6/3/2019 How to Get a Windows XP Download Free From Microsoft, Legally

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WINDOWS

How to Get a Windows XP Download

Free From Microso , Legally
By Gavin Phillips / Updated January 29, 2019 29-01-2019 / 7 minutes

Gavin Phillips
425 articles

Gavin is a Senior Writer for MUO, and an

Email Facebook Pinterest Twitter Editor for Blocks Decoded. He has a BA
(Hons) Contemporary Writing with
Want a free Windows XP downloaded from Microsoft? It’s possible using a virtual Digital Art Practices pillaged from the

machine. This article explains how. hills of Devon, as well as a decade of

professional writing experience. He
Windows XP is old, and Microsoft no longer provides of cial support for the venerable enjoys copious amounts of tea.

operating system. But despite the lack of support, Windows XP is still running on 5
percent of all computers around the globe. Why are people still using Windows XP? Mostly
due to work, research, or entertainment.

Finding a copy of Windows XP isn’t easy. Finding some hardware to run it on is just as Latest Giveaways!
dif cult. That’s why the best option is to install Windows XP in a virtual machine so you can
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keep it on hand at all times. Here’s how you do it! Until You’ve Seen CrowPi
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Giveaway!)
Is Windows XP Really Available for Free?
Bosma X1 Review: A Decent
Microsoft knows that there are good reasons to jump back into Windows XP. That’s why Indoor Security Cam That
they supply Windows XP Mode, a full version of XP that runs within Windows 7. However, Lacks Polish
most of us have long since moved on from Windows 7, making this compatibility x… well,
a little unhelpful.
Mipow Power Cube X:
Luckily for you and me, there’s a relatively easy way to take the Windows XP Mode Wireless Charger AND
Power Bank
download and load it up in any virtual machine of your choosing. Before we begin, you need
a few things:

1 Download and install the latest version of VirtualBox.

2 Download and install a le archive tool.
3 A copy of Windows XP Mode (see below).
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Step 1: Download Windows XP Mode Virtual Hard Disk Places to Sell Your Photos
Online
Head to the Microsoft Windows XP Mode download page. Select Download. On the next
ENTERTAINMENT , WINDOWS
page, select WindowsXPMode_en-us.exe, then hit Next. The Windows XP Mode
Optimize Your PC for
executable will now download. Gaming With These 4 Vital
Tweaks

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Check in Google Chrome

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When it completes, don’t install it yet! Charger AND Battery. Genius.

Instead, browse to the executable, then right-click and select 7-Zip > Open archive > cab
from the context menu.

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Bosma X1 Security Cam

Review: A Decent Indoor

This immediately opens the executable in 7-Zip for you to have a poke around. There are
three les:
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Open Sources to reveal another three les:

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Double-click xpm. This is the XP Mode virtual hard drive folder. It should look the same as
the image below: $1115
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These are the les you need to create the XP Mode virtual hard disk. Unfortunately, they’re
Archive les and not executable les, meaning they’re currently Read-only.

You need to extract these les to a new folder.

Select Extract from the toolbar, then press the ellipsis icon next to the address bar.
Browse to where you’d like to extract the les—your C: drive is ne—and select Make New
Folder. I’ve called my folder “Windows XP Mode,” but the choice is yours. When you’re
ready, press OK, then OK again to start the extraction process. This can take a minute or
two.

Head to the folder you created when the extraction process completes. You’ll see the
same list of les. The difference is that you can now edit these les as you see t.

Select the le named VirtualXPVHD. Press F2 to rename. Insert a period between the “P”
and the “V,” and press Enter. The le should immediately change into a virtual hard disk,
and the icon to boot:

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6/3/2019 How to Get a Windows XP Download Free From Microsoft, Legally

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Step 2: Install Windows XP Mode in a Virtual Machine

Before we completed the XP Mode virtual hard disk extraction, I asked you to download
and install VirtualBox. VirtualBox is a free app that allows you to run operating systems in a
window.

We’re going to install the Windows XP Mode virtual hard drive in VirtualBox.

1 Open VirtualBox. Select New. At bottom of the Create Virtual Machine window, select
Expert Mode (if your window shows an option for Guided Mode, you’re already using
Expert Mode). Now, give your virtual machine a suitable name. If you include “XP” in
the virtual machine name, the Version will automatically change to re ect that. Even
so, double-check the Version is Windows XP (32-bit).

2 Assign the virtual machine some memory. Memory is a shared resource, meaning both
the host (your PC) and the guest (the virtual machine) use it concurrently. Luckily,
Windows XP is old and doesn’t require buckets of RAM to run. I would advise
assigning a minimum of 512 MB (but you won’t need more than 2048 MB).

3 Finally, we need to assign a hard disk—the virtual hard disk we extracted from the
Windows XP Mode executable earlier. Under Hard disk, select Use an existing virtual
hard disk le. Then, hit the folder with the green arrow. Browse to the folder we
extracted our les to, select VirtualXP, then Open.

When you’re done, your new virtual machine setup should look like this:

Okay? Hit Create.

Step 3: Windows XP Mode Disk Settings

Before you boot up your shiny new Windows XP virtual machine, you need to tweak a few
settings.

On the VirtualBox toolbar, press Settings. Head to System. Look at the Boot Order.

Uncheck Floppy, and move it down the list. Promote Hard Disk to the top of the pile. Just
like your host PC, the virtual machine has a speci c boot order. You need the virtual hard
disk at the top of the list, so it boots rst:

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Under Display, increase Video Memory to 128 MB:

Windows XP Virtual Machine Network Settings

Next, check the Windows XP virtual machine network settings. Older versions of
VirtualBox required a more manual approach to network con guration. The software is
smarter these days (read: automated) and usually picks up your network settings without
prompt.

For instance, my Windows XP Mode virtual machine works using the default con guration:
using NAT, the VirtualBox-speci c adapter, and ensuring Cable Connected is checked.

However, if it doesn’t work (and you’ll realize the good or bad news in a moment when you
re up the virtual machine), you can try an alternative con guration.

1 Set Attached to: Host-only Adapter

2 Set Name: VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter
3 Set Promiscuous Mode: Deny
4 Check Cable connected

Using the Start Menu search bar, type “network,” and select the Network and Sharing
Centre. In the left-hand column, select Change adapter settings. Hold CTRL and select
both your Ethernet/wireless card and the VirtualBox Host-Only Network. Then, right-click
and select Bridge Connection.

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“Combining” the adapters creates a network bridge, allowing the virtual machine to
connect to a network even though it doesn’t have direct access to the router (or
alternative switch):

When you enter the virtual machine, you’ll have to update your network adapter settings:

1 Head to Control Panel > Network and internet Connections > Network Connections.
2 Then, right-click the Local Area Connection, and select Properties. Highlight Internet
Protocol (TCP/IP), then select Properties.
3 Select Use the following IP address, and enter an available IP address for your home
network. For instance, I will enter 192.168.1.10. Enter your Subnet mask and Default
gateway.
4 Unsure what they are? On your host machine, press Windows Key + R, then type
CMD, and hit Enter. Now, type ipcon g /all. You’ll nd the information you need listed
under your Ethernet or wireless adapter name.

5 Enter the same DNS server addresses as the host. I use Google DNS, so I’ll enter
8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
6 Hit OK.

Step 4: Run the Windows XP Virtual Machine

You extracted the virtual hard disk. You created a virtual machine, ddled with the settings,
and now you’re ready to hit the power switch.

Highlight your Windows XP Mode virtual machine on the main VirtualBox window. Double-
click it and wait for Windows XP to burst into life:

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Looks like you made it!

There is a strong possibility that your mouse will not immediately work with the Windows
XP Mode virtual machine. Navigate the operating system installation pages using the Tab
key, arrow keys, Spacebar, and Enter key.

Complete the installation. You’ll arrive at a completely black screen. Don’t worry! Press
Right Ctrl + R to restart the virtual machine.

When it reboots, you can Cancel the New Hardware Installation and Microsoft Automatic
Update wizards. Instead, head to Devices > Install Guest Additions CD Image. (As per the
below image.) Use the default installation location and wait for the setup to complete:

You might encounter warnings that you are attempting to install unsupported software
and/or drivers. Select Continue Anyway. Once the Guest Additions installation completes,
select Reboot now.

(If it fails to reboot, restart the virtual machine again.)

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6/3/2019 How to Get a Windows XP Download Free From Microsoft, Legally

And there you have it. A working, fully-featured Windows XP installation to call your own.
PC & MOBILE LIFESTYLE HARDWARE FREE STUFF VIDEOS ABOUT WHATNERD BLOCKS D.

What About Windows XP Product Keys?

The Windows XP Mode virtual machine has a temporary license that expires after 30 days.

If you have an old Windows XP license, dig it out and enter it to try to keep the virtual
machine alive. I say “try” because the Windows XP activation servers are long of ine, but
you can try a phone activation.

Everything You Should Know About Windows Product

Keys
25 characters govern your Windows system. Your product key is worth $100
or more, whether or not you upgraded to Windows 10. We explain what you
can and can't do with your Windows license.

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If you are feeling devious, you could try the old Windows activation loop, whereby you
reset the trial license back to its original 30-day counter. However, I haven’t tried that using
the Windows XP Mode virtual machine, so you will have to conduct a private experiment.

But the easier solution is to create a snapshot of the Windows XP Mode virtual machine
straight after installation. Then, when the license expires, you can revert to your fresh
snapshot (but you’ll lose all the data on the virtual machine, so bear that in mind).

Without snapshots, you’ll have to keep reinstalling the Windows XP Mode virtual machine.

Note that just because you got Windows XP working doesn’t mean you should use
it! Windows XP is no longer suitable as a primary operating system because of the
security risks.

How to Tweak Windows XP and Stop Worrying About the

Apocalypse
Are you forced to stay with Windows XP? Using an unsupported operating
system is risky, but don't despair! We show you how you can carry on running
Windows XP, if you must.

READ MORE

Explore more about: Operating Systems, Virtual Machine, Windows XP.

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ENTERTAINMENT , WINDOWS

Optimize Your PC for Gaming With

These 4 Vital Tweaks
By Ben Stegner / Updated May 29, 2019 29-05-2019 / 5 minutes

Ben Stegner
1336 articles

Ben is a Deputy Editor and the

Email Facebook Pinterest Twitter Sponsored Post Manager at
MakeUseOf. He holds a B.S. in Computer
Do you nd that your computer doesn’t run games as well as it used to? Don’t worry, Information Systems from Grove City

because we’re here to help you optimize your PC for gaming. College, where he graduated Cum
Laude and with Honors in his major. He
Software and hardware both play major roles in how your system performs. So you can enjoys helping others and is passionate
about video games as a medium.
take several steps to optimize your PC for gaming for free or less than the cost of a new
computer.

Follow these gaming PC setup tips to make sure your computer is running to its maximum
potential. Latest Giveaways!
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1. Maintain Your Machine Until You’ve Seen CrowPi
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Image Credit: ESB Professional via Shutterstock Indoor Security Cam That
Lacks Polish
The biggest problem most people have with their rig isn’t a lack of money, but time. As the
years go by, all PCs become slower. Whether that’s due to bloatware, hardware issues, or
dated components, games eventually stop running as well as they used to. Mipow Power Cube X:
Wireless Charger AND
In order to keep your computer at peak working conditions—no matter the setup—you’ll Power Bank
need to perform regular maintenance on your PC. See our list of the most important
Windows maintenance tasks for guidance.

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If you have an SSD (as most do nowadays), you don’t need to worry about defragmenting Places to Sell Your Photos
your drive. However, you should know how to manage your Windows 10 startup folder to Online
prevent unnecessary programs from running in the background while you’re gaming.
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It’s also vital that you keep your Windows drivers updated, especially your graphics How to Force Rotate Into
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drivers. Installing the latest updates from Nvidia or AMD can often lead to better visual
performance.

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2. Optimize Windows 10 for Gaming

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Windows 10 includes lots of gamer-friendly features that you should know how to take
advantage of. Game Mode, for example, optimizes your computer for gaming with one
toggle. However, you should also be aware of settings that can interrupt your playing.

See our complete guide detailing how to optimize Windows 10 for gaming. This shows
you how to prevent Windows Update from interrupting a great round and other tricks to
help Windows 10 perform better.
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PC & MOBILE LIFESTYLE How to Optimize

HARDWARE Windows
FREE STUFF 10VIDEOS
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Performance
Are you gaming on Windows 10? You can optimize Windows 10 for gaming
with Game Mode and other tips and tweaks. We show you how.

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MiPow Power Cube X: Wireless
Charger AND Battery. Genius.
Even if you only use your PC to play games, it’s still important to make sure the underlying
operating system runs at its best. While the above won’t magically turn your PC into a
souped-up gaming machine, they’re necessary steps in getting your machine working at
peak condition.

3. Make Sure You Have the Right Hardware

How to Fix the "Windows
Cannot Automatically Detect
Man placing fan on computer build

Image Credit: Denis Rozhnovsky via Shutterstock

If you’re a casual PC user, you probably have no desire to x what’s not broken. For avid PC
gamers, however, part of the fun is modifying your PC to meet your wants as well as your
needs. Hardware is vital when it comes to your gaming computer setup.

PC hardware upgrades come in many forms; some are simple and some more complex.
We have previously provided a few straightforward tips on what hardware upgrades have Arduino Tra ic Light Tutorial
a lasting effect on your PC.

These Upgrades Will Improve Your PC Performance the

Most!
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Upgrade to an SSD
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might not be aware of this. Storage disks come in two main types: hard disk drives (HDD) $299
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and solid-state drives (SSD). HDDs offer more storage space for a lower cost. However,
they’re much slower than SSDs.

If you don’t already have one, the best upgrade you can make to your PC is adding an SSD.
This will speed the entire system up from booting to shutdown. You’ll also nd that games $1528
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Not sure what to get? Give the Samsung 860 EVO a look; it’s an affordable option from a
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Install More RAM

RAM for gaming

Next, you should check to see if you’re making the most of your motherboard’s RAM
capacity. This is another simple and relatively inexpensive way to boost your PC’s gaming
performance. RAM allows you to run more processes at the same time. If you don’t have
enough, more intensive games may stutter or even refuse to run altogether.

Unlike the SSD, we can’t provide a speci c recommendation here. This is because not all
motherboards support the same amount or types of RAM. You’ll need to check your
motherboard speci cations in the manual or online before you decide what RAM to get.

However, there are a few general RAM upgrade tips to note. The current minimum for
gaming is 8GB of RAM, which should handle most games. If you want to future-proof your
build, springing for 16GB is a good idea. 32GB or beyond is only necessary for hardcore
players.

To take advantage of dual-channel memory slots in most modern computers, it’s better to
have two sticks than one. So if you want to upgrade to 16GB of RAM, you should buy two
8GB sticks instead of one 16GB stick. The same idea holds true if your motherboard has
four RAM slots.

Review Your Graphics Card

In many cases, your graphics card determines what games you can play and the graphical
settings you can enjoy them at.

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If you’re gaming on integrated graphics, you should look at upgrading to a dedicated

PC & MOBILE LIFESTYLE HARDWARE FREE STUFF VIDEOS ABOUT WHATNERD BLOCKS D.
graphics card right away. Integrated graphics are very limited for gaming, so you’ll run into
a brick wall before long.

Have a graphics card, but not sure if it’s any good? We have previously looked at how to
nd out what games your PC will run. These services also let you compare your hardware
to that of other users, so you can get an idea of how powerful your system is.

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4. Consider Overclocking

How to Overclock your CPU - Beginner Tutorial

Modern overclocking is simple, safe, and quick. While it’s not a fail-safe way of boosting PC
performance (even we’ve had issues with overclocking software), you can potentially
boost the performance of any computer component a generation upward. That’s a serious
improvement for a few mouse clicks.

Keep in mind that not everyone will receive such fantastic overclock numbers. Rarely,
however, will you end your overclock journey empty-handed. Besides, it doesn’t cost
anything to try.

Check out our guide detailing how to safely overclock your GPU to get started.

How to Safely Overclock Your GPU to Gain FPS

Overclocking can make your PC perform at clock speeds one generation
above its release. If done right, it's safe and easy. We'll show you how to get a
GPU performance boost for free.

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Get Your Gaming PC Game-Ready

With these tips to optimize your PC for gaming, you don’t have to own a maxed-out PC to
enjoy gaming. Upgrading certainly goes a long way, but in many cases, basic software
maintenance can help squeeze better performance out of your machine. Put these tips
into practice and see if your favorite games run a little better.

If you’ve concluded that your PC is just too old and you need to start fresh, follow our
guide detailing how to build an affordable gaming PC.

How to Buy a Cheap Gaming PC With an Nvidia Graphics

Card
Looking to build a cheap gaming PC? Dann Albright built an Nvidia-based
gaming machine on-the-cheap. And he's going to show you how it's done for
under $600.

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Image Credit: Syda Productions/Shutterstock

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