You’ll need to supply valid Windows licenses to activate these OS instances you may be able to use them for some time period in a limited manner without activation. You can also download Windows XP and Vista VMs from the NIST Federal Desktop Core Configuration FDCC page. You can download Windows XP, Vista and 7 virtual machines from Microsoft’s Internet Explorer Application Compatibility VPC Image page. In both cases, you can download Windows Virtual PC files and convert them into the VMware format by using VMware vCenter Converter or by using File > Import or Export… in VMware Workstation. There two other ways of obtaining Windows virtual machines, both using Windows Virtual PC. If using VMware Workstation, take a snapshot of your newly setup Windows XP virtual machine, in case something goes wrong later. It will be connected to the network using the VMWare 'NAT' mode, so if your base system has Internet access, so would the virtual machine. Lastly, go through the Windows XP setup wizard within the new virtual machine the same way you would do it for a regular Windows XP system.Īt this point, you should have a VMware virtual machine running Windows XP. Using VMware Workstation or Player, power on the Windows XP Mode virtual machine that VMware created. VMware will launch the wizard that will automatically create the Windows XP VMware virtual machine using the Windows XP Mode files you installed in the previous step. Go to the File > Import Windows XP Mode VM menu. Then, launch VMware Workstation or Player. This folder will contain, among other files, the 1GB+ file 'Windows XP Mode base.vhd' representing the hard drive of the Windows XP virtual machine. The installation wizard will give you a chance to specify where the files installed, placing them in 'C:Program FilesWindows XP Mode' by default. Next, install the downloaded Windows XP Mode executable. You'll have the option of downloading and installing Windows Virtual PC software, but you don't need it if you’ll be using VMware.

You'll need to go through the Windows validation wizard to confirm you’re running a licensed copy of the appropriate version of Windows 7. If you prefer to use VMware Workstation or VMware Player instead of Virtual PC, follow instructions below.įirst, download Windows XP Mode from Microsoft. Microsoft calls this virtualized instance of Windows XP 'Windows XP Mode,' and distributes it in the Windows Virtual PC format. (A variation of this approach seems to work on Windows 8.1, too.) Fortunately, you can download a virtualized instance of Windows XP from Microsoft for free if you are running Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate on your base system. After all, Windows XP is still running on numerous personal and business systems. Yet, many IT professionals, including malware analysts, like having Windows XP in their virtualized labs. It's becoming hard to obtain a licensed copy of Windows XP.

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