Win XP mode in Win 8

imatt

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Will Win 8 have Win XP mode at all? I have a couple of old progs that will not run on a 64bit OS.

Thanks!

imatt
 

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Welcome to the forum!

There is no XP Mode but there are a couple of (even better) alternatives available that work in Win8.

There is no MS Virtual PC pre-installed with Windows 8. There is MS HYPER-V (more designed for business use) but you'll have to enable it, is more advanced, requires a newer CPU but you will have to install XP yourself.

There is always VirtualBox (https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads) and VMware Player (https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/evalcenter?p=player) which are free and where you could make your own so called XP Mode.
You can install a lot of operating systems including Win XP or you can even import XP Mode image from Win7.

For DOS programs there is also the Built-in DOS support (see Control Panel to enable) in Win8 32bit and/or you can also use DosBox (for DOS support in Win8 64bit) (DOSBox, an x86 emulator with DOS).

Hope this helps.
 

My Computer

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    That's basically it.
Thanks for the quick reply.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8 Pro 64
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    Self built
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 2300
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Z68X-UD3P-B3
    Memory
    8Gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDA GT640 1GB DDR5
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP LP2065
    Screen Resolution
    1600 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    Adata 120GB SSD

    Kingston V200 64Gb SSD

    WD Caviar Black 1TB

    WD Blue 640 GB ext
    PSU
    OCZ 650W
    Case
    Antec 300 Two
    Mouse
    MS Trackball Optical
Indeed, XP mode doesn't exist on Win8 and neither Virtual PC (which is used for the XP Mode VM) nor MED-V are actually supported on Windows 8. Also, the license that grants access to the virtual XP image is actually part of the Windows 7 license, so unless you have a separate XP license, you can't (within licensing guidelines) run it in Hyper-V (or other virtualization technologies) on Win8 either.

If you've already got Win8 client and a SLAT-capable CPU, Hyper-V will work just fine. If you don't have a CPU capable of running Hyper-V, the other alternatives have already been mentioned. A VM running in Hyper-V will give you the best performance and compatibility with older versions of XP (or Vista 32bit, or Windows 7 32bit) running under Windows 8, but if you don't have a SLAT-capable CPU you can use the others and achieve the same (namely running a program on a 64bit Win8 install inside a 32bit VM).

Note you can check if your CPU will support SLAT properly by downloading and running a tool called CoreInfo from sysinternals, and running it from an elevated command prompt with the -v option (coreinfo -v). If the CPU supports SLAT, that feature will have a "*" next to it in the output. Make sure virtualization options are enabled in the BIOS first if doing so is possible, of course ;).
 

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    Windows 8.1 x64
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    Asus Maximus Hero VII
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    Fractal Design Define R4
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    Noctua NH-D15
... Also, the license that grants access to the virtual XP image is actually part of the Windows 7 license, ..

A quick note; the XP image was just part of the Pro, Ultimate and Enterprise editions of Windows 7. Windows 7 Home Premium , Basic and Starter don't include the XP license
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 enterprise x64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Pc-Quebec / Area 66
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    i7-3960X Extreme Edition
    Motherboard
    Rampage IV Extreme
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    Gskill 4x4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    4 x HD 7970
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Screen Resolution
    2560*1600
    Hard Drives
    C:\Intel series 520 SSD , 250 GB
    D:\ WD 750 black with Intel 40gb SSD cache Intel RST
    E:\ WD 2TB Black
    PSU
    Corsair AX 1200
    Case
    TT Mozart TX
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Logitech G-15
    Other Info
    Windows 8 VM is install on his own SSD.
Thanks for the quick reply.

You're welcome.

... Also, the license that grants access to the virtual XP image is actually part of the Windows 7 license, ..

A quick note; the XP image was just part of the Pro, Ultimate and Enterprise editions of Windows 7. Windows 7 Home Premium , Basic and Starter don't include the XP license

Good to know the details.
I use my own XP install. I saw some sites that show how to import the XP Mode image to VBox and VMPlayer on Win7 Home Premium. Guess they don't care about the licence.:busted:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy DV6 7250
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP, Intel HM77 Express Chipset
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD4000 + Nvidia Geforce 630M
    Sound Card
    IDT HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.6' built-in + Samsung S22D300 + 17.3' LG Phillips
    Screen Resolution
    multiple resolutions
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 250GB + Hitachi HDD 750GB
    PSU
    120W adapter
    Case
    small
    Cooling
    laptop cooling pad
    Keyboard
    Backlit built-in + big one in USB
    Mouse
    SteelSeries Sensei
    Internet Speed
    slow and steady
    Browser
    Chromium, Pale Moon, Firefox Developer Edition
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's basically it.
Good to know the details.
I use my own XP install. I saw some sites that show how to import the XP Mode image to VBox and VMPlayer on Win7 Home Premium. Guess they don't care about the licence.

XP Mode Unauthorized Key


In this technet thread, in the posting with the date/time of Tuesday, January 05, 2010 3:36 PM , so it's been there a long time, there is a well known registry entry to activate XP - it works in virtual machines and on full hardware installations if performed during the initial grace period.

So I guess it is a while since Microsoft cared about the XP license either.
 

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  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center
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    PC/Desktop
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    HP COMPAQ Presario CQ57
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    AMD E- 300 APU with Radion HD Graphics 1.30GHz
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    inbuilt
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    4GB
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    notebook
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    pretty good
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    touchpad
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    BT Infinity Unlimited - 80 up 20 down =70/16 really
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    Chrome Canary usually
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    Windows Defender and Malwarebytes
    Other Info
    no Start menu modifications
    Upgraded with no issues to 8.0 and to 8.1
HI there
if you are a technet member just download XP sp3 ultimate from there -- create your VM and activate -- simple.

you could use Windows 8 HYPER-V so you won't need VBOX or any other product.

cheers
jimbo
 
Last edited:

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    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)
If you are going to use VMWare 7 or 8 you will have to deactivate Win 8's HYPER-V. It would seem that at present the two do not like the idea of sharing the OS. Trust me VMWare 8 told me to take a long walk off a short pier when attempting to install.
 

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  • OS
    Win 8, (VM win7, XP, Vista)
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    Intel Core i5 3330 Ivy Bridge
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    Foxconn - 2ADA Ivy Brige
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    Microsoft Keyboard 2000
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    Microsoft Optical Mouse 5000
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    1.3 (350 to 1024 if lucky)
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    Firefox 19.1
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    MSE-Defender
OK I've been reading and trying to understand the win 8 and xp relationship in terms of somehow getting XP on a Win 8 machine. I've been using XP for years but needed a new computer which came with win 8. ALL my expensive programs are for XP and I can't afford to buy newer versions. I'm an average user who is not very tech savvy; so much of what is said in the threads is beyond my understanding.
The following is my understanding of how to get xp into win8 as well as some questons. Please let me know if I'm correct or not. Any further elaboration will be greatly appreciated.

1. I have to have my own XP install disk. What happens if I don't have one or the one I do have is ancient?
2. I have to get some kind of box to be able to install xp. and if I don't want to buy the box there are free downloads that?????
3. To do the xp install I have to have win 8 ultimate not the pro that I have now.
4. Is there anyway to go backwards i.e. installing Win 7 in place of Win 8?

My experience with and understanding of all the new things coming out is limited and it just seems that us old fossil users are out of luck.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
In this technet thread, in the posting with the date/time of Tuesday, January 05, 2010 3:36 PM , so it's been there a long time, there is a well known registry entry to activate XP - it works in virtual machines and on full hardware installations if performed during the initial grace period.

So I guess it is a while since Microsoft cared about the XP license either.


wait a minute, this was not working if you install Windows XP on a pC, this was working only with the VM version and only on servers not on Windows 7 PC
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 enterprise x64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Pc-Quebec / Area 66
    CPU
    i7-3960X Extreme Edition
    Motherboard
    Rampage IV Extreme
    Memory
    Gskill 4x4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    4 x HD 7970
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Screen Resolution
    2560*1600
    Hard Drives
    C:\Intel series 520 SSD , 250 GB
    D:\ WD 750 black with Intel 40gb SSD cache Intel RST
    E:\ WD 2TB Black
    PSU
    Corsair AX 1200
    Case
    TT Mozart TX
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Logitech G-15
    Other Info
    Windows 8 VM is install on his own SSD.
OK I've been reading and trying to understand the win 8 and xp relationship in terms of somehow getting XP on a Win 8 machine. I've been using XP for years but needed a new computer which came with win 8. ALL my expensive programs are for XP and I can't afford to buy newer versions. I'm an average user who is not very tech savvy; so much of what is said in the threads is beyond my understanding.
The following is my understanding of how to get xp into win8 as well as some questons. Please let me know if I'm correct or not. Any further elaboration will be greatly appreciated.

1. I have to have my own XP install disk. What happens if I don't have one or the one I do have is ancient?
2. I have to get some kind of box to be able to install xp. and if I don't want to buy the box there are free downloads that?????
3. To do the xp install I have to have win 8 ultimate not the pro that I have now.
4. Is there anyway to go backwards i.e. installing Win 7 in place of Win 8?

My experience with and understanding of all the new things coming out is limited and it just seems that us old fossil users are out of luck.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Let me decipher this.
1: Well, XP is ancient anyway, and XP disk will do.
2: The "box" is Virtualbox, which puts XP inside 8. You run two OS's at the same time.
3: There is no Windows 8 Ultimate, just Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, and Windows 8 RT, and Windows 8 Enterprise.
4: You can install 7 in place of 8, but you'll have to find drivers for your hardware.
How To Dual Boot Windows XP And Windows 8
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W7
OK I've been reading and trying to understand the win 8 and xp relationship in terms of somehow getting XP on a Win 8 machine. I've been using XP for years but needed a new computer which came with win 8. ALL my expensive programs are for XP and I can't afford to buy newer versions. I'm an average user who is not very tech savvy; so much of what is said in the threads is beyond my understanding.
The following is my understanding of how to get xp into win8 as well as some questons. Please let me know if I'm correct or not. Any further elaboration will be greatly appreciated.

1. I have to have my own XP install disk. What happens if I don't have one or the one I do have is ancient?
2. I have to get some kind of box to be able to install xp. and if I don't want to buy the box there are free downloads that?????
3. To do the xp install I have to have win 8 ultimate not the pro that I have now.
4. Is there anyway to go backwards i.e. installing Win 7 in place of Win 8?

My experience with and understanding of all the new things coming out is limited and it just seems that us old fossil users are out of luck.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Hello there,

You install a program (VMware Player or VirtualBox, one of these is enough) and you create a virtual machine of XP with this program.
Then you run your XP in a new window, just like any program in Win8.

The mentioned programs are free and work on any Win8 version. You don't have to buy any box.
You install XP with the XP disk. All you need to know is the (easy) basics of virtual machine setup and you're good to go.

Installing XP (as a VM on Win8):
I recommend you go with VMware Player if you're a beginner because it's easy to get started with (less settings to configure).
VMware Player: Run Windows 8, Chrome OS on a Virtual PC

Basic tutorials:

for VMware Player:
Installing Windows XP - Page 1


for VirtualBox:
Installing a Windows XP as a virtual machine on VirtualBox



I hope this helps.

Hopachi
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy DV6 7250
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP, Intel HM77 Express Chipset
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD4000 + Nvidia Geforce 630M
    Sound Card
    IDT HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.6' built-in + Samsung S22D300 + 17.3' LG Phillips
    Screen Resolution
    multiple resolutions
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 250GB + Hitachi HDD 750GB
    PSU
    120W adapter
    Case
    small
    Cooling
    laptop cooling pad
    Keyboard
    Backlit built-in + big one in USB
    Mouse
    SteelSeries Sensei
    Internet Speed
    slow and steady
    Browser
    Chromium, Pale Moon, Firefox Developer Edition
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's basically it.
As Jimbo said, you can use Hyper-V instead of Virtualbox , just use remote desktop to access it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 enterprise x64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Pc-Quebec / Area 66
    CPU
    i7-3960X Extreme Edition
    Motherboard
    Rampage IV Extreme
    Memory
    Gskill 4x4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    4 x HD 7970
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Screen Resolution
    2560*1600
    Hard Drives
    C:\Intel series 520 SSD , 250 GB
    D:\ WD 750 black with Intel 40gb SSD cache Intel RST
    E:\ WD 2TB Black
    PSU
    Corsair AX 1200
    Case
    TT Mozart TX
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Logitech G-15
    Other Info
    Windows 8 VM is install on his own SSD.
[/QUOTE]

Let me decipher this.
1: Well, XP is ancient anyway, and XP disk will do.
2: The "box" is Virtualbox, which puts XP inside 8. You run two OS's at the same time.
3: There is no Windows 8 Ultimate, just Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, and Windows 8 RT, and Windows 8 Enterprise.
4: You can install 7 in place of 8, but you'll have to find drivers for your hardware.
How To Dual Boot Windows XP And Windows 8[/QUOTE]

Thanks for your quick reply. I have a couple more questions about things you mentioned in your reply.
The only XP disc I've found is an ancient one from 2001 that came on a dell laptop I had at the time. I don't see any product key etc. Will this still work and if it will, how to I get all the updates for it?
I went to the link you provided and it appears that it is for installing 8 onto a computer using XP. I had to get a new computer so for me it's the other way around....xp onto a computer using 8. I see the partition instructions.. am I right in assuming you can do all that is described just installing xp where is says 8?
I appreciate your patience and help
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
Thanks Hopachi. Your reply helped a great deal. Spelling it our for me is just what I needed not only in terms of how to do the xp and win 8 thing but also it helps to drag me gently into the 21st century! lol
I think I can do what you outlined but I realize the problem may be the fact that I only have a xp disc (i.e. came preloaded) from 2001 dell computer I had. I can't find any product key # for it. Is there any other way to install the xp program without having a disk?

Thanks again for your help.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
Let me decipher this.
1: Well, XP is ancient anyway, and XP disk will do.
2: The "box" is Virtualbox, which puts XP inside 8. You run two OS's at the same time.
3: There is no Windows 8 Ultimate, just Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, and Windows 8 RT, and Windows 8 Enterprise.
4: You can install 7 in place of 8, but you'll have to find drivers for your hardware.
How To Dual Boot Windows XP And Windows 8[/QUOTE]

Thanks for your quick reply. I have a couple more questions about things you mentioned in your reply.
The only XP disc I've found is an ancient one from 2001 that came on a dell laptop I had at the time. I don't see any product key etc. Will this still work and if it will, how to I get all the updates for it?
I went to the link you provided and it appears that it is for installing 8 onto a computer using XP. I had to get a new computer so for me it's the other way around....xp onto a computer using 8. I see the partition instructions.. am I right in assuming you can do all that is described just installing xp where is says 8?
I appreciate your patience and help[/QUOTE]

You'll have to buy a new copy of XP. You can only use recovery disks on the computer they came with/ are made for.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W7
Thanks 714. They don't make it easy do they. Do they acutally have XP for sale any more? I seem to remember they cost a couple hundred dollars. :(
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
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