Duration: 16:16

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At current it is relatively difficult to setup a Windows XP Virtual Machine due to lack of official installation media, product keys and Microsoft Product Activation. In this video we will look at instead downloading Windows XP Mode, extracting the Virtual Machine and creating a new Windows XP Machine within VMware workstation player. We will then add the XP Mode Virtual Hard Drive to the Virtual Machine and remove the original. We will need to modify the Virtual Machine Configuration File to do that using notepad++. Unfortunately the Windows XP Mode VM has a mouse driver which doesn't play well with VMware Workstation Player so we need to install Windows XP Mode using a keyboard only. We can then remove this driver and instead install VMware Tools to get full functionality.

Windows XP Mode:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=8002
Download link removed by Microsoft as Windows XP and 7 are both at end of life. There seems to be a mirror at softonic.
7-zip:
https://www.7-zip.org/download.html
VMware Workstation Player:
https://www.vmware.com/uk/products/workstation-player/workstation-player-evaluation.html
Notepad ++:
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/downloads/

Written Instructions:
https://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/creating-a-windows-xp-mode-vm-in-vmware-workstation-player/

This Virtual Machine by default will last for 30 Days.

There is an official activation mechanism for XP Mode which involves updating the Virtual Machine's Configuration File however it will only work if the Host OS is Windows 7 Pro, Windows 7 Ultimate or Windows 7 Enterprise. It will not work for Windows 10 Pro (even though Windows 10 Pro is an update to Windows 7 Pro).

The installation also generates an installation ID. The installation ID unfortunately does not work with the automated Phone Activation, you need to hold the line and speak to a Microsoft representative. Activation will be at their discretion.

Note the XP Mode Virtual Machine is a special kind of OEM License. This means that the option to change Product Key during the installation screen will only work for OEM Product Keys. It will not accept Retail or Volume License Keys. Technically according to the License Agreement you are not allowed to transfer OEM Product Keys however Microsoft may be a bit more lax about activating Windows XP these days in a Virtual environment especially if it moves away from ancient physical hardware and prevents the use of the End of Life Windows 7 Pro OS as a Host OS opposed to Windows 10 Pro so a key from an old XP COA may help. However as mentioned earlier Activation will be at their discretion.