Windows XP ISO: Windows XP free Download (32 & 64 bit)

Windows XP has been one of the most popular and exponential OS of all time, Microsoft had revolutionized the tech industry with the release of Windows XP. Nearly 400 million copies of the OS were sold worldwide upon its release and that’s how the OS created an impact. It is considered one of the best Windows OS even today, as this is the OS that brought about a lot of change in the tech industry. Windows XP opened up new doors to Microsoft and some of the modern OSes that we use today are possible due to Windows XP. 

Windows XP featured a lot of new features that were relatively advanced in 2001 and subsequently Microsoft improved the OS by releasing new service packs. Well, service packs were a thing that used to exist and it was the earlier version of Windows update. Microsoft released several versions of Windows XP, to suit the requirements of different sets of people. They developed OSes for professional users, home users, and many more, so users with different needs can use the OS. 

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Well, recently Microsoft had released their flagship Windows 11, but still, Windows XP is relevant in terms of usability. Windows XP can be installed on old and new computers alike or you may choose to use a virtual machine to experience the OS if you like. It is always a great experience to go back in time and have some nostalgic moments with the OS we used in our young days. So, if you are looking to try out Windows XP on your computer, this article will provide you with how to download the ISO file of Windows XP. Hop on and get to enjoy using Windows XP.

Features Of Windows XP

Features of the OS are what make the OS stand out and attract users to install it. Here are some of the coolest feature of Windows XP that makes the OS

Enhanced User Interface (GUI)

The Graphic User Interface(GUI) is the visual component of the OS that portrays everything that the user needs to perform tasks. Windows OSes are well known for their user-friendly interface and Microsoft has further improved the user interface in the Windows XP OS by adding new icons and colour schemes for the users to easily navigate and work efficiently. 

Improved Networking and Internet Features

Back in those days, computers were mainly used for networking purposes, so,  Microsoft improved the networking abilities of their Windows XP OS to provide better connectivity features for the users. Advanced networking features like WiFi, Windows Messenger, Internet Explorer 6, and Outlook 6 were improved. Some improvements are ICF, NAT, Teredo Tunneling with IPV6, BITS and much more.

Improved Security Features

Data security and privacy have always been a concern for all tech companies and they have tried to provide the best and most secure functioning. Similarly, Microsoft improved the security features of Windows XP OS. Microsoft has improved the security in the OS by providing encryption facilities and improving the internet firewall to prevent cyber threats.

Windows Product Activation

This is a simple system that was implemented in the XP OS to prevent people from using the OS components and claiming ownership. Microsoft offered 30-day free trial to users and after which the user needs to use the activation key to access the OS.  

Graphics Improvement

Graphics is a very basic component for modern computers and Windows OS is based on a graphical user interface and needs graphics memory to run and function, so Microsoft upgraded their graphics software package to DirectX8 and later improved it to DirectX 9 to improve the graphics performance providing users with good graphical freedom.

Improved Windows Explorer

Managing files and data on a PC is a very needed role of a good OS, so Windows has natively incorporated Windows Explorer in Windows OS. Well, in Windows XP, the Explorer has been improved and new features like image previewing and task panes have been added to make file accessing easier.

Support for Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs)

The use of liquid crystal displays was becoming popular as they were cheaper and more efficient than the conventional CRT(cathode ray tubes) displays, to support these emerging display features Microsoft improved the support for LCDs by tweaking the OS and has incorporated support features for LCDs in Windows XP.

Fast Booting Up using Prefetch

In older versions of Windows, the booting time was too long and users had to wait for a long time to start using the PS, so Microsoft tweaked the Windows XP OS and reduced the booting time without compromising the performance. 

Automated System Recovery and System Restore Functionalities

The recovery and restore feature added in Windows XP help the user to recover or restore the OS if any mishappenings occurred and the system is displaying errors. This allows the users to keep a backup of the system and use it during a crisis. 

Improved Multiple Monitor Support for Better Experience

Some PC users prefer using two or more monitors to improve their performance so Microsoft improved the support for Multi Monitors to increase the efficiency of the displays.

New Hibernation mode

This feature will allow the user to temporarily halt the functioning of the PC without losing any data stored in the RAM and continue incomplete work later. With hibernation, users can take quick breaks and resume their work on the PC with ease.

Cool Games to Have Fun and Relax

Windows XP came with simple games that anyone can play on their PC. the games were very simple and were cool. The common games that can be found on the OS are Hearts, Internet Backgammon, Internet Checkers, Internet Hearts, Internet Reversi, Internet Spades, and Spider Solitaire.

So, now that we have discussed the features of the Windows XP OS, let’s dive into learning the minimum and recommended system requirements to run Windows XP. 

System Requirement of Windows XP

These are the minimum requirements your computer has to have to run Windows XP:

The minimum system requirements are a set of hardware features required by the OS or software to run without causing trouble. Every software will have a set of minimum requirements and the users must know them before installing it.

• Windows XP will need a processor that runs at a minimum clock speed of 233 MHz. 
• The minimum RAM required to run the OS is 64 MB. 
• The free disk space needed to install the OS is 1.5 GB.
• The minimum V-RAM needed to run Windows XP is 8 MB.
• The display dimensions should be more than 600 x 800 pixels and must support VGA.

Recommended System Requirements to Run Windows XP

Here are the recommended system requirements:

The recommended system requirements will always be higher than the minimum requirements as the recommended are settings when the software will function to its fullest.

• The recommended processor speed to run Windows XP is 300 MHz.
• The recommended RAM is 128 MB.
• The minimum storage space should be higher than 1.5 GB.

So, now that we have a detailed overview of Windows XP, we can jump right into the installation part of the OS. Well, when it comes to installing an OS on a computer, it is a simple process, thanks to Microsoft for making installation easier with wizards. Installing Windows XP on a computer is very simple and there is a set of steps following which will lead to easy installation of Windows. 

Steps for Installing Windows XP ISO

These are the steps that have to be followed in order to install Windows XP ISO:

• The user should proceed to the required page for the download and select the download button. They should then wait till the executable file is downloaded. It should not be installed immediately after.
• The user should then right-click on the executable file and then select the option “7-Zip”. They should then select the option “Open Archive” followed by “cab”.
• After these steps have been completed, 3 files will be shown to the user. On clicking the file “sources”, another 3 files will be found. On selecting the xpm file, the Windows XP mode virtual hard drive folder will be opened.
• The user will have to extract the files present in the folder by selecting the “Extract” option in the toolbar. A new folder should then be created to which all the extracted files should be sent. After this is done, the user should select “OK” in order to begin the extraction process.
• The user should proceed to the location to which the extracted files have been transferred. There, they should select the “VirtualXPVHD” file and rename the same by inserting a “.” between the letters P and V so that the file is now entitled “VIRTUALXP.VHD”. Completing this step will convert the file into a virtual hard disk.
• The user must now download a virtualization program so that they can run their new virtual copy of Windows XP on it. VirtualBox is suggested to be downloaded for this purpose.
• Once the user has downloaded VIrtualBox successfully, they should then open it and select “New”. The Expert Mode should be chosen and the virtual machine should be named.
• A certain amount of RAM memory has to be allocated to the new virtual machine(any value between 512 MB and 2048 MB). The user should do this keeping in mind that their computer also needs RAM for other components as well.
• The user should fetch the virtual hard disk that was created earlier and allocate it to the virtual machine.
• Select the “Create” option after the previous step has been completed.
• Before proceeding further with the virtual machine, certain settings have to be changed. In order to do this, the user should choose the “System” option and then the “Boot Order” option(“Hard Disc” should be selected). 
• The user should select “Display” and then the “Video Memory” option should be adjusted to 128 MB.
• Going back to VirtualBox, the user should select the network settings and confirm if all of the settings have been properly applied to the virtual machine.
• The user should boot the newly installed OS and then restart the virtual machine when they arrive at a black screen. After ignoring all the installation prompts that come their way, the user should go to “Devices”.
• Under “Devices”, the “Install Guest Additions CD image” option should be selected and the default installation location should be chosen by the user.
• After this is done, the system should be rebooted again. The user can now experience the joy of Windows XP for themselves.

Steps to Create a Bootable Disk using Windows XP ISO

• Once you have downloaded the ISO file of Windows XP on your computer, extract the file.
• Now, go to Microsoft’s official website and download the Windows USB/ DVD tool for Windows XP.
• Now, run the USB/ DVD tool and click on the Browse option and then select the SIO file that you intend to use, in this case, it is Windows XP.
• Now, insert a DVD or  USB with at least 4 GB of free space in the computer.
• Now, in the USB/ DVD tool select the USB or DVD that you have inserted and select begin copying.
• Now, the files will be moved to the USB or DVD. once done, you have successfully created a Windows XP bootable disk.
• With the bootable disk, you can install Windows XP on any computer you intend.

Well, we have discussed everything you need to know about Windows XP and install it on your computer. With the details, you will be able to install the OS and use it extensively. Now, have a great time using the OS on your computer.