# Can I install / run "Half Life" on Windows XP
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 2, 2004, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210 "2004-07-02T13:56:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/1 "2004-07-02T13:56:58Z")
I haven’t bought it yet, but it says that it will run on 95, 98, NT 4.0… What about XP ? Is there anything that I can do to make it run on XP ?
(And yes, i know I should be running Linux, et cetera, et cetera…)
Anyone know ?
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### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/2 "2004-07-02T14:15:23Z")
Wait until someone who knows better than me confirms this before buying anything, but I think you have to have to download it via ‘Steam’ for it run properly on XP.
> **[Steam Store](https://store.steampowered.com/)**
>
> Steam is the ultimate destination for playing, discussing, and creating games.
IIRC, it asks you for your CD key before downloading. Of course, this process is only possible if you have broadband.
Before Steam, I intalled it under XP from the CD and it never ran properly. IIRC, it ran fine from Steam.
Again, you should wait for confirmation from other people before buying anything. I did all this a while ago and may be misremembering.
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### Author:  [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/3 "2004-07-02T14:19:03Z")
Thanks **Revtim**. That’s a pity. My broadband won’t be installed for another 10 days.
Are there any other _really_ good FPS games for XP ? I’ve got nothing to do tonight and was gonna go buy one…
Anyone know ?
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### Author:  [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/4 "2004-07-02T14:24:44Z")
I’m running WinXP Pro SP1 and have installed and played Half Life and countless mods for the past year with no problems. And I don’t use Steam. [Planet Half Life](http://www.planethalflife.com) should be able to answer all your questions.
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### Author:  [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/5 "2004-07-02T14:29:01Z")
> [@Amp](#):
>
> I’m running WinXP Pro SP1 and have installed and played Half Life and countless mods for the past year with no problems. And I don’t use Steam. [Planet Half Life](http://www.planethalflife.com) should be able to answer all your questions.
Thanks **Amp**! That sounds promising. I only have XP Home though… I’ll have a look at the site and see.
Thanks again !
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### Author:  [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/6 "2004-07-02T14:29:08Z")
If you are looking for another game, I reccomend both HALO and Unreal Tournament 2004.
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### Author:  [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/7 "2004-07-02T14:31:02Z")
A little old, but Quake3 with the Threewave mod is like electronic crack.
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### Author:  [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/8 "2004-07-02T14:42:17Z")
You can pick up Quake 3 now for only ten dollars. And Halo MP is like electronic reefer. It isn’t really addictive but it sure is a great way to blow an entire day and it gives you the munchies.
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### Author:  [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/9 "2004-07-02T14:48:09Z")
Yes, **Achilles** , it runs just fine. Installs just like normal, runs perfectly well. Whoever suggested installation of any other software…well, might not be **mistaken,** per se, but I can’t think of a nicer way to say “is wrong.”
I’ve been running it for going on 2 years now on XP, and 98 before that. Fear not.
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### Author:  [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/10 "2004-07-02T14:50:40Z")
> [@Chastain86](#):
>
> Yes, **Achilles** , it runs just fine. Installs just like normal, runs perfectly well. Whoever suggested installation of any other software…well, might not be **mistaken,** per se, but I can’t think of a nicer way to say “is wrong.”
>
> I’ve been running it for going on 2 years now on XP, and 98 before that. Fear not.
Excellent - that sounds very good. I smell a productive weekend just around the corner !!
Thanks !
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### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/11 "2004-07-02T15:16:24Z")
> [@Chastain86](#):
>
> Yes, **Achilles** , it runs just fine. Installs just like normal, runs perfectly well. Whoever suggested installation of any other software…well, might not be **mistaken,** per se, but I can’t think of a nicer way to say “is wrong.”
>
> I’ve been running it for going on 2 years now on XP, and 98 before that. Fear not.
Um, you do know that simply because it ran fine on your XP box doesn’t mean it runs fine on all of them, don’t you? I wasn’t making it up that I had problems running it on mine and had to go to the Steam method.
Hopefully, **Achilles** experience will be more like your’s than mine.
If not, then in ten days he can go the Steam route, if he has to.
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### Author:  [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/12 "2004-07-02T15:21:38Z")
> [@Revtim](#):
>
> Um, you do know that simply because it ran fine on your XP box doesn’t mean it runs fine on all of them, don’t you? I wasn’t making it up that I had problems running it on mine and had to go to the Steam method.
I took his question to mean, “Will HL run on a Windows XP OS-installed computer, since it doesn’t specify XP compatibility on the box?”
The answer to this question is Yes. The reason it doesn’t specify XP on the HL box is because HL was released in 1997, prior to the release of Windows XP. It will run through the XP OS.
No offense intended. Your mileage may vary, results of this diet are not normal, please speak with your doctor, check your local listings for more details.
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### Author:  [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/13 "2004-07-02T15:26:05Z")
> [@Revtim](#):
>
> Um, you do know that simply because it ran fine on your XP box doesn’t mean it runs fine on all of them, don’t you? I wasn’t making it up that I had problems running it on mine and had to go to the Steam method.
>
> Hopefully, **Achilles** experience will be more like your’s than mine.
>
> If not, then in ten days he can go the Steam route, if he has to.
Well i’ll give it a bash & see what happens…
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/14 "2004-07-02T18:15:36Z")
> [@Achilles](#):
>
> I only have XP Home though…
XP home is the same as XP pro, except that certain features (like logging into domains) are disabled. If a game works under XP pro then it will also work under XP home.
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### Author:  [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-install-run-half-life-on-windows-xp/253210/15 "2004-07-02T19:25:46Z")
Just another anecdotal data point, but I have Windows XP Home and Half-Life runs just fine on it. As do Blue Shift and Opposing Force and a host of other mods.