Information
Quite a number of Windows 7 private and even business users are postponing the Windows 10 upgrade simply because they still have some legacy software installed on Windows XP Mode virtual machine running in Windows 7. Getting the important software working on a Windows 10 XP virtual machine would require an XP license, which can be quite difficult to acquire today, in addition to requiring all software being reinstalled.
Importing the existing XP Mode VM from Windows 7 to Hyper-V in Windows 10 is a viable option for these users. However, you cannot simply copy the XP Mode VHD and use it in Hyper-V. Moving XP Mode from Windows 7 as a virtual machine to Windows 10 as such is relatively difficult because it uses differencing disks and consists of multiple files:
(Click to enlarge.)
Screenshot is from a tutorial on our sister site
Seven Forums:
Virtual XP Machine - Copy - Windows 7 Help Forums
This tutorial will show an easy workaround, whole process taking less than 10 minutes.
1.) Capture existing XP Mode to a new VHD
1.1) In Windows 7, start XP Mode virtual machine. On XP Mode virtual machine, download and run
Disk2VHD (
tutorial).
1.2) Be sure to select
Prepare for use in Virtual PC, and unselect
Use VHDX:
1.3) When
Disk2VHD has created the new virtual hard disk (VHD) file, copy it to your Windows 7 host.
2.) Setup XP Mode in Hyper-V
2.1) Upgrade to Windows 10, alternatively copy the new Disk2VHD virtual hard disk to another Windows 10 computer
2.2) Setup
Hyper-V (
tutorial).
2.3) Setup a Hyper-V
Windows XP Mode virtual machine as told in
Part Five in Hyper-V tutorial.
2.4) When creating the XP Mode VM, remember that it must be
Generation 1:
2.5) Instead of creating a new VHD, select
Use existing virtual hard disk, browse to and select your XP Mode VHD made with
Disk2VHD:
2.6) Start Windows XP Mode VM
2.7) Boot menu will be presented. Select
Disk2VHD Microsoft Windows XP Professional:
2.8) If you get a notification about Windows needing to be activated, click
Yes and select option to activate by phone. You will receive a code to activate your XP Mode VM.
2.9) XP Mode VM will be started. You can sign in with your old, familiar credentials.
That's it. Your Windows XP Mode is now transferred from Windows 7 to Windows 10, its settings, user data and activation status intact.
Kari