Installing Windows XP

System Requirements & Setup

Written in January 17, 2026

Released in 2001, Windows XP (short for "eXPerience") was a landmark achievement that unified Microsoft’s consumer and business lines under the powerful Windows NT engine. It is best remembered for its vibrant "Luna" visual style—featuring the famous blue taskbar and the "Bliss" rolling green hill wallpaper—which replaced the grey tones of earlier versions.

You can watch my YouTube video about a Windows XP installation using VirtualBox.

Source: YouTube - Installing Windows XP

Instructions

To run Windows XP smoothly in VirtualBox, you should allocate between 512 MB and 1 GB of RAM (while the minimum is lower, 1 GB provides a very fast experience). A virtual disk size of 10 GB to 20 GB is plenty for most legacy applications.
  1. Open VirtualBox and click "New" to create a new virtual machine.
  2. Name the VM (for example "Windows XP"), set Type to "Microsoft Windows", and select the "Windows XP" version template that matches your ISO (32-bit or 64-bit).
  3. Assign between 512 MB and 1 GB of RAM so the system runs smoothly.
  4. Create a new VDI virtual hard disk, dynamically allocated, with a size between 10 GB and 20 GB.
  5. Open Settings → Storage and attach your Windows XP ISO file to the virtual optical drive.
  6. Check Settings → System to ensure the VM boots from the optical drive first.
  7. Start the VM and press any key when prompted to boot from the CD.
  8. Use the text-mode setup to create and format a partition on the virtual disk (NTFS is recommended).
  9. Let the installer copy files, reboot, and continue into the graphical setup phase.
  10. Follow the on-screen steps to enter your product key, choose regional options, and create a user account.
  11. After the desktop loads, eject the ISO and install VirtualBox Guest Additions to improve video, mouse, and clipboard integration.