Can I Run 32-Bit XP in VirtualBox on a 64-Bit Windows 7 Host?

VirtualBox can put XP on your Windows 7 desktop.

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Capable of running everything from Linux to OS X, Oracle's VirtualBox makes it possible to work on multiple operating systems at the same time. For instance, if you'd like to run Windows XP on your Windows 7 host system, you could create an XP virtual machine that runs XP inside a window you can view in Windows 7. VirtualBox is flexible enough to handle many types of 32-bit and 64-bit configurations. If you need to run a 32-bit version of XP in a 64-bit host, you can do that without any problems.

Add 32-Bit XP to a 64-Bit Host

After you install and launch VirtualBox, click "New" to view the Create New Virtual Machine dialog window. Click the "Version" drop-down window, and you'll see a list of operating systems the program supports. This list contains an entry for "Windows XP" and another for "Windows XP (64-bit). If you want to create a 32-bit XP virtual machine, click just "Windows XP." Then, follow the wizard's instructions to complete the installation. VirtualBox does not limit you to one host. If you'd like to create additional hosts, such as one for Windows 8 or 64-bit XP, you can do so by following these steps and selecting the appropriate guest OS from the drop-down menu.

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About the Author

After majoring in physics, Kevin Lee began writing professionally in 1989 when, as a software developer, he also created technical articles for the Johnson Space Center. Today this urban Texas cowboy continues to crank out high-quality software as well as non-technical articles covering a multitude of diverse topics ranging from gaming to current affairs.

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• Paul Bradbury/OJO Images/Getty Images

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