In the second part of my “Windows 8 XP Mode” series I will show you how to set up the Windows XP virtual machine in Windows Client Hyper-V.

Now that you have a virtual machine running Windows XP Professional with the Hyper-V Integration Components, you’ll want to do all the things you normally would do to a computer: install all the latest Windows Updates, install antivirus, activate Windows (if necessary), and install your applications that you’ll want to run inside of Windows XP.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to enable Remote Desktop in Windows XP. To do that, go to the computer properties (Right-click on My Computer > Properties or the System applet in the Control Panel) and then go to the Remote tab. Check the ‘Allow users to connect remotely to this computer’ checkbox, click ‘Select Remote Users’ if you need to add user accounts, and then click OK.

Windows 8 XP Mode - Allow user to connect remotely to this computer

Windows 8 XP Mode - Allow user to connect remotely to this computer

Next, you’ll need to install Update 961742. This update will enable the RemoteApp functionality in Windows XP that is available on Windows Server as part of Remote Desktop Services (formerly Terminal Services). After installing the update, reboot your VM.

Windows 8 XP Mode - RemoteApp for Windows XP SP3

Windows 8 XP Mode - RemoteApp for Windows XP SP3

After rebooting, you’ll need to tweak one setting in the Registry. Fire up the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and go to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Terminal Server\TsAppAllowList. Change the DWORD value fDisabledAllowList to 1.

Windows 8 XP Mode -  fDisabledAllowList

Windows 8 XP Mode -  fDisabledAllowList

Next, open the Remote Desktop Connection client on your Windows 8 computer. In the Computer field, enter the network name of your VM. Connect to the VM to ensure that your Remote Desktop configuration is working. When you’re done testing the Remote Desktop connection, make sure you log completely out of your XP session.

Now that your RDP connection to the VM is working, open Notepad and create a text file with the following:

full address:s:winxp
remoteapplicationmode:i:1
disableremoteappcapscheck:i:1
alternate shell:s:rdpinit.exe
prompt for credentials on client:i:1
remoteapplicationname:s:Internet Explorer 6
remoteapplicationprogram:s:C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
remoteapplicationcmdline:s:about:blank
redirectclipboard:i:1
redirectposdevices:i:0
redirectprinters:i:1
redirectcomports:i:1
redirectsmartcards:i:1
devicestoredirect:s:*
drivestoredirect:s:*
redirectdrives:i:1
session bpp:i:32
span monitors:i:1
use multimon:i:1
allow font smoothing:i:1

You will probably want to customize the following settings in the file:

  • full address – The network name of your VM.
  • remoteapplicationname – The name of the application on the VM
  • remoteapplicationprogram – The path to the application on the VM
  • remoteapplicationcmdline – Command line options for the executable; this is optional

Save the file as a .rdp file. As you can see in my example, the name of my XP VM is winxp and I’m running Internet Explorer 6 and forcing the executable to open about:blank when it runs.

Windows 8 XP Mode - .rdp file

Windows 8 XP Mode - .rdp file

Because your .rdp file is not digitally signed, you may receive an unknown publisher warning. In the event you do, click the Connect button.

Windows 8 XP Mode - The publisher of this RemoteApp can't be identified

Windows 8 XP Mode - The publisher of this RemoteApp can't be identified

Next, you’ll get the RemoteApp connection window. Enter your username and password and your application will run. In the screenshot, you can see IE10 and IE6 running side-by-side.

Windows 8 XP Mode - Enter your username and passwordWindows 8 XP Mode - Internet Explorer 6

Windows 8 XP Mode - RemoteApp connection

In my next post I will discuss some Windows 8 XP Mode gotchas.

Articles in seriesWindows 8 XP Mode
8 Comments
  1. Joseph Moody 11 years ago

    Pretty cool!

  2. Agnieszka 11 years ago

    fabulous set of instructions. one question:

    where do i find “the network name of your VM”?

    Ta

  3. Joseph Moody 11 years ago

    When you edit the RDP file in notepad, you will want to replace “full address:s:winxp” with “full address:s:Computer Name of Your XP VM”

    This is the computer name that you are wanting to run the remote app off of.

  4. Hans Meier 11 years ago

    First thanx to your tutorial.
    Is there a way to change the iocon of the rdf file?
    If it is possible i want to use the the icon of the app which i connecting to.

  5. Bat 7 years ago

    Hello,

    First thanks for your very simple tutorial.

    I didn’t find KB961742… could you help me please ?

  6. Bat 7 years ago

    Hello,

    The KB article is present, but Microsoft have removed the KB download :

    Support for Windows XP has ended
    Microsoft ended support for Windows XP on April 8, 2014. This change has affected your software updates and security options.

    Have you a copy to send me please ?

    • Author
      Kyle Beckman (Rank 2) 7 years ago

      This article was originally written in October 2012 and I most likely purged the VM’s and downloads I used when writing the article. It should be possible to find a copy if you search for “kb961742 download” with your favorite search engine… just be careful with any of the downloads.

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