time to resurrect this thread as the time has come actually get this job done.
To recap, - what I'm hoping to do is use VMware to make a virtual copy of my old XP PC. The virtual drive folder will be created on the local XP PC although once I've confirmed everything works my plan is to move it to a newer faster PC.
Needless to say, I didn't get far before I ran into problems
The very first issue I have is that, on page 19 of the manual, the minimum OS supported by VMware is Vista.
Can anyone tell me positively that this works with XP? In earlier discussions, neither Gary nor Trevor seemed concerned when I mentioned my machine was XP, so I think I maybe worrying unnecessarily. However, it would be nice to have it confirmed before I land in the poop.
The very first issue I have is that, on page 19 of the manual, the minimum OS supported by VMware is Vista.
Can anyone tell me positively that this works with XP? In earlier discussions, neither Gary nor Trevor seemed concerned when I mentioned my machine was XP, so I think I maybe worrying unnecessarily. However, it would be nice to have it confirmed before I land in the poop.
Thanks in advance
Hi Paul,
There is the host OS and the guest OS.
You can run XP as a guest.
However, in more recent editions of VMWare Workstation (e.g. 12.X)
the oldest host OS supported is Windows 7 and you need to have
a 64-bit CPU.
If you already have the newer, faster machine and it and the older XP machine are networked,
you can run VMware on the newer machine and clone the XP machine onto it.
I have the latest version of Oracle Virtual box and it runs XP out of the box. Just load the Guest Additions from the Devices menu to make it run better.
I just loaded up a copy of my old XP and it works under windows 10.
Virtual box is a pretty cool program I use it to test the latest Linux Distros and have no problems with it at all.
If you have the MYOB disks, then you can instal it on Win7 having exported the DB to a backup disk, that you can then import.
Or do a Win7 upgrade, and that shouldn't effect your MYOB.
You could then use this Win7 drive as the C: drive in another PC, or do a mirror backup of it as an ISO on a DVD, and put it on the C: drive of your new PC.
Is imaging XP to an SSD drive an option for you. That'll make the box about 10 times faster. You image the existing drive to an ssd disk and just swap them over. It brings an old PC back to life.
Might it not be easier to just speed up your old PC with the XP on it?
It shouldn't be any slower than when you first got it.
Go to Uninstall Programs, and uninstall any programs you don't recognise. or which you may remember slowed down your PC after you installed them.
Download the free Winpatrol program, and install it without activating protections(or deactivate them in the Prefernces menu, imcluding its own autoamtic Start-up). Then go to its list of Start-Up programs, and stop all but the essential ones from starting up on Start-Up. Look at the active services, and change the priority on those associated with programs that you aren't actually using when just started up, but which have started up anyway.
Download Spybot Search and Destroy, install it without advanced features, load updates, and scan the computer for annoying bits of adware that may be on your machine.
Finally, if you have complex anti-virus/internet security on the computer, uninstall it and don't use the internet on that computer - or if you must - install small free antivirus programs like AVG or Avast.
As for transferring XP, I don't know VM Ware, but Oracle VM Virtual box certainly supports XP.
Regards,
Renato
Thanks so much for your thoughts on this predicament of mine. Those suggestions are certainly something I can consider following up on.
I have to say I didn't have much luck with the VMware option yesterday as it fell over immediately, but at least now I have options, so thanks again.
Renato, i can do those things easily enough. Robin, what program would you use to clone the drive onto an ssd? It needs to be able to make it bootable obviously.
Thanks again anyway guys, your help is much appreciated
I just remembered one thing. You'll probably see lots of programs saying to speed up your PC by cleaning the redundant Registry entries. I haven't had much luck with those programs, as they usually stuffed something up on the computer.
You can attempt them and see if they work on your computer, but only do so if you first set a Sytsem Restore point and, just in case, do a back-up of the Registry (from memory, Spy-bot Search and Destroy lets you do such a back-up) so that you can fix any stuff-up which makes things worse rather than better.
Regards,
Renato
Robin, what program would you use to clone the drive onto an ssd? It needs to be able to make it bootable obviously.
Paragon Drive Copy 11 installs/runs on WinXP. It will make an exact copy of the existing disk to an SSD. The SSD needs to be big enough to hold everything from the existing disk. If you decide to go that way, PM me and I'll point you at a copy. Your pc would need to have SATA ports and SATA power plugs to install an SSD.
If you need an XP disk, I still have copies of all the versions they made. You'd need a product key to suit the version though.
A big shout out to all those who offered help and suggestions with this issue.
In the end I tried, in order, VMWare and Oracle Virtual Box, neither of which seemed to want to install easily. Probs me doing something wrong - I totally get that.
But not wanting to drag it out forever, I then went the SSD way as suggested by Tandum to just speed up the machine. That worked a treat and Robin's (Tandum) help with the cloning software and advice ensured it went flawlessly.
So I'm a happy camper once again and hopefully the PC will last a while longer.
