So far, Windows 7 has proven itself to be a good overall operating system. It has brought several needed improvements, and even some new technological features.
However, Windows 7 can have some problems with backwards compatibility, which is to be expected with any new operating system. Microsoft anticipated this and decided to add XP Mode to Windows 7.
XP Mode allows you to run Windows XP inside a virtual machine within Windows 7. In turn, you will be able to run older applications and programs if need be. The following tutorial will guide you through adding XP mode to your Windows 7 installation.
Install XP Mode on Windows 7
Before you get started installing XP Mode, you should first check to see if your computer supports virtualization. Use this tool, directly from Microsoft, to check your computer’s compatibility.
The file is only 1MB max (depending on selected components), so it should not take much time to download. After you get it downloaded, install the file and run the check. If it say’s that you’re good to go, than continue on.
Now, you can download the actual XP Mode file here. After the download has completed, go ahead and double click the installer file to install XP Mode to your computer.
Install Windows Virtual PC
Now that you have the XP Mode file ready, you need to install the Windows Virtual PC framework. Jump back to this page and click on the Download button.
Save the installer file to your computer, and double click to run it. Install Windows Virtual PC and any updates to your computer. You will need to restart your computer after the installer finishes.
After your computer gets done restarting and installing the new files, you should be able to launch Windows XP Mode. Click the Start Menu and use the path Start > All Programs > Windows Virtual PC > Windows XP Mode.
Type a password into the pop up box to use for your virtual machine, type again to verify, and click next. On the second screen, select the option to turn automatic updates on, and click next. Windows Virtual PC will now set up your XP Mode machine. This could take a couple of minutes to complete.
After setup completes, Windows XP will startup automatically within the virtual machine window.
From here, you can setup your XP Mode virtual machine the same way that you would setup an actual computer with a normal XP install on it. You can add or delete accounts, add or remove programs, change desktop themes, etc.
You can make your virtual machine full screen by hitting the maximize window button (the same button that you would use to maximize any window). Alternatively, to go back to normal view, just click the restore down button.
That’s all there is to it. You now have Windows XP Mode installed and ready to use within Windows 7. Now, you can simply install any older programs that do not work with Windows 7, into your XP Mode virtual machine.
If you're trying to break into a Windows computer—whether you've forgotten your password or are hatching a more sinister plan—you have quite a few options. Here's how to do it, and how to keep your own computer protected.
This classic post has been republished is part of our Evil Week series at Lifehacker, where we look at the dark side of getting things done. Knowing evil means knowing how to beat it, so you can use your sinister powers for good. Want more? Check out our evil week tag page.
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Read more Read There are a few methods to breaking into a computer, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Here, we'll go through three of the best and most common methods, and nail down their shortcomings so you know which one to use—and how to exploit their weaknesses to keep your own computer secure.
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The Lazy Method: Get at the Files with a Linux Live CD
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If you don't need access to the OS itself, just a few files, you don't need to go through much trouble at all. You can grab any Linux live CD and just drag-and drop files onto a USB hard drive, as you would in any other OS.
How It Works: Just download the live .iso file for any Linux distribution (like the ever-popular Ubuntu) and burn it to CD. Stick it in the computer you want to access and boot up from that CD. Pick 'Try Ubuntu' when it comes up with the first menu, and it should take you right into a desktop environment. From here, you can access most of the hard drive just by going to the Places menu in the menu bar and choosing the Windows drive. It should see any NTFS drives just fine.
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Note that depending on the permissions of some files, you might need root access. If you're having trouble viewing or copying some files, open up a terminal window (by going to Applications > Accessories > Terminal) and type in
sudo nautilus
, leaving the password blank when prompted. You should now have access to everything.How to Beat It: This method can give you access to the file system, but its main weakness is that the malicious user still can't access any encrypted files, even when using
sudo
. So, if the owner of the computer (or you) has encrypted their files (or encrypted the entire OS with Truecrypt or BitLocker ), you won't get very far.Advertisement
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Break Into Windows, Method One: Clear the Password with the Trinity Rescue Kit
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If you need access to the operating system itself, the Linux-based Trinity Rescue CD is a good option for breaking in. You'll need to do a bit of command line work, but as long as you follow the instructions closely you should be fine.
How It Works: Just download the ISO file from the Trinity Rescue web site and burn it to disc. Boot from the disc and wait for everything to load. When you get to the main menu, choose the 'Windows Password Resetting' option, and go to 'Interactive Winpass.'
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Read more Read Next, just follow the onscreen instructions. Choose the partition you want to edit, select 'Edit User Data and Passwords,' type in the name of the user you want to edit, and choose option 1: 'Clear (Blank) User Password' (option 2 did not work for me). When you're done, you can type an exclamation point (!) to quit that menu, then press q to quit the Winpass menu. Restart your computer and you should be able to enter Windows password-free.
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How to Beat It: Once again, the weakness of this method is that it still can't beat encryption. Wiping the password will disallow you access to those encrypted files, which, if the user has encrypted their entire OS with TrueCrypt or BitLocker, makes this method pretty useless. If they've only encrypted a few files, though, you'll still be able to access all the unencrypted stuff without a problem. This method also doesn't work with Windows 8 PCs that use Microsoft accounts to log in, though it will work on local accounts.
Break Into Windows, Method Two: Crack the Password with Ophcrack
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Where the other methods are vulnerable to encryption, this method will give you full access to everything the user can access, including encrypted files, since this method relies on finding out the user's password instead of bypassing it. It also works on Windows 8 computers even if the user in question authenticates with a Microsoft account.
How It Works: All you need to do is download and burn the Ophcrack Live CD (use the Vista version if you're cracking a Windows 7 or 8 PC) and boot from it on your computer. It'll take a little bit of time to boot, but eventually it will bring you to a desktop environment and start attempting to crack passwords (if it doesn't, try choosing 'Text Mode' from the original menu). This may take a while. You'll see the passwords pop up in the top pane of the window, though, when it finds them (or, if it doesn't find them, it'll notify you). You can then reboot and log in to Windows using those passwords.
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How to Beat It: Ophcrack uses Rainbow Tables to crack the password directly. So, while this method works on encrypted OSes, it can't crack every password out there. To increase your chance of having an uncrackable password, use something complicated and greater than 14 characters. The stronger your password, the less likely Ophcrack will be able to figure it out.
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There are a lot of methods to break into a Windows computer (in fact, we've featured some of them before), but these are a few of the best and most widely useful. Try it for yourself on your own machine—you'll be shocked at how easy it is for someone to get into your machine. The takeaway? Encrypt your data and use a long, strong password if you want to keep yourself protected, or you could be vulnerable to the above tricks.
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Hack the Sticky Keys Feature to Reset a Forgotten Windows Password
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Read more ReadVideo music by Multifaros.
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Windows Safe Mode is useful for troubleshooting computer problems, including software and hardware issues. To access Windows Safe Mode, select a link below for the version of Windows you have on your computer.
NoteAccessing Safe Mode for Windows requires the use of a working keyboard. If the keyboard on your computer does not work, you will not be able to access Safe Mode.
Microsoft Windows 10 users
To access Safe Mode in Windows 10, follow the steps below.
- Press the Windows key, type Change advanced startup options, and then press Enter.
- Under the Recovery tab, select the Restart now option under Advanced startup.
- After a moment, you'll see a menu with three options. Select the Troubleshoot option.
- Select Advanced options, Startup Settings, and then the Restart button.
- You should see a screen like the one pictured to the right. Select your appropriate Safe Mode option by pressing the corresponding number on your keyboard.
Alternative method
- Press the Windows key and the R key together to access the Run option.
- Type msconfig in the Open: field.
- In the System Configuration window, click on the Boot tab.
- On the bottom left, in the Boot options section, check the box for Safe boot.
- Select the Minimal option, then Apply, and then the OK.
- Restart the computer and it should load into Safe Mode.
If you use the above option to access Safe Mode, you need to follow the same steps and uncheck the Safe boot option when you're done. Otherwise, your computer will continue to automatically boot into Safe Mode each time you restart it.
Microsoft Windows 8 users
To access Safe Mode in Windows 8, follow the steps below.
- Press the Windows key, type Change advanced startup options, and then press Enter.
- Under the Recovery tab, select the Restart now option under Advanced startup.
- After a moment, you'll see a menu with three options, select Troubleshoot.
- Select Advanced options, Startup Settings, and then the Restart button.
- You should see a screen like the one pictured to the right. Select your appropriate Safe Mode option by pressing the corresponding number on your keyboard.
Alternative method 1
NoteThe following method will not work if you have an SSD (solid-state drive). If you have an SSD, try the next section.
- When the computer is booting, press and hold the Shift key, and tap the F8 key repeatedly until the Recovery screen appears.
- Click the See advanced repair options option on the Recovery screen.
- On the Choose an option screen, select the Troubleshoot option.
- Select Advanced options, and then Windows Startup Settings.
- On the Windows Start Settings screen, click the Restart option.
If you have trouble getting to the Recovery screen in step 1 above, you may have to try it several times, with several reboots of your computer.
When the computer restarts, you should see the standard Choose Advanced Options screen, similar to the example below. Use your arrow keys to move to Safe Mode and press Enter.
Alternative method 2
- Press the Windows key and the R key together to access the Run option.
- Type msconfig in the Open: field.
- In the System Configuration window, click on the Boot tab.
- On the bottom left, in the Boot options section, check the box for Safe boot.
- Select the Minimal option, then Apply, and then the OK.
- Restart the computer and it should load into Safe Mode.
If you use the above option to access Safe Mode, you need to follow the same steps and uncheck the Safe boot option when you're done. Otherwise, your computer will continue to automatically boot into Safe Mode each time you restart it.
Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows Vista users
TipIf you are running Safe Mode because you cannot get into Windows, you may want to first try loading the last known good configuration.
To get into the Windows Vista and Windows 7 Safe Mode, as the computer is booting, press and hold your F8 Key,which should bring up the Choose Advanced Options screen as shown below. Use your arrow keys to move highlightSafe Mode and press your Enter key.
NoteOn some computers, if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting, you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, continuously tap F8 upon startup rather than holding it.
Trouble Getting into Safe Mode - If after severalattempts you cannot get the Windows Advanced Options Menu screen tocome up by pressing F8, turn off your computer while it is loading intoWindows. When the computer is turned on the next time, Windows should notice that the computer did not successfully boot and give you the Safe Mode screen like the one shown below.
Once you're done in Safe Mode, if you want to get back intonormal Windows, restart the computer. See the below how to get out of Safe Mode if you have further questions.
Alternative method
- Press the Windows key and the R key together to access the Run option.
- Type msconfig in the Open: field.
- In the System Configuration window, click on the Boot tab.
- On the bottom left, in the Boot options section, check the box for Safe boot.
- Select the Minimal option, then Apply, and then the OK.
- Restart the computer and it should load into Safe Mode.
If you use the above option to access Safe Mode, you need to follow the same steps and uncheck the Safe boot option when you're done. Otherwise, your computer will continue to automatically boot into Safe Mode each time you restart it.
Windows XP and Windows 2000 users
TipIf you are running Safe Mode because you cannot get into Windows, you may want to first try loading the last known good configuration.
To get into the Windows 2000 and XP Safe Mode, as the computer is booting, press and hold your F8 Key, which should bring up the Windows Advanced Options Menuscreen as shown below. Use your arrow keys to move to highlight the Safe Mode option and press your Enter key.
NoteOn some computers, if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting, you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, continuously tap F8 upon startup, rather than holding it.
Trouble Getting into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe Mode - If after several attempts you cannot getthe Windows Advanced Options Menu screen to come up by pressing F8, turn off your computerwhile it is loading into Windows. When the computer is turned on the next time, Windows should notice that the computer did not successfully boot and give you the Safe Mode screen.
Once you're done in Safe Mode, if you want to get back intonormal Windows, restart the computer. See the below how to get out of Safe Mode if you have further questions.
Windows 98 and Windows ME users
To get into Windows 98 and ME Safe Mode, press and hold either the F8 or Ctrl key as the computer is booting up. If done properly, you shouldsee the 'Windows 98 Startup Menu' or 'Windows ME Startup Menu'screen, similar to the example below. In this menu, choose option 3 by pressing the 3 key and then pressing Enter.
NoteOn some computers, if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting, you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, continuously tap F8 upon startup, rather than holding it.
Once you're done in Safe Mode, if you want to get back intonormal Windows, restart the computer. See the below how to get out of Safe Mode if you have further questions.
Windows 95 users
To get into Windows 95 Safe Mode, as the computer is booting, when you either hear a beep or when you see the message 'Starting Windows 95.' Press your F8 key on the top of your keyboard. If done properly,you should see the 'Windows 95 Startup Menu' screen, similar to theexample below. In this menu, choose option 3 by pressing the 3 key, and then pressing Enter.
Once you're done in Safe Mode, if you want to get back intonormal Windows, restart the computer. See the below how to get out of Safe Mode if you have further questions.
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How to get out of Safe Mode
From Windows Safe Mode, click Start, Shutdown, and restart the computer to boot back into Normal Mode.
NoteMany users believe they are still in Safe Mode because the colors or video may not look correct. Unless it says 'Safe Mode' in the corners of the screen, you are not in Safe Mode. If your colors are distorted or you have video problems, see the below document.
If you are rebooting the computer and it is rebooting back into Safe Mode, it is likely another problem exists with Windows preventing it from loading into normal Windows. We recommend you see the basic troubleshooting section for additional ideas that may help to resolve your issue.
Which Safe Mode option should I choose?
Users who are running later versions of Windows will get different options for different versions of Safe Mode. For example, you may have options for 'Safe Mode,' 'Safe Mode with Networking,' and 'Safe Mode with Command Prompt.' Below is a brief description of each of these different modes.
Safe Mode
The basic Safe Mode option is usually what most users will want to choose when troubleshooting their computer. The only downside is that this option has no additional support.
Safe Mode with Networking
Users who need access to the Internet or the network the computer is connected to while in Safe Mode should select this option. This mode is helpful for when you need to be in Safe Mode to troubleshoot, but also need access to the Internet so you can get updates, drivers, or other files to help troubleshoot your issue.
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
This version of Safe Mode gives you access to the command line (MS-DOS prompt).
Additional information
- See the Safe Mode definition page for further information and related links.
Windows XP SP3 Pro Black Elegant Edition 2017 Overview
Windows XP SP3 Pro Black Elegant Edition 2017 is an amazing version of Windows XP and it is modified to a much better way and it includes the extra features which make it really helpful for the users. Windows XP is the most used and most installed operating system in the world and it is because of the simplicity and ease of access it provides to its users.
Windows XP emphasized on the security and stability of the operating system. It includes all the latest versions of the windows application. The Windows Media Player 11 is included in this version of the software and all the security updates and hotfixes are included. It is also integrated with Remote Desktop Connection 7.0, Windows Time Zone Update, Microsoft Compression Client Pack, Image Mastering API 2.0 and Microsoft CAPICOM 2.1.0.2. There are some pre installed software in this windows as well which include 7Zip, WinRAR, K-Meleon Browser, Fastone Capture, Media Player Classic Black Edition. All in all this version of Microsoft Windows XP is the best till now and it is must have.
Features of Windows XP SP3 Pro Black Elegant Edition 2017
Below are some noticeable features which you’ll experience after Windows XP SP3 Pro Black Elegant Edition 2017 free download.
- Its the latest edition of Microsoft Windows XP SP3.
- It has all the latest updates and applications.
- It has many useless things deleted in it.
- There are some really useful softwares pre-installed in it.
- It works really fast and is simple.
Windows XP SP3 Pro Black Elegant Edition 2017 Technical Setup Details
- Software Full Name: Windows XP SP3 Pro Black Elegant Edition 2017
- Setup File Name: Windows_XP_SP3_Pro_X86_Black_Elegant_Edition_2017.zip
- Full Setup Size: 436 MB
- Setup Type: Offline Installer / Full Standalone Setup
- Compatibility Architecture: 32 Bit (x86) / 64 Bit (x64)
- Latest Version Release Added On: 07th Aug 2017
- Developers: Homepage
System Requirements For Windows XP SP3 Pro Black Elegant Edition 2017
Before you start Windows XP SP3 Pro Black Elegant Edition 2017 free download, make sure your PC meets minimum system requirements.
- Memory (RAM): 128 MB of RAM required
- Hard Disk Space: 4 GB of free space required
- Processor: Intel Pentium III or faster
Windows XP SP3 Pro Black Elegant Edition 2017 Download
Click on below button to start Windows XP SP3 Pro Black Elegant Edition 2017 Download. This is complete offline installer and standalone setup for Windows XP SP3 Pro Black Elegant Edition 2017. This would be compatible with both 32 bit and 64 bit windows.
If you have never used Remote Desktop, it is a really great way to connect to another PC (office, home, etc) remotely and get work done that you otherwise could not get done unless you were physically at the machine. I routinely use remote desktop to connect to servers at our office, connect to user’s computers to provide tech support and to connect to my personal computer at home to access files.
In order to use Remote Desktop, there are a couple of things you need to understand. First off, remote desktop only works with Windows XP and Windows 2003. What I mean by this is that you can only connect INTO a Window XP or 2003 machine. You can use a Windows 98, ME, or 2000 to connect INTO a Windows XP or 2003 machine, but you cannot connect INTO a 98, ME or 2000 machine remotely. If you want to be able to connect to a Windows 2000 or earlier machine, you’ll have to buy commercial software.
Since this post is over 7 years old, the above statement is out-dated. You can also connect into a Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8 machine. Also, since Microsoft has recently ended support for Windows XP, this tutorial will becomes less useful as time passes. If interested, check out my post on configuring remote desktop for Windows 8.
Secondly, you need to make sure that you are logged in as a computer administrator on the machine in order to set it up for remote access. If you brought a computer from a store or got it straight from the manufacturer, the first user name you create is always an Administrator account.
An easy way to check whether or not you are an Administrator is to go to Start, Control Panel and then click on User Accounts. You’ll see your user name and it should have “Administrators” or “Computer Administrator” written next to it.
Thirdly, the administrator account on your machine must have a password. If you do not have to type in a password in order to access Windows when you start up your computer, then you do not have a password set up and Remote Desktop will not work. Remote desktop does not allow you to connect to a computer with a user account that does not have a password.
When you go to User Accounts and click on the Administrator account, you will see an option to create a password for the account. Go ahead and do that before moving on.
Next, if the computer you are connecting to is running Windows XP SP3, then you need to open the firewall to allow remote desktop connections. To do this, go to Start, Control Panel, Windows Firewall and click on the Exceptions tab.
Make sure that the Remote Desktop check box is checked. The last thing that needs to be done in order for Remote Desktop to work correctly is to tell Windows that we want to allow users to connect remotely. So far we’ve just fulfilled the requirements, but now we have to actually allow remote desktop connections to this computer.
Go to Start, Control Panel, and click on System. Click on the Remote tab and make sure that the “Allows users to connect remotely to this computer” box is checked. Don’t worry about clicking the Select Remote Users button because Administrators have access by default. If you want to give an non-administrator account remote desktop access, then click that button and add the user.
And that’s it! Your computer is now setup for remote desktop! First try connecting to the XP machine from another computer on your home network. In order to connect, go to the other computer and click on Start, All programs, Accessories, Communications, and Remote Desktop Connection. If you want to connect to the XP machine from Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8, just click on Start and perform a search for remote desktop connection. On Windows 8, go to the Start Screen and start typing to perform a search.
In the dialog box, you can type in the IP address or the name of the computer. The best way to connect is to type in the IP address of the computer. In order to get the IP address of the computer you want to connect to, go to the computer and click on Start, Run and type in CMD.
In the black command window, type in the word “ipconfig” without the quotes as shown below and press Enter.
You’ll see your IP address listed along with some other info, but you don’t need to worry about that. Write down that IP address (192.x.x.x or something similar) and type that number exactly into the remote desktop text box on the other computer (the computer you are connecting from).
Click Connect and you should get a login screen pop up, which means you have successfully connected to the other computer. You can now enter the Computer Administrator user name and password.
If you get an error saying that computer cannot accept new connections, etc. that means something was not configured correctly. Remember you need to give the administrator account a password, open the port in the firewall, and check the allow remote connections check box in the System properties. All three items need to be performed on computer you want to connect TO.
Once you are able to connect from within the same network, now you can try to connect from outside. So if you want to connect to your home computer from the office, you can do that, but you’ll have to do a few extra things.
First, you have to get your public IP Address (not the 192.168.x.x number) and you can do this by going to the computer you want to connect into and navigating to the web site http://www.whatismyip.com/ and this will give you your public IP address. This is the address that can be used from anywhere in the world to connect to your specific location and is unique. Unfortunately, on most home connections, this public IP address changes often and without notice. Basically to solve that problem, you have to use dynamic DNS. I won’t go into much detail in this post, but read my other posts on how to configure it:
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The second thing you have to do is open the port in your router (unless you’re connecting your cable modem directly into your computer) and forward that port to the computer you want to connect to. Here’s how you would do this on a Netgear router (as I have that) and the procedure is pretty much the same for other routers, except that it might be called something else. Most manufacturer’s web sites have an article on how to configure their particular router for port forwarding since it’s very common.
You’ll need to log into your router by typing it’s IP address into the browser address bar. You can figure out the IP address of your router by going to any computer on your network (that you want to connect into) and opening the command prompt like we did above and typing ipconfig again. In addition to the IP Address field, you’ll also see Default Gateway, this is your router. From the above screenshot, you can see mine is 192.168.244.2.
Type that address into your browser address bar as follows and press Enter:
You’ll most likely be prompted for a user name and password. Usually, you can find this in the documentation or on the under side of the router itself. For my Netgear router, the username as “admin” (lowercase) and the password was “password”.
Once you’re in, you should see an option called “Port Forwarding/Port Triggering” or something very similar. I know Netopia calls these Pinholes and on Linksys it might be called a Service or Applications.
Once you’re on the Port Forwarding page, you might see different layouts/options. The basic parts will be giving the forward a name like “Remote Desktop”, choosing the external port and the internal port, the protocol and picking the IP address for the device the data is supposed to be forward to.
For remote desktop, you’ll always want to choose TCP for Protocol. Be default, remote desktop uses port 3389, so type that into both the internal and export port boxes. Lastly, the internal IP address should be the IP address of the XP machine. On some setups, you’ll be asked for a starting port, ending port and triggering port. Just put 3389 for any port boxes.
Click Apply and you’re done! You should now be able to use your public IP address (type this into the Computer text box in the Remote Desktop Connection dialog) to connect through your router to your computer!
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If you have any problems remotely connecting to your Windows XP machine, please post a comment here and I’ll try to help. Enjoy!