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How to install an application in XP Mode?
I don’t have any old application which doesn’t work on Windows 7, but two weeks ago I needed to test Windows XP Mode and show it during presentation to high-school teachers (here is the info on how to deploy Windows XP Mode). I was very surprised how easy is to install application in XP Mode in use it within your Windows 7 environment. I expected that I will need to do some configuration, but I was wrong. I just needed to install an application in virtual Windows XP, and that was it. As I didn’t wanted to bother finding an application which doesn’t work on Windows 7, so I decided to install 7-Zip, which works on Windows 7. Here are some screenshots and description of the process. Some steps might be different for because you will use some other application, but general process is the same.
First of all, start your XP Mode virtual machine. Go to Windows Virtual PC, right click on Windows XP Mode and select Open. After it boots up, go online and find a program which you want to install, download it and save somewhere. Double-click to start installation. Your installation process will depend on which program you want to install.
After the installation process is complete, go to Windows 7 start menu, find Windows Virtual PC and you’ll see new folder called Windows XP Mode Applications. It contains shortcuts to all applications that you have installed in Windows XP Mode. Click on the application that you have installed (in my case 7-Zip File Manager (Windows XP Mode)) to open it.
Then you will see a warning from Windows XP Mode saying:
To open a virtual application, the virtual machine must be closed. Click Continue to the virtual application. This will close the virtual machine and you will lose any unsaved data.
After you click Continue, Windows XP Mode will go to Hibernate mode.
If you don’t have any antivirus software installed in Windows XP Mode, you will also get a warning message in your Windows 7 saying:
Your computer might be at risk (Remote). Antivirus software might not be installed.
My advice is to always have antivirus software installed in your virtual machines, as you have it installed on your host operating system. I recommend installing any of the free antivirus programs. I use Avira Antivir, but you can use any.
For now, we’ll ignore this message. Your virtual application will start and you are going to be able to use it. In my case, when I go to the Windows 7 start menu and start searching for 7-Zip, I see two applications: one that I have installed on my Windows 7 (as I said, 7-Zip works on Windows 7), and one that I have installed in Windows XP Mode.
I can start both of them, here is how it looks like.
As you can see, installing an application in Windows XP Mode and using it is very easy. Installation process for your application will be a little bit different, but basically this is it.
To download Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode (both are free) go to Windows Virtual PC official web page.
By Ilija Brajkovic | November 16, 2009
Tags: tutorial, virtual pc, virtualization, windows7, xp mode
Category: virtual pc | Comments
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