

- #WHEN OPENING WINDOWS XP MODE WINDOWS 7 HARD LOCKS INSTALL#
- #WHEN OPENING WINDOWS XP MODE WINDOWS 7 HARD LOCKS PRO#
- #WHEN OPENING WINDOWS XP MODE WINDOWS 7 HARD LOCKS PC#
- #WHEN OPENING WINDOWS XP MODE WINDOWS 7 HARD LOCKS PROFESSIONAL#
Go back to the Microsoft download page and click the Windows Virtual PC Download button under Microsoft’s Step 3.
#WHEN OPENING WINDOWS XP MODE WINDOWS 7 HARD LOCKS INSTALL#
But before you can use it, you have to install the Virtual PC software. When this initial setup ends, XP Mode is on your system. When the download is finished, you’ll see the usual Win7 permissions dialog boxes (yes, you do want to run the file you just downloaded) before XP Mode will install its core files.

When the download starts, you might as well take a few minutes to stretch your legs - XP Mode is about a 500MB-file. The Microsoft site runs a validation check to ensure you’re running a legit copy of Windows 7, before it allows the download. Select Run, and the XP Mode setup will start automatically after the download finishes click Save, and you’ll have to manually double-click the downloaded file to start setup. Choose either Run or Save (the download file): it’s up to you. Moving on to Microsoft’s Step 2, click the Windows XP Mode Download button. (You can skip Step 1 on that page I’ll cover everything you need to know.) Although it does not provide much information, this page downloads all the necessary files. You’ll see a window pop up, similar to the one in Figure 3.įigure 3. Use the page’s pull-down menus to pick your version of Win7 and your preferred language. There, you can select the files for Windows XP Mode with Virtual PC - or download what you need for a Virtual PC only (useful if you want to run some other OS within Windows 7). To start, go to Microsoft’s Windows Virtual PC Help & How-to download page.
#WHEN OPENING WINDOWS XP MODE WINDOWS 7 HARD LOCKS PRO#
In Win7’s XP Mode, the virtual hardware boots and runs XP Pro SP3 within a Win7 window (see Figures 1 and 2). In a VPC, all the hardware (video boards, hard-drive controllers, etc.) an OS needs is emulated or moderated by the VPC’s software. It’s not a dual-boot setup, which lets you run only one OS at a time a VPC lets you run a second operating system within your current OS, giving you access to both simultaneously. Windows 7’s XP Mode runs within a virtual PC (VPC). For those versions, or in any case where Microsoft’s XP Mode doesn’t work, there are other alternatives I’ll discuss at the end of this article. XP Mode is a free add-on for Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise - Win7 Home Premium and Starter don’t qualify. And even if you don’t have ancient apps to support, you gotta admit: keeping XP around for those times you want to indulge in a bit of nostalgia is pretty cool.
#WHEN OPENING WINDOWS XP MODE WINDOWS 7 HARD LOCKS PROFESSIONAL#
You’ll find it with Win7’s XP Mode, a free and fully functional version of XP Professional SP3 that runs entirely inside Windows 7. Looking for a sure-fire way to keep your oldest Windows applications alive while living in a Windows 7 world? TOP STORY Using Windows 7's XP Mode - step by step
