How to Install Windows XP on VMWare?

Question

I have installed VMware in my computer.

How do I install my Windows XP (or any other Operating System) through VMWare?

Answer

Note: VMWare Workstation 7 and Windows XP have been used for this example. Different versions of VMWare and/or Operating Systems may differ from the instructions explained below.

Once you start VMWare for the first time, accept the terms in the VMWare license agreement, click OK

VMWare End User License Agreement

Next, click on ‘New Virtual Machine‘

VMWare New Virtual Machine

Select the Typical (recommended) configuration settings, click on Next.

VMWare Select Typical Installation

Insert your Windows disc on your DVD or CD drive, select Installer Disc, click Next.

VMWare Install New Virtual Machine from Installer Disk

Type in your Windows Product Key (you can do that afterwards if you like). Click Next.

VMWare Enter Windows Product Key

Select your preferred Virtual Machine Name, and Location (by default under the current user’s My Documents), click Next.

VMWare Type Machine Name

Select your maximum disk space (GB). By default, it chooses 40GB. Depending on the software you will install under your Windows XP virtual machine, you may reduce or increase the space.

A bare minimum of 15 GB is recommended if you are only planning to install Windows, Microsoft Office, your desired CAD software and a few more programs. Click Next

VMWare Specify Disk Space / Capacity

You can customize your hardware before creating your virtual machine. In our example, we simply click Finish

VMWare Ready to Create Virtual Machine

Windows XP will commence to install on your recently created virtual machine on VMWare.

VMWare Windows XP Starting Up (Setup)

After a few minutes, windows will continue to install.

VMWare Windows XP Installing

If you didn’t enter the product key before, you will be prompted again. Enter your Windows product key and click Next.

VMWare Windows Enter Product Key

Before the installation ends, VMWare Tools will install remotely. VMWare Tools help with the syncronization between your main operating system and your virtual machine. 

VMWare Installing VMWare Tools

After the installation is completed, Windows XP will start.

VMWare Windows XP Starting for the first time

And you will see your desktop.

VMWare Showing Windows Desktop

You can maximize your virtual machine (Windows XP) to full screen by selecting the appropriate icon.

VMWare Full Screen

Using VMWare to run simultaneously has plenty of benefits, such as:

  • Use old software that won’t work on newer Operating Systems / Computer Architecture
  • Possibility of drag-and-drop files from one Operating System to your virtual machine and viceversa.
  • If you have 2 screens, you can maximize your virtual machine and work seamlessly with 2 different operating systems.
  • You can install as many virtual machines / different operating systems as desired: Windows, Linux, Mac OSX and more…