# Safe to use XP in a virtual machine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 18, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432 "2014-04-18T18:35:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/21 "2014-04-20T07:43:05Z")
Do they say how long they will continue to support the 2011 version? - it might be false economy to pick that if it means you have to face this problem again in, say, less than 18 months. Presumably the 2011 version runs on Win7? - if so, it’s a safe-ish bet that it will work on Win8 if required (and more than likely also on win9 or whatever the next version of Windows is called). Have you tested your existing version on Win7? I realise this might not be supported by the supplier, and it’s a risk, but so was the plan to run it in an XP VM. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/22 "2014-04-21T07:10:16Z")
> [@Azile](#): > > Before we get any further into whether or not it’s reasonable to hate an OS ( 😉 ), thank you to everyone who replied with advice. Especially thank you to **Superhal** and **Mangetout** for confirming what I already thought, that continuing to use the obsolete software would just be borrowing trouble (with interest). I’ll keep working on my bosses. No. It’s fine to use the software on a virtual machine; but you have to understand, the machine should NOT be sued for other things, certainly not for internet surfing. I suspect the risk will go up as time goes on… but not the risk you’re thinking of. Someday, MS will figure out a change to Active Directory or Windows file sharing or something that will make XP unusable, much as Windows NT4 and Windows 98 have been effectively unusable for a long time, thanks to Active Directory for domains. You’ll come in one morning in a year or three, and the boffins will say “we elevated the domain to Windows 9” and suddenly you can’t login to XP any more or some such. Don’t panic, but don’t ignore the problem until it’s too late. Think of this as last call, not the bar closing. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/23 "2014-04-21T07:34:47Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > No. It’s fine to use the software on a virtual machine; but you have to understand, the machine should NOT be sued for other things, certainly not for internet surfing. > > I suspect the risk will go up as time goes on… but not the risk you’re thinking of. Someday, MS will figure out a change to Active Directory or Windows file sharing or something that will make XP unusable, much as Windows NT4 and Windows 98 have been effectively unusable for a long time, thanks to Active Directory for domains. You’ll come in one morning in a year or three, and the boffins will say “we elevated the domain to Windows 9” and suddenly you can’t login to XP any more or some such. > > Don’t panic, but don’t ignore the problem until it’s too late. Think of this as last call, not the bar closing. I don’t disagree with the thrust of anything you said - and I’ve seen these sorts of things happen in the wild many a time (for example, file sharing in a mixed Win98 / XP caused me some hair loss back in the day). But if the OP were proposing to run XP in a VM in isolation from network resources, all of the authentication etc would be local. Risks of the same general flavour you describe do abound though (so as I say, I’m not disagreeing with you) - you might find, for example, that it becomes harder to map hardware from the host into the VM, if Windows suddenly starts dealing with hardware and drivers differently. ---
**Author:** ![Azile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@Azile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azile)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/24 "2014-04-21T14:45:07Z")
Hahaha, I’m the closest there is to a boffin and we don’t have domains (a server was deemed too expensive), so I think we’ll be okay on that front. ---
**Author:** ![Blakeyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blakeyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blakeyrat)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/25 "2014-04-21T18:12:06Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Since when? Do you go to a car dealership the day they get the new models in, shake your fists and scream, “THEY CHANGED THE TAILLIGHTS!”? Because if so, invite me next time. I want to see how the dealership’s security guy reacts. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/26 "2014-04-21T18:20:25Z")
> [@Blakeyrat](#): > > Do you go to a car dealership the day they get the new models in, shake your fists and scream, “THEY CHANGED THE TAILLIGHTS!”? > > Because if so, invite me next time. I want to see how the dealership’s security guy reacts. No, but I (and many people I know) will see a photo of a new car model and say “That is the _ugliest_ design I’ve seen in a long time - _what were they thinking_?” (e.g. - Pontiac Aztek). I don’t think it’s at all unreasonable to react negatively to UI changes - look at the very ing thread about the (IMHO stupid) changes that Google made to Maps. ---
**Author:** ![Blakeyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blakeyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blakeyrat)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/27 "2014-04-21T18:30:29Z")
So you’re just a crotchety old man who hates everything. Fine. You’re welcome to keep using Windows 2000, and you’re welcome to keep driving your 1985 Olds. Whatever. But have enough self-awareness to not post the crotchety old man stuff on a forum for everybody to see, eh? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/28 "2014-04-21T18:35:56Z")
> [@Blakeyrat](#): > > So you’re just a crotchety old man who hates everything. Fine. You’re welcome to keep using Windows 2000, and you’re welcome to keep driving your 1985 Olds. Whatever. > > But have enough self-awareness to not post the crotchety old man stuff on a forum for everybody to see, eh? 🙂 I prefer to think of my self as having some sense of _style_… Anyway, I’m actually pretty much an early adopter - but having used (and designed) UIs for 30 years, I think I’m qualified to say when something is a mistake (like the new Calendar UI in Mavericks). ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/29 "2014-04-21T19:35:37Z")
The general reaction to WIndows 8 has been negative. I know that a lot of the Apple products I’ve used, I’ve found to be incredibly intuitive. However, Windows 8? Almost every thing about Windows is changed, and I found myself having to use Google to answer very elementary questions (like “how do I log off?”) I have supported Windows and servers for years (decades) and my general observation on Microsoft’s behaviour is this: _“If there is a feature that is useful or handy or necessary that you use in Windows or Office, them in the next version Microsoft will either hide it elsewhere in the interface or remove it.”_ I must say with Windows 8 They’ve outdone themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/30 "2014-04-21T20:24:59Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > I have supported Windows and servers for years (decades) and my general observation on Microsoft’s behaviour is this: > _“If there is a feature that is useful or handy or necessary that you use in Windows or Office, them in the next version **Microsoft will either hide it elsewhere in the interface or remove it.** ”_ > I must say with Windows 8 They’ve outdone themselves. Mozilla is rushing up behind, saluting Billy Gates, Destroyer of Worlds, like a bloated little bitch. I am _nevah_ going to Australis. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/31 "2014-04-21T21:11:07Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > The general reaction to WIndows 8 has been negative. A good deal of that seems to have been bandwagon jumping by people who haven’t actually used it. It became a bit fashionable to hate Windows 8. I don’t think Windows 8 is a perfect product, and I think MS tried to lead the market in a direction it wasn’t quite ready to go, but really, it’s not that different a product from Windows 7. The public negative reaction is way out of proportion with the problems. ---
**Author:** ![Terry\_Kennedy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@Terry\_Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terry_Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/32 "2014-04-24T05:24:29Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Basically, the problem with XP is that MS is not committed to fixing any new vulnerabilities as discovered. Actually, they are committed. What they _aren’t_ committed to is sharing those fixes with the general population. First, Microsoft is offering extended XP support to corporations with a large number of computers and which are willing to spend a large amount of money. The exact values of “large” are not generally known and may vary depending on the customer. Second, [Windows POSReady 2009](http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee406170(v=winembedded.0).aspx) is a member of the XP family and will receive updates until 2019. So, the issue isn’t the availability of developers to create those updates, and also isn’t an issue of the load on the update servers (the amount of future updates released will be a fraction of the cumulative updates up to April 8th). It is entirely a marketing decision. We may still disagree with it, but we should understand that is is marketing, not technical support, doing this. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/33 "2014-04-24T07:36:21Z")
> [@Terry\_Kennedy](#): > > Actually, they are committed. What they _aren’t_ committed to is sharing those fixes with the general population. > > First, Microsoft is offering extended XP support to corporations with a large number of computers and which are willing to spend a large amount of money. The exact values of “large” are not generally known and may vary depending on the customer. The UK government just shelled out £5.5 million to get another year of support for XP (probably not terrible value for money, as the agreement is quite ‘deep’ in its reach - it extends to local government organisations, the NHS, etc.) > **[UK government pays Microsoft £5.5m to extend Windows XP support](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/apr/07/uk-government-microsoft-windows-xp-public-sector)** > > Netherlands also signs separate deal as countries’ public sectors seek more time to migrate from 12-year-old operating system. By Samuel Gibbs ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2014, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/34 "2014-04-25T03:29:06Z")
This week I bought a new computer with Windows 8.1. It’s very easy to set up the desktop to function in a similar manner to older operating systems. It’s a bit harder to find some things at first, but I have the most used stuff pinned to my taskbar. After a day or so, I’m not looking at the crappy Apps interface much at all. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432/35 "2014-04-27T10:12:52Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > Mozilla is rushing up behind, saluting Billy Gates, Destroyer of Worlds, like a bloated little bitch. > > I am _nevah_ going to Australis. I hope you’re ready for Tuesday, then. Unless you have updates disabled, that’s when Australis is going to be automatically installed on all official release versions of Firefox. (I actually need to hurry up and make my thread about this.) I personally went ahead and upgraded to the 29.0 beta, and then downloaded the extension that brings back most of the UI functions. There’s no way I was going through trying to teach my parents a new interface. Dad still hates that I upgraded him to Windows 8. Only my account is actually using Australis, and that’s not on my main computer. I just did it to see if I could get used to it. The main thing that bugs me is getting rid of the addons bar. (The logic was that, without the search box, there’d be enough room in the main navbar. But then they went ahead and put the search box back.) I’m not usually one for shadenfreude, but the outcry when the changeover happens is definitely going to make me happy. I told them and told them that it’s dumb to make all your changes at once. To think, back in Firefox 4, I touted them as a company that knew how to change an interface. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-use-xp-in-a-virtual-machine/686432.md?page=1)