How to Install Windows XP on VMware Workstation 17

In this article, we will examine how to set up and run Windows XP on a new virtual machine using the VMware Workstation 17 Pro virtualization software on the Windows 10 operating system.

How to Install Windows XP on VMware Workstation 17

How to Set Up Windows XP Professional 64 Bit SP1 on Windows 10 using VMware Workstation 17

As you know, Windows XP was a popular operating system at the time. Microsoft ended its support for XP completely in 2014. Therefore, it would be a logical choice to use an up-to-date operating system such as Windows 10 on your host computer.

However, since automation machines used in some institutions or organizations were produced in an old date, they need Windows XP or an older operating system to be managed. In case of such need, it is recommended to run systems such as XP on desktop or laptop computers with old hardware.

If you do not have an old computer, of course, you can use old operating systems on virtual machines by using virtualization software such as VMware on your current computer.

Or if you still want to use Windows XP even though it is an old system, as we mentioned, after installing a virtualization program such as VMware, VirtualBox, or Hyper-V on your Windows 10 computer, you can build this system on the virtual machine.

How to Create a New Virtual Machine for Windows XP

Before proceeding with the installation steps, you need to install the VMware virtualization program on your computer. After installation, download the XP ISO file to your host computer by clicking the button below and create a new VM by following the steps below.

Windows XP Pro x86/x64 SP1 ISO + SP2 Installer

Step 1

After installing VMware Workstation 17 Pro on your computer, run the program and click Create a New Virtual Machine on the homepage to set up a new virtual machine, and when the VM wizard opens, tick Custom (Advanced) and click the Next button.

Advanced Virtual Machine Wizard

Step 2

In the Choose the Virtual Machine Hardware Compatibility window, select the latest version of the Workstation program you are using. In this window, you will see the version of Workstation Pro currently installed on your computer.

If you are installing on an older version, you will not be able to select 17.x, so update Workstation Pro. Next, select Workstation 17.x for VMware virtual machine compatibility, and then click the Next button.

Virtual Hardware Compatibility

Step 3

Select I will install the operating system later and click Next as it would be better to create a new virtual machine with advanced settings for the operating system in this step.

I Will Install the Operating System Later

Step 4

Since you will install XP on the VM in the Select a Guest Operating System window, first select Microsoft Windows, then select Windows XP Professional from the Version section and click Next.

Guest Operating Systems List

Step 5

In the Name the Virtual Machine section, type the name of the operating system you will install. In the Location section, if you want to store the virtual machine on a USB 3.0 or 3.1 external disks, configure the relevant location.

To change the installation location of the VM, click the Browse button in this window and select the relevant location in the window that opens.

Editing the Virtual Machine Name and Specifying the Installation Location

Step 6

In the Processor Configuration window, configure the number of processors and cores for XP depending on the hardware features of your computer.

If you have a fast PC and for faster installation, you can configure 1 processor and 8 core values to the virtual machine.

Increasing the Number of Virtual Processor Cores

Step 7

Likewise, you can assign a 4 GB RAM size to the virtual computer or choose the maximum memory size according to the RAM capacity of your physical computer.

Configuring Virtual Memory Size

Step 8

If you want to connect to the Internet after installing the virtual operating system, select Bridged or NAT in the Network Type window and click Next.

Choosing the NAT Adapter

Step 9

Click the Next button to continue with the LSI Logic option selected by default in the I/O Controller window.

LSI Logic I/O Controller Type

Step 10

In the Select a Disk Type window, select which disk controller you want to install the virtual system with. Here you need to select the SCSI disk type that is selected by default. Because Microsoft has ended its support for XP, SATA disk structure is not supported, but some hosts provide SATA type and USB 3.0 support.

You may also see the warning that XP cannot be installed on the NVMe disk. NVMe is supported by current operating systems as it is a new disk controller.

SCSI Virtual Disk Type

Step 11

In the Select a Disk window, you can add the system disk you installed earlier or create a new virtual disk here. Additionally, you can use a physical disk in the VM.

For a clean system installation, select Create a new virtual disk and click Next.

Creating a New Virtual Disk

Step 12

The recommended virtual disk size for Windows XP Professional is 40 GB. However, if you are only going to use the virtual machine for simple purposes or professional work, it is recommended to configure a disk size of 20 GB or 50 GB.

Also, to back up the virtual machine disk file as a single file type, select Store virtual disk as a single file and click Next.

Configuring a Virtual Disk as a Single File

Step 13

You can change the name and location of the WinXP virtual machine disk file in the Specify Disk File window. However, since you will be installing to an external disk, the disk name refers to the name that will be stored in the installation location.

Name of Virtual Disk File

Step 14

At the final stage of the virtual machine setup, click the Customize Hardware button to add the ISO to the VM and enable virtualization.

Customizing Virtual Hardware

Step 15

In the Hardware settings window, click Processors and tick all the options in the Virtualization Engine section.

  • Virtualize Intel VT-x/EPT or AMD-V/RVI
  • Virtualize CPU Performance Counters
  • Virtualize IOMMU (IO Memory Management Unit)

Configuring Processor Properties

Step 16

Click on the CD/DVD device to add the ISO file to the virtual computer, and then select the Use ISO image file option and click the Browse button.

Select the Windows XP SP1 ISO file you downloaded to your computer and click the Open button.

Adding a Windows XP ISO File to a Virtual Machine

Step 17

Select USB 2.0 compatibility from the USB Controller device settings.

USB 2.0 Controller

Step 18

After clicking on the Display device, enable 3D graphics acceleration and configure the Graphics Memory size to a value that your host can support.

Enabling 3D Graphics Acceleration

Step 19

After completing the necessary preparations, click the Close button to close the hardware settings of the virtual computer.

Closing the VM Wizard

Step 20

You can now click the Power on this virtual machine button to begin the installation of the virtual XP system.

Running a Windows XP Virtual Computer

How to Install Windows XP

After creating and preparing a new VM for Windows XP, the setup wizard will start when you run the VM. You can also install it on a physical computer by following these steps.

Step 1

If you do not have an ISO file with SATA drivers integrated when the Windows Setup wizard opens, you can press the F6 key to install the relevant drivers in this step.

If you have a computer with Windows XP installed, you can Repair your system on this screen. Otherwise, press Enter to install from scratch.

Windows XP Professional Setup

Step 2

After reading the license agreement of the Windows XP Professional system, press the F8 key to accept it.

Accepting the Windows XP License Agreement

Step 3

Press the C key to partition the virtual disk. Here you can start the installation directly by pressing the ENTER key.

Creating a New Partition

Step 4

Press Enter to create the entire HDD size you have assigned for the Virtual PC.

Confirming the New Partition Size

Step 5

Press Enter to install XP on the C Partition you created.

Installing Windows on C Drive

Step 6

Format the virtual disk using the NTFS file format. For example, if your physical computer has a hard disk that you have used for a long time, you will extend the health of your disk by doing the formatting process as normal.

Quick Format Partition using NTFS File System

Step 7

Wait while Setup formats the virtual disk.

Formatting the Disk

Step 8

Wait while Setup is copying the necessary files for the XP system.

Copying Windows Files

Step 9

After the first stage of the installation wizard is completed successfully, press Enter to restart the virtual system or wait for the timer to expire.

Restarting Computer

Step 10

Setup will continue when Windows XP restarts.

Microsoft Windows XP x64 Edition

Step 11

Wait while Setup installs and prepares the necessary devices for installation.

Installing Devices

Step 12

When the Regional and Language Options window opens, you can configure the country and time zone you live in by clicking the Customize button. You can also choose your keyboard layout after clicking the Details button.

Region and Language Settings

Step 13

In the Personalize Your Software window, type a name for the user account to be created on your system, and if there is an additional organization you are in, type its name and click Next.

Customizing the Software

Step 14

In the Your Product Key window, enter the installation key for Windows XP Pro 64 Bit Service Pack 1 and continue.

Windows XP Product Key

Step 15

In the Computer Name and Administrator Password window, type a name for your virtual computer and if you want to set a password for the admin account, type your password and click Next.

Computer Name of Virtual PC

Step 16

In the Data and Time Settings window, configure the relevant time zone and the date of the installation day according to your location and click Next.

Date and Time Settings

Step 17

In the Networking Settings window, if you are not going to use the VM in a domain environment, check the Typical Settings option which is selected by default, and click Next.

Typical Network Settings

Step 18

In the Workgroup or Computer Domain window, if you are not going to use the VM in a domain environment, select Workgroup and click Next.

Choosing the Workgroup

Step 19

Wait while the setup wizard configures the remaining settings.

Saving System Settings

Step 20

After the installation is complete, your Windows XP desktop screen is now ready.

Windows XP Desktop View

How to Install VMware Tools

After installing Windows XP with VMware, you can build the drivers for devices that are not installed in your virtual system by installing VM Tools on the virtual machine. You can also use the Shared Folder feature, transfer files between the host and the VM, and use the screen resolution as full screen.

Step 1

First, right-click on My Computer, then click Manage, then click Device Manager as in the image below and check the drivers that are not installed in the right section.

Checking for Drivers Not Installed in Device Manager

Step 2

Click VM / Install VMware Tools from the tool menu to install the drivers for the virtual PC.

VMware Tools Installation

Step 3

Wait while VMware Tools prepares for installation on the virtual PC. When the installation wizard opens, click Next to go to the next step.

VMware Tools Wizard

Step 4

In the Choose Setup Type window, if you want to use the virtual machine on other VMware products later, select Complete and click Next.

Choosing the Complete Installation Type

Step 5

Click the Install button to start installing all the features of the virtual machine utility.

Installing Virtual Machine Drivers

Step 6

Wait while the video and other hardware drivers of your virtual system are installed.

Installing Video Drivers

Step 7

Click Yes to restart your virtual computer and check if the drivers are installed. When you view the Device Manager again, you can now see that drivers such as VMware SVGA II are installed in your virtual system.

Restarting the Virtual Computer

Step 8

Click View / Full Screen from the Workstation tool menu and check that your virtual PC is adapted to full screen mode.

Controlling Full Screen Resolution

Step 9

Create a new text document on your host and when you try to copy it to the virtual machine with drag and drop, you can see that the file transfer was successful.

Also, open the Internet Explorer browser and visit Google, and you can see that the Internet connection is working fine.

Transferring Files Between Host and VM

How to Configure Shared Folder

The biggest advantage of creating a Shared Folder in virtual machines is to facilitate file transfer between the host and the VM. When you copy a file with the Drag and Drop method, this process may take some time, but the process will be faster when you copy a file of the same size using the Shared Folder feature.

Step 1

Click VM / Settings from the menu of Workstation Pro to open the properties of the virtual machine you have installed.

When the Virtual Machine Settings window opens, click the Options tab and then click Shared Folders. In the Folder Sharing section, check Always Enabled to enable this feature, and also select “Map as a network drive in Windows Guests” to configure it as a network drive, and then click the Add button.

When the Shared Folder Wizard opens, click Next directly.

Shared Folder Wizard

Step 2

In this window, select the folder you want to share, type a name and click Next.

Creating Share Folder on Host

Step 3

In order to make the folder you added available for sharing in the folder properties window, enable sharing by ticking “Enable this share” and click Finish.

After editing the path of the shared folder, close the VM settings.

Creating a Shared Folder

Step 4

When you check the Shared Folder on my computer, check that it is active in the Network Drives section.

Network Driver

Step 5

When you open the folder added as a network drive, you can see that you can access the related files.

Additionally, click Add a network place from the options under Network Tasks to add the shared folder to My Network Places. Click Next when the add network location wizard opens.

Double-click on Choose another network location or click Next when the relevant option is selected. Open the vmware-host content by clicking the Browse button in the Internet or Network Address section, select Shared Folders and click OK.

To access Shared Folders over the network, click Next after selecting the location and click Finish to close The Add Network Place Wizard.

Click My Network Places and check the location you added in the Local Network window. You can see that you can access the files when you view the Shared Folder content over the network.

Checking Shared Folder

How to Use USB Flash Memory

Instead of using the Shared Folder feature to transfer files, a faster solution is the use of USB flash memory.

Step 1

Insert a flash memory into one of the free USB ports of your host computer and create a folder named Backup, for example.

Creating a Folder on a USB Flash Drive

Step 2

To connect the USB disk to the virtual machine, click VM / Removable Devices / Name of your USB / Connect from the tool menu.

Connecting USB to VM

Step 3

When USB drivers are automatically installed in your virtual system, you can access your USB and see the folders and files you have created in it.

Checking USB Disk in VM

How to Install Windows XP SP2 Software Package (Upgrade SP1 to SP2)

To upgrade Windows XP 64 Bit SP1 to SP2, you can both install from scratch with an ISO file with SP2 files integrated, and install only the SP2 software package.

Step 1

To add the Windows XP SP2 ISO image to the virtual machine, right-click on the DVD device and click Settings. With the CD/DVD device selected, click the Browse button to add the SP2 ISO location to the Use ISO Image File section.

Select the Windows XP SP2 Installer.iso file and click the Open button. To enable the DVD device, check the Device Status option and click the OK button to close the window.

Upgrade Windows XP with Service Pack (SP2)

Step 2

When the Service Pack 2 ISO image is automatically mounted to the system, you will automatically see the Readme page. Close the Readme.HTM webpage and open My Computer. To view the contents of the ISO image mounted in the Removable Storage section, click the right button and then click Open.

Right-click / Open the SRSP2 file in the CD/DVD media to start the installation.

Extracting SP2 Installation Files

Step 3

Click Next in the Windows x64 Service Pack 2 wizard.

Windows x64 Service Pack 2

Step 4

Check “I Agree” to accept the Service Pack 2 license agreement and click Next.

Accepting the SP2 License Agreement

Step 5

Click Next in the Select Options window without changing the Uninstall Folder location.

Editing Installation Options

Step 6

Wait while Windows XP Service Pack 2 is being installed. The system update period may take some time, so do not do anything on your system.

After installing Service Pack 2, restart your virtual system by clicking the Finish button.

Completing the Service Pack 2 Wizard

Step 7

After right-clicking on my computer, click System Properties and you can check the Service Pack version in the System: section of the window that opens.

Checking Service Pack 2

How to Delete the Virtual Machine

If you decide not to use the guest machines that you have prepared with VMware on your physical computer, we recommend that you completely delete the VM files from your host disk.

Right-click on your guest system from the left panel of Workstation Pro, then click Manage / Delete From Disk, and as soon as you click Yes in the warning window that opens, all VM files will be completely deleted from your host disk.

Completely Deleting VM from Host

Video

Installing Old Versions

You can easily install and use Windows XP operating system on 12, 14, 15, or 16 versions of Workstation Pro.

Workstation Pro
YouTube Video
Slide
12 Pro
14 Pro
15 Pro
16 Pro
17 Pro (NEW)

 

Related Articles


How to Install Windows 7 with VMware
How to Install Windows 10 with VMware
How to Install Windows 8 with VMware
How to Install Windows Vista with VMware
How to Install Windows 98 with VMware

11 Comments

  1. ramzi 11 May 2020

    please send me the adress to download xp iso.

    Reply
    • Tolga Bagci 11 May 2020

      You can download it from the button at the bottom of the article.

      Reply
  2. dawul dawul 22 June 2020

    not able, it say: sorry you can’t view or download this file at this time……..

    Reply
  3. David Robinson 9 July 2020

    What do I do when the XP is installing on my VM and it asks for a license key?

    Reply
  4. jeydaa 21 August 2020

    The license key is included in the zipped file.

    Reply
  5. Jorge Cisneros 7 January 2021

    Thanks for helpme, Excelent guide! Saludos desde Perú

    Reply
  6. Alsaaid Hajji Saaid 14 February 2021

    Are you sure, iso file doesn’t contain any viruses,,,?

    Reply
    • Tolga Bagci 14 February 2021

      Hello, there is absolutely no virus in the ISO file. By default, Google Drive warns of a virus scan for prevention. I am still using this image file and it is still backed up on my external drive.

      Reply
  7. Jeffrey Hegberg 3 August 2021

    This is a very detailed description of the installation however I am unable to locate the “button” for the download of the iso’s. Am I missing it somewhere?

    Reply
    • Tolga Bagci 4 August 2021

      Thanks for your feedback. I guess you didn’t see the download link of the ISO file in the content under the virtual machine creation title?

      Anyway, I have updated the article and put the button instead of the ISO download link. Please check again.

      Reply
  8. Neslon Rivenga 14 November 2021

    help i press f8 where it says terms and conditions and nothing happens pls help

    Reply

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *