Update Windows Xp Windows 8

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Microsoft gave Windows 7 users a way to run older applications via Windows XP Mode. With Windows 8, however, that mode is no longer officially supported, and if you want to run Windows XP in a virtual machine, you need the license for it. Lifehacker reader Miloš, however, has found a workaround.

He discovered that within the free WindowsXPMode_en-us.exe file, there's a VirtualXPVHD file containing the Windows XP virtual machine, which you can open in VirtualBox. Here are the steps to get this working:

Update Windows Xp Windows 8 System

If you want to upgrade to Windows 8.1 from Windows XP without doing a clean install, you need to first upgrade the installation to Windows 8 by purchasing the currently available Windows 8 upgrade media, and then upgrade to Windows 8.1 for free (Windows 8.1 update is free for Windows 8 users) when Microsoft releases the Windows 8.1 update on October. Free Scan for Windows ® 10, 8, 7, Vista & XP Operating Systems. Charges apply for license with premium features. See registration process for full details. Download the DriverUpdate ™ Utility to scan and identify out-of-date Windows Drivers. Your PC isn't just one big piece of hardware; it's made up of many devices like WiFi. To use this site to find and download updates, you need to change your security settings to allow ActiveX controls and active scripting. To get updates but allow your security settings to continue blocking potentially harmful ActiveX controls and scripting from other sites, make this site a trusted website.

  1. Download WindowsXPMode_en-us.exe from Microsoft. You'll need to run the validation tool to prove your copy of Windows is valid.
  2. Then use 7-Zip or another archive tool to open the EXE file as an archive.
  3. Within that archive, find the 'sources/xpm' file within it, and extract that folder to your hard drive.
  4. Finally, in the extracted xpm file, you'll find a file called VirtualXPVHD. Rename it with a VHD extension.

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  • Apr 08, 2014  Did Windows Vista scare you off updating your PC so much that you let Windows 7 and 8 pass you by? Well, the time has come for you to move on.

In VirtualBox, open the VirtualXPVHD virtual machine, and voila! You've got Windows XP Mode (running Windows XP Professional) in Windows 8, no need for the XP license.

This might also be possible with Windows 8's built-in virtual machine manager, Hyper-V, but that's only available in Windows 8 Pro.

Thanks for the tip, Miloš!

Did Windows Vista scare you off updating your PC so much that you let Windows 7 and 8 pass you by? Well, the time has come for you to move on because full XP support is no more, starting today.

Windows Xp Upgrade To Windows 10

XP has been around since 2001, which means that you've really had more than enough time to let it go. But you're not the only one. A number of businesses, not to mention governments, still rely on XP-based systems. The Dutch and U.K. governments, for example, paid Microsoft a few million dollars to extend support for a year, The Guardianreported.

What happens for those who don't upgrade? Well, if any bugs are found after Tuesday, Microsoft won't be fixing them, though it will support antimalware signatures for XP through July 14, 2015. There's also the fact that you're running a 13-year-old OS so you'd likely see better performance if you upgrade. That is, if your system can handle it. How do you know?

Chess Hero 2.3. It is nice to see a new piece of free training software, especially when it is as simple and effective as this is! Simply set an analysis engine and select a pgn file (e.g. The latest Week in Chess, or perhaps games from a favourite player or opening), and the program will present you with random postions for you to make what you think is the best continuation. Free chess tutorial software. The new favorite of everybody who is interested in playing and learning chess - FREE LESSONS and PREMIUM COURSES with Success Guarantee for Ages 4-99! - Special Solution for Schools!

Update Windows Xp Free

At its recent Build conference, Microsoft lowered the system requirements for Windows 8.1 so more machines can upgrade to the latest OS. The requirements for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are now:

Update Windows Xp To Windows 8.1

  • Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster
  • RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2GB (64-bit)
  • Free hard drive space: 16GB (32-bit) or 20GB (64-bit)
  • Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver

    • If you don't have this and you want to upgrade, then it's time for a new laptop or desktop. But if you want to give upgrades a shot, here's how to proceed.

    For Windows XP to Windows 7:
    If you're used to XP, then upgrading to Windows 7 is probably less of a shock than going from XP to Windows 8.1. Here's how to get started.

    • The Windows download links on Microsoft's website all link to Windows 8, so you'll probably need to track down a boxed version of Windows 7 from a site like Amazon, Walmart, or Newegg. To see if you need 32-bit or 64-bit, go to Start, right click on My Computer, then select Properties. If you see 'x64 Edition' then choose the 64-bit. If not, choose 32-bit.
    • Your files and settings will not be saved during the upgrade, so you need to back everything up on an external hard drive. (Don't have one? Check out PCMag's roundup of The 10 Best External Hard Drives.) You can use Microsoft's Windows Easy Transfer to make the process a little smoother, but there are also services like Laplink PCmover, which will move and restore files for you.
    • Load the Windows 7 disc and follow the installation menu instructions.
    • For the visual learners out there, Microsoft has a video that might help you through the process.

      • For Windows XP to Windows 8.1:
      'Windows 8.1 isn't designed for installation on PCs running Windows Vista or Windows XP,' Microsoft warns on its upgrade page. Basically, Redmond would much prefer you just buy a new Windows 8-based PC. That's not in the cards for everyone, though, so here's how you upgrade from XP to Windows 8 (hopefully).

      • First things first, make sure your PC can indeed handle Windows 8 by clicking 'Download Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant' on Microsoft's website. That will tell you if you're good to go and whether or not you should bother buying the Windows 8 software.
      • Like Windows 7, the upgrade won't save any of your data when you upgrade, so you need to transfer everything over to an external hard drive, USB flash drive, or CD. Files could also be stored in the cloud via something like on Microsoft's OneDrive.
      • Microsoft says you'll need to install the OS from a Windows 8.1 DVD and perform a clean installation. Find it on the Microsoft Store.
      • To see if you need 32-bit or 64-bit, go to Start, right click on My Computer, then select Properties. If you see 'x64 Edition' then choose the 64-bit. If not, choose 32-bit.
      • Insert the Windows 8 installation disc and follow the installation menu instructions.

        • For more, check out PCMag's full review of Windows 8.1 Update and Windows 7.