If you must have internet, use the host machine's firewall to restrict the XP VM to specific IP addresses only.
First, create the empty container where Windows XP will live. qemu-img create -f qcow2 windows_xp.qcow2 10G Use code with caution.
Running Windows XP today comes with significant risks. Because Microsoft ended support in 2014, your QCOW2 image will be vulnerable to modern exploits. windows xpqcow2
You will need a Windows XP ISO file. Start the installation with the following command to ensure compatibility:
Unless strictly necessary, keep the VM's network adapter disconnected. If you must have internet, use the host
Easily save the state of your XP machine before making risky changes.
While VirtualBox is user-friendly, the workflow is preferred by power users and server admins for several reasons: QCOW2 (QEMU/KVM) VDI (VirtualBox) Overhead Extremely Low Server Integration Native on Linux/Proxmox Requires GUI/Extensions Stability High (Kernel-level) High (App-level) Portability Easy to convert to other formats Best within VirtualBox Security Warning for 2026 Running Windows XP today comes with significant risks
qemu-system-i386 -m 512 -hda windows_xp.qcow2 -cdrom win_xp_pro.iso -boot d -cpu pentium3 -net nic,model=rtl8139 Use code with caution. Allocates 512MB of RAM (more than enough for XP).
Using an older CPU model often prevents "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD) errors during the setup of older kernels.