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I am contemplating doing something barbaric.

A computer, with obsolete / discontinued software that requires a Windows XP 32 bit environment, lost it motherboard. As a short term fix a Windows 7 64 bit machine running a virtual machine of XP is running the software; but the software disconnects / crashes from the server several times a day. (The Win7 machine was an under used machine.)

What is the best way to extract the drivers from the Win7 machine for installation on the hard disk of the Windows XP machine? I assume that the Windows XP hard drive will need its license rearmed / reset.

I've backed up business files and taken a mirror of the drive

2 Answers 2

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I would try these steps:

  1. Is there a native version which will run on win 7 - x64?
    Since you wrote obsolete/ discontinued software the answer is most probably no, but this would be the best solution as XP will no longer be supported in a year. (So you either need new software in 2014, or you will need to run it in a computer with its network and USB ports glued shut.
  2. If you still have the installer, configure a full virtual PC and install the software. There are plenty of ways to do this, e.g. Vmware player, virtual box, ...
  3. Run it in XP mode or the integrated sort-of-XP virtual machine. I think this is what you are doing and what is failing.
  4. Run the original installation of the dead machine on new hardware.
  5. Run the original installation of the dead machine on a vm (phys2virt conversion).

Steps 4 and 5 should be easy if you still could boot the old disk and run the sysprep command found on XP prof. CDs. (That will clear hardware information and easy the installation on new hardware (Either real of 'vm-hardware')).

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  • 1. Yes and no, there is and the plans are in the works for the next fiscal year (at best). Jul 25, 2013 at 1:31
  • 2. The installation disk 'disappeared' sometime in the past few weeks. 3. Functional technically sense; inefficient practically. Current status. 4. Ran into other problems will be attempting tomorrow. 5. Recently found learned of one method of doing this the conversion is in progress. 6. Wasn't aware of the command; I will read up on it. Thank you. Jul 25, 2013 at 1:37
  • 5 is most useful if you still have a working old (base) system. The short version if *) Take backup (not used if all goes well, but backups are nice to have). *) Run sysprep to remove all drivers and reset IDs and networking. *) Shutdown and take another image. *) Deply image to other computers (either real or VM). Boot, get a fresh hardware detection as if you just installed, but with preinstalled programs and settings.
    – Hennes
    Jul 25, 2013 at 3:45
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Just plug it in and see if it boots. That's the true barbaric way to do it.

Chances are though that xp just doesn't have drivers that support the hardware and you're completely hosed.

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  • Expect that I am. There are rumors this Jul 24, 2013 at 19:37
  • Rumors of what technically acronyms tire image 2013 with the plus pack would do this for you just create an image of the old hdd and restore it on the system drive. You would have to locate any device drivers yourself but it would boot
    – Ramhound
    Jul 24, 2013 at 19:45
  • There are drivers for XP and full virtual hardware (e.g. vmware). Maybe not the best way to solve it, but it might serve as a temporary solution.
    – Hennes
    Jul 24, 2013 at 20:30
  • @Hennes - The author already uses a virtual machine and that solution is currently not working.
    – Ramhound
    Jul 24, 2013 at 20:30
  • Aye, but that specific solution is not working. It might work with one of the other VM solutions. Granted, that is a WAG since we do not know why it disconnects/crashes.
    – Hennes
    Jul 24, 2013 at 20:47

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