Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


Windows XP Mode Released to OEMs

  • By Kurt Mackie
  • 10/06/09

Microsoft announced that the final version of Windows XP Mode was released to PC manufacturers Thursday.

Microsoft essentially hit its "release to manufacturing" (RTM) milestone for Windows XP Mode, signifying the time in which original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can begin adding the bits to their Windows 7 RTM distribution packages.

Alternatively, Windows XP Mode will be available as a separate download for the general public Oct. 22, which is the general release date for new Windows 7-based PCs. Currently, the general public can only get its hands on the release candidate version of Windows XP Mode, although Microsoft's TechNet and MSDN subscribers already have access to the RTM version.

Windows XP Mode is a desktop virtualization supplement that works with Microsoft Virtual PC in Windows 7. It lets users run a complete copy of Windows XP Service Pack 3, along with associated XP-based applications, right on the Windows 7 desktop. Windows XP Mode only works with certain editions of Windows 7, namely Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise.

Microsoft designed Windows XP Mode for small-to-medium organizations, particularly for those that want to maintain a legacy XP-based application while still migrating to Windows 7. For larger organizations that centralize the management of multiple PCs, Microsoft recommends using Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V). MEV-V is available to Microsoft Volume Licensing customers with Software Assurance and is part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack.

Windows XP Mode comes with some maintenance issues to consider. For instance, IT pros will have to ensure security separately from Windows 7. The virtualized Windows XP operating system can't be centrally managed through group policies. In addition, the PC that runs Windows XP Mode must have hardware virtualization capabilities, such as Intel VT or AMD-V technologies.

Fortunately, Microsoft has indicated that Windows Security Essentials, Microsoft's new free antimalware solution, will work with Windows XP Mode.

About the Author

Kurt Mackie is online news editor, Enterprise Group, at 1105 Media Inc.

Featured

  • Image of digital screen with data and math formulas on black background

    AI Models Generate Advances in Mathematical Research

    OpenAI has announced what it says is an AI-generated solution to the Navier-Stokes existence and smoothness problem, one of mathematics' seven Millennium Prize Problems, while Anthropic has reported separate advances in research mathematics and formal proof generation.

  • interconnected nodes with currency symbols

    Report: Half of Gen AI Projects Could Exceed Budget by 2028

    Organizations may be underestimating the cost of generative AI as they move from experimentation to production, according to Gartner's "10 Best Practices for Optimizing Generative and Agentic AI Costs" report.

  • elementary schoolchildren using digital tablet in classroom

    CoSN: 3 Principles that Should Guide Screen Time Policies in Schools

    CoSN, the professional association for K-12 education technology leaders, has released new guidance to help schools navigate the screen time debate and develop technology policies that protect students while supporting learning.

  • group of smiling teachers

    NAAIC Expands AI Workforce Development Efforts to High Schools

    The National Applied AI Consortium, a National Science Foundation-funded initiative led by Miami Dade College, Houston City College, and Maricopa Community Colleges focused on artificial intelligence education and workforce development, is expanding its mission into high schools.