If you need to install Windows XP but you've lost your original XP Setup CD, downloading Windows XP will get you out of that bind.
Downloading Windows XP for 'Free'
Windows 10 is a professional and personal computer operating system developed by Microsoft, as part of the Windows NT family of operating systems. Windows 10 is currently in beta and will be the successor to Windows 8 and 8.1. Page 2 of 3 - Where do I Download Windows XP SP3 in ISO? - posted in Windows XP Home and Professional: With the Archive.org ISO, the drivers for the Video on the Inspiron were absent, I downloaded.
There are many places online to download Windows XP, but there probably aren't any legal sources. Windows XP is not distributed online so there isn't a legitimate way to get a Windows XP download, even from Microsoft.
No matter where you find it, be it through a torrent website or some other software distribution website, any XP download you come across online is likely illegal. The only guaranteed legal course of action when you need a copy of Windows XP is to actually buy a new copy of Windows XP. It's really that simple.
An important downside to a free Windows XP download is that it's too easy for it to include malware or other unwanted software bundled in with the operating system. On that note, if you manage to get a hold of a Windows XP ISO, it would need valid license information in order to activate, and most OS downloads come with crackers and keygens that attempt to authenticate the software illegally, which you should avoid.
Even if you did download Windows XP, what you would get is an image of the Windows XP Setup CD. For example, you would probably download an XP ISO file like windows-xp-pro.iso, or something like that. You would then burn that ISO image to a CD that you would then use to install Windows XP.
It's the Windows XP Product Key That's Valuable
In many ways, what you actually pay for when you legally purchase a copy of Windows XP is the product key (sometimes referred to as a CD key or key code, or incorrectly as the serial number). This unique number is required during an installation of Windows XP. So, even if you did find a Windows XP CD download, you would still need a valid XP product key to install and use Windows.
If you do have your Windows XP product key but you're missing your Windows XP CD, you could argue that, since you did actually purchase XP and you have a valid product key and should be able to legally download a Windows XP CD image from anywhere. Microsoft isn't on board with that argument, though.
At this time, the only legal way of obtaining a Windows XP CD is from a legal purchase of the operating system. Contact Microsoft for a replacement Windows XP Setup CD, assuming you can show proof of purchase. If you own a major-brand computer, you could also have luck contacting them directly for a replacement Windows XP disc or restore disc.
Another way to get a copy of Window XP is to purchase it online. You can order Windows XP on Amazon and maybe other websites that offer software. You might also have luck finding Windows XP on eBay.
If it's just your Windows XP product key that you're looking for, you don't need to download XP or purchase a new XP install disc. See How to Find the Windows XP Product Key for help doing that.
Do You Really Need to Download XP?
Windows XP is an outdated operating system. Since its release in 2001, several newer iterations have succeeded it, all of which have introduced newer features and better security.
If you want to download Windows XP so that you can have a fresh copy of Windows, you're probably better off downloading Windows 10 instead, which is the newest version of Microsoft Windows. In fact, you could even purchase Window 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista, all of which replaced Windows XP.
On the same note, Windows XP is no longer updated by Microsoft. That is, new features and security updates are no longer released via Windows Updates. If you're looking for the latest and greatest version of Windows, you should avoid downloading Windows XP and instead just upgrade to a newer edition of Windows.
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Evening, all.
Following official advice earlier this evening that certain of the Forum rules have recently been reviewed, that XP is now considered 'abandonware', and that links to any software for it stored on file-sharing sites is now permitted, I'm going to re-state my offer of availability for anyone who wants, or still needs, any of the 3 XP Service Packs (SP1, SP2, and SP3).
Please do very strongly bear in mind that this software is now totally unsupported. You use it entirely at your own risk. Please also bear in mind that since these are not coming from Microsoft's servers, you do not need to run IE8 to download them.....and frankly, that would really not be advisable in the modern web 'climate'.
Having said that, a little bit of detail:-
These were all originally genuine Microsoft downloads of the standalone Network Administrator type, and were archived for many years on good-quality CDs. Around 6 months ago, after reading on BC, and in a few other respectable forums, that many people still appear to want them, believing that they would be available for ever (and realising that the XP 'holdout' cohorts are still fairly numerous!), I decided to upload these to my Google Drive, and make them publicly available.
If you decide to avail yourself of any of the three Service Packs, please do observe the usual precautions:-
1) Download to your desktop (and only your desktop) first.
2) Scan with a good anti-virus scanner.
3) Scan with a good anti-malware scanner.
Only when you have assured yourself, as far as is humanly possible, that the software is what it should be, should you consider it safe to use.
When they left my Puppy Linux server all those months ago, they were totally clean.....but I can't be held responsible for what may have happened to them in the meantime. So please; excercise utmost cautionwith them.
No 'nasties', I guarantee.
Enjoy.
Mike.
(Mods; If the advice I received earlier this evening is still not 'kosher', then please feel free to remove this post.....again.)
Edited by Mike_Walsh, 10 September 2016 - 07:39 AM.