VirtualXP

Users Guide

Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction..................................................................................................................... 2
Chapter 2: Install and Uninstall VirtualXP ......................................................................................... 3
2.1 System Requirement ........................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Installing VirtualXP .............................................................................................................. 3
2.3 Uninstalling VirtualXP.......................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 3: Start Running VirtualXP ................................................................................................... 4
3.1 Main Console ...................................................................................................................... 4
3.2 Immigrate XP to VM ............................................................................................................ 5
3.3 Running XP in Windows 7 Virtual PC Environment............................................................. 5
3.4 Running XP in Windows 8 Hyper-V Environment................................................................ 8
3.5 Running XP in Windows Server Hyper-V environment ..................................................... 15
3.5.1 Running XP in Windows Server 2008 R2 ................................................................ 15
3.5.2 Running XP in Windows Server 2012 ..................................................................... 19
3.6 How to Configure Hyper-v Networking? ........................................................................... 23
3.7 Upgrade ............................................................................................................................. 29
3.8 Help Menu......................................................................................................................... 30
Chapter 4: Fixing boot failure of system ......................................................................................... 31

Chapter 1: Introduction
As Microsoft no longer provides security updates or technical support for
Windows XP operating system, Windows XP is now under threat of harmful viruses,
spyware, and other malicious software. For the sake of allowing users to keep
running applications and accessing data on XP, FarStone developed VirtualXP to
convert XP system to a Microsoft virtual disk, which can be run on Windows 7/8 or
Windows Server 2008/2012s virtual machine.
XP virtual machine is safer since it runs above Windows 7/8 or Windows Server
2008/2012 platform with extra security protection from the host environment.
Whats more, you may create snapshots via Microsoft tools while your XP runs stably,
and restore to a previous snapshot once any problem occurs, which keeps your
system and data safer than before.

Chapter 2: Install and Uninstall VirtualXP

2.1 System Requirement
Desktop or notebook computer running
Windows XP SP2 and later versions (32 bit & 64 bit)
Windows 2003 Server (32 bit & 64 bit)

Destination desktop or notebook computer running:

Windows 7 (32bit & 64bit) (Supports converted 32 bit XP)
Windows 8 Pro & Enterprise version (with Hyper-v component built-in)
Windows 2008 R2 (32bit & 64bit)
Windows 2012 (32bit & 64bit)

2.2 Installing VirtualXP

Download installation package from websites:
Save the executable file to the hard drive. Double-click the file to launch
VirtualXP installer. Follow the prompts displayed to finish installation.
1. Double click Setup, and then click Next.
2. Carefully read the software license agreement. Once you accepted, select I
Agree, and then click Next.
3. Click Install to install to the default folder, or Browse another location.
4. Click Finish to complete the installation.

2.3 Uninstalling VirtualXP

1. From the Windows Start menu, select Start -> Control Panel -> Add or
Remove Programs.
2. Select VirtualXP, and click Remove to begin uninstalling the associated
components.

Alternatively:
1. From the Windows Start menu, select Start -> All Programs -> FarStone ->
VirtualXP.
2. Click Uninstall VirtualXP to begin uninstalling the associated components.

Chapter 3: Start Running VirtualXP

3.1 Main Console

Double click icon

to start VirtualXP.

To run VirtualXP, you must download a required component, please click

Download Now and the program will automatically configure it for you.

3.2 Immigrate XP to VM
Convert XP systems partition/hard drive to Hyper-V format so that you can run
XP directly through Windows 7/8 or Windows Server 2008/2012 virtual machines.

1. Click Immigrate XP to VM.

2. Select a source disk/partition and then browse a destination path to save
converted VHD file.
3. Check Use Volume Shadow Copy if necessary, and click Next to continue.
4. After confirming the settings, click Start to proceed or Previous to modify
settings.
5. Click Finish to complete the converting process.

3.3 Running XP in Windows 7 Virtual PC Environment

Above all, you need download Windows Virtual PC and install it. Download
32bit or 64bit Virtual PC from Microsoft Website (Choose language first, then check
x86 for 32bit or x64 for 64bit), restart your PC after virtual PC installing completed.

Run Windows Virtual PC by clicking Start -> All Programs -> Windows Virtual
PC in turn, after that, please copy virtual Windows XP system's .vhd file over to
Windows 7 system. Then, refer to below figure about opening Windows Virtual PC
and launching the Create a Virtual Machine wizard.

Figure 1: Launch the Create Virtual Machine wizard

You may configure the virtual machine to have the same amount of RAM as its
physical counterpart, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Specify the amount of RAM for XP virtual machine

When prompted to add a virtual hard disk, select Use an Existing Virtual Hard
Disk option and then click Browse button to locate your .vhd file, as shown in Figure
3. Click the Create button once done.

Figure 3: Select the option and locate your vhd

Once the Create a Virtual Machine wizard completed, please refer to Chapter 4
about how to fix boot failure. After boot failure fixed, please just reopen Windows
Virtual PC, locate the new virtual machine and launch it, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Windows XP is running inside of Windows Virtual PC in Windows 7

You may create snapshots in above Tools menu so that you can go back to them
when you need.

3.4 Running XP in Windows 8 Hyper-V Environment

Please first make sure that your Win 8 computer has Hyper-V component (so
called Client Hyper-V) to run the converted XP virtual machine.
Note: Client Hyper-V isnt available for Windows 8 RT & Standard version.
Click Turn Windows features on or off under Programs and Features to turn
Client Hyper-V on if its unavailable currently.

Run Client Hyper-V, and then click on New > Virtual Machine to begin the
wizard below.

Next, give a name for the new virtual machine, and accept the default location
for now.

Click Next to specify generation.

Hit Next to set memory configuration.

Then configure networking according to your current network settings.

Now comes the main part. As XP has already been converted into a vhd file, in
the step of Connect Virtual Hard Disk, you should change the path to the exiting XP
VHD file.

Click Next to reach the summary page, and then Finish to have this job done.

Now you may run the virtual machine by right-clicking Connect.

You may create a snapshot in below Action menu while your XP runs well in
order to be prepared for the worst.

3.5 Running XP in Windows Server Hyper-V environment

3.5.1 Running XP in Windows Server 2008 R2
If you have Windows Server 2008, please start Server Manager as follows "Start
-> Administrative Tools -> Server Manager".

Then click Add Roles in Roles Summary page.

In the next Before You Begin UI, choose Next.

And in the "Select Server Roles" UI, check Hyper-V and click Next.

After that, please "Create Virtual Network" and finish creation of the virtual

machine.

To run the created virtual machine, in the left panel of "Server Manager",
expand "Roles->Hyper-V->Microsoft Hyper-V Server", and click your computer
name.

3.5.2 Running XP in Windows Server 2012

In the Windows Server 2012, you need first create a XP virtual machine by
following steps:
1. Start Server Manager to select Add roles and features.

2. Click Next in Before you Begin UI.

3. Select one installation type you need, and click Next to continue.

4. Select a destination server or virtual hard disk to install roles and features.

5. Check Hyper-v in following Server Roles UI.

6. Subsequently below UI will inform you of installing some necessary tools,

read that carefully please before hit Add Features.

7. To run the created virtual machine, please refer to 3.4 for details.

3.6 How to Configure Hyper-v Networking?

When create a XP virtual machine, the default network adapter may fail to work
in your network. If so, please follow below steps to add it:
1. Open Hyper-V Manager. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Start Virtual Switch Manager under Actions.

3. Select External type of virtual switch and hit Create Virtual Switch.

4. Complete Virtual Switch Properties, once done, click Apply.

5. Next remove default network adapter and click OK to return to Hyper-v

Manager main console.

6. Select the virtual machine that you want to configure under Virtual
Machines.
7. In the Action pane, under the virtual machine name, click Settings.

8. In the navigation pane, click Add Hardware.

9. On the Add Hardware page, choose a network adapter or a legacy network
adapter, and click Add.

10. The Network Adapter or Legacy Network Adapter page appears. Under
Network, select the virtual network you want to connect to.

11. Click OK to finish network adapter configuration.

3.7 Upgrade
Click here to upgrade online and remove upgrade popups.

Hit Upgrade Now to purchase a license online, or click Please click here to enter

your serial number to activate VirtualXP.

Enter your User Name, Company and Serial number, and then click Next to
activate VirtualXP.

3.8 Help Menu

The Help menu has technical support, manual looking up and other options
available.

Choose one in the dropdown menu or use the corresponding shortcut key
combination to get information you need.

Chapter 4: Fixing boot failure of system

Should converted virtual machine files of system fail to boot, please download
VirtualXP tool from http://www.farstone.us/Download/TechTools/VirtualXP.zip to fix
it.
Execute VirtualXP.exe to enter following user interface.

Browse the fail-to-boot *.vhd file, choose a fix option next and hit Fix thereafter,
then you may run this virtual disk in virtual machine now.