuate.

To bypass this, create a snapshot of your virtual motorcar immediately after creating it.

  • With your XP virtual machine running, click Machine > Take Snapshot. Give your initial Windows XP Snapshot a name before pressing the OK button.
  • If you lot desire to restore your virtual motorcar to this snapshot later, press the carte icon next to your XP virtual machine in VirtualBox Manager and select Snapshots. From here, select your snapshot before pressing the Restore push.

Restoring your Windows XP virtual machine using a snapshot volition reset the clock, allowing y'all to utilise XP indefinitely, although you will lose whatever files or software you've installed after this betoken.

Running Newer Operating Systems In VirtualBox

In one case your thirty days are up, don't forget to revert back to your initial VirtualBox snapshot to reset the clock on your XP licensing if you want to continue testing it.

You lot can just do so much with a Windows XP simulator similar this, but if y'all desire to keep testing, you can try out other operating systems as VirtualBox virtual machines. For instance, if you want to give Linux a effort, install Ubuntu in VirtualBox instead.