Software: Windows 7 XPM (XP Mode) Install Procedure

(Updated 8/11/09 @ 7:30p to add a missing step) One of the best features I have been using with Windows 7 is called XPM or “XP Mode”. XP Mode is an optional feature for Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate editions. The idea behind XP Mode is that it helps small businesses upgrade to Windows 7 by providing a virtual Windows XP environment capable of running many older (normally called legacy) Windows XP-compatible business and productivity applications, however, even home users would see a benefit if you run an application that is a couple of years old that you just cant live without, can’t afford to upgrade, if your moving to 64-bit Windows 7 but have an application that only works in a 32-bit environment

(That would be Cisco VPN software for me where Cisco lists on their site that the VPN software is only for 32-bit systems. With XPM I’m running it in Windows 7 – 64bit edition. You can Bing or Google your software and search will (name of software) work in a 64 bit operating system)

or software that the software maker has retired and isn’t making newer versions of.

Microsoft has had Virtual PC Software for a few years now, but in the past, it involved running the software inside of a VM window that you had to start manually and then you also could not read or connect any USB hardware as the VM could not recognize USB. Now with the XP Mode, you still have to use the VM window to install your programs that need XP to run, but once that is done, you will see a shortcut on your Windows 7 start menu and your program will run directly from Windows 7 just using the XP VM as support (the support XP gives to make the program run happens completely in the background). I am getting a little ahead of myself, so lets go thru the XP mode requirements and steps to install 1st

REQUIREMENTS:

Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate Editions.
PC with at least 2 gigs of memory (as XP Mode does use up additional resources to run)
PC with at least 15 GB (That’s gigabytes) of free hard drive space
PC that comes with a BIOS that includes either Intel – VT or AMD – V (The V stands for Virtualization, on some PC it may just say the word Virtualization) as the hardware virtualization is what is at the heart of XP Mode, without it you CAN NOT RUN XP Mode.
Download of the Microsoft Virtual PC and and Windows XP mode from the Microsoft website http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx (http://www NULL.microsoft NULL.com/windows/virtual-pc/download NULL.aspx) .

What you will need to check:

The 1st thing you will need to check is your bios to make sure you have the Virtualization option and that it is enabled. To access your bios, during the very 1st screen you see when you power your machine, look for a message that says “Press F1 to enter setup” or “Press delete (key) to enter set up” or something to that effect. Whatever that message says to press that’s the button you will press.

Once your in your bios, you need to look for the setting for “Virtualization” or Intel –VT or AMD – V. Once your find it, make sure its enabled. The press F10 (this is standard on almost all PC bios screens) to save your changes and restart your pc**.

**Note the bios also controls virtually all the settings in your pc, DO NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO ANY OTHER PART OF YOUR BIOS UNLESS YOUR REALLY SURE OF WHAT THE CHANGE WILL DO. THE ONLY ONE I’M TELLING YOU IS OK TO CHANGE IS THE VIRTUALIZATION ONE.

Installation of software:

1. Install Windows Virtual PC RC:
Double-click Windows6.1-KB958559-x86.msu or Windows6.1-KB958559-x64.msu (depending on if your using 32bit or 64bit Windows 7). Just follow the prompts by selecting yes or next to install after the double click. You may be prompted at the end of the install to reboot, go ahead and reboot.

(http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2fkb958559EULA NULL.jpg)

5-1-2009 2-55-52 PM (http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2f51200925552PM NULL.jpg)

5-1-2009 2-56-34 PM (http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2f51200925634PM NULL.jpg)

5-1-2009 3-31-57 PM (http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2f51200933157PM NULL.jpg)

2. Install Windows XP Mode RC:
Double-click WindowsXPMode_nn-NN.exe (where nn-NN is the locale, for example: WindowsXPMode_en-us.exe) and follow the instructions in the wizard to extract and install Windows XP Mode RC.

virtual-windows-xp-vhd (http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2fvirtualwindowsxpvhd NULL.png)

5-1-2009 12-56-32 PM (http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2f512009125632PM NULL.jpg)

Virtual Windows XP Setup Complete (http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2fVirtualWindowsXPSetupComplete NULL.jpg)

3. Reboot Windows 7 to complete the installation.

4. To start Windows XP Mode RC Setup:
Click Start, click All Programs, click Windows Virtual PC, and then click Windows XP Mode.

***If your PC does not have Virtualization built into the bios or if you do not have it enabled you will see the following message. If your still not sure if you have virtualization, check with your Tech neighbor, your Tech child or other Tech family member, or Tech Friend for additional support

Virtual Windows XP fail to start (http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2fVirtualWindowsXPfailtostart NULL.jpg)

5. When the virtual machine starts for the first time, the Virtual Windows XP EULA appears. Accept it and click Next to continue.

6. On the next screen you will be asked where you want you XP mode files saved. The default is listed, however, if you have a more than one drive or a hard drive with multiple partitions (C:\ D:\ E:\ etc) you may want to consider changing that location to another drive. Also another trick, if you have more than 1 profile on your pc (we use 3 at home), then when you install XP mode under each profile (and yes you have to do the install for each person who is to use XP Mode) with an account (profile) on the pc that you plan to use XP mode on choose the same location for the install. That way you only have 1 install of XP mode and all users share the 1 XP Mode install. This also keeps you from having to install the same software multiple times.

7. On the next screen, Create a password for the User account. This is a required account with administrator privileges that the wizard creates automatically. It is the default account used to run Windows XP mode. **Its important that you remember the password you entered at this screen**

VXP Password Set (http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2fVXPPasswordSet NULL.jpg)

During the setup process you will be prompted how you want to handle window updates for XPM. Choose automatic update settings for Virtual Windows XP and proceed next.

vxp update (http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2fvxpupdate NULL.jpg)

Then you will see the following while XPM installs

(Took about 4 minutes on a dual core AMD 2.86 GHZ system)

Setting up VPC (http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2fSettingupVPC NULL.jpg)

Initializing virtual machine (http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2fInitializing
virtualmachine NULL.jpg)

Starting the operating system (http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2fStartingtheoperatingsystem NULL.jpg)

Enabling integration features (http://www NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com/ct NULL.ashx?id=0a0a2ada-9322-436b-8710-39efd6184d38&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww NULL.bostonpocketpc NULL.com%2fimages%2fposts%2fHowtoinstallXPMXPModeonWindows7_2F7E%2fEnablingintegrationfeatures NULL.jpg)