Import Windows XP Mode into VirtualBox #

while maintaining product activation.

Important note

While a virtual machine created in this manner might run under any OS X, Linux, or Windows host, the Windows XP Mode EULA states in part:

You may install, use, access, display and run one copy of the Software in a single virtual machine on a single computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other device ("Workstation Computer"), that contains a licensed copy of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise or Ultimate edition. Virtualization software is required to use the Software on the Workstation Computer ... If you are using the Software with a properly licensed copy of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise or Ultimate, activation of the Software is not required.

Steps

  1. Download Windows XP Mode (WindowsXPMode_en-us.exe | MD5: bf3726d684d3acb98185665123c9efcf)

  2. Extract xpm from WindowsXPMode_en-us.exe with a file archiver like PeaZip Portable.

  3. Add .rar extension to xpm

  4. Extract VirtualXPVHD from xpm.rar

  5. Add .vdi extension to VirtualXPVHD

  6. Create a new machine in VirtualBox, naming it XPMODE and specifying VirtualXPVHD.vdi as the hard disk

  7. Start the new VM. If the mouse / cursor doesn't respond during initial setup, either disable mouse integration (Input > uncheck "Mouse Integration") or navigate via the keyboard.

  8. Once setup is complete, uninstall Virtual PC Integration Components from Add/Remove Control Panel

  9. Install Guest Additions (Devices > Install Guest Additions...)

  10. Shut down the virtual machine

  11. Download pcbios.bin (MD5: 12ccdc652b30c6d1e307c6f7deff5d24) from VMLite* Create pcbios.bin using the updated instructions below, then copy it to a directory on the host computer (e.g., C:\vm\)

  12. "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" setextradata XPMODE "VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/BiosRom" "c:\vm\pcbios.bin"
    (This command will add the following line to XPMODE.vbox: <ExtraDataItem name="VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/BiosRom" value="c:\vm\pcbios.bin"/>)

Footnotes, updates, and more information:

/windows | Oct 21, 2012


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