32-bit Win XP w/ VirtualBox on a MBP 15" retina???

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I want to run Windows XP on my MacBook Pro and want to know if I can install and use the 32-bit version of Windows XP using VirtualBox.

COMPUTER: MacBook Pro 15" w/ Retina display (8GB RAM, 250GB SSD, OSX 10.8).
WIN OS: Windows XP Home Edition SP2, Version 2002 (OEM for system builders).

I will be using the VM XP machine for running Microsoft Office 2003, some music synthesizer programming and control software that only works with XP or earlier Microsoft OSes, and Microsoft Digital Image 2006 (for editing .JPG photos). I will NOT be running any graphics-intensive games.

Thanks in advance for any info!
 
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Take it you are talking about a 2013 model? if so XP will not install ~ Windows 7 only.
 

chscag

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I want to run Windows XP on my MacBook Pro and want to know if I can install and use the 32-bit version of Windows XP using VirtualBox.

Yes. XP can be installed via VirtualBox. I highly recommend you install XP SP3 if possible. You can not install any version of Windows earlier than Windows 7 using the Boot Camp Assistant, therefore VirtualBox or any other VM software is the way to go.
 
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Wow missed the VirtualBox lol!
 
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Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies and info, I really do appreciate it.

So I installed Virtual Box. I then tried to install the OS from a CD in my Asus external Blu-Ray/DVD player - Virtual Box would not recognize the CD, even though the drive was mounted on the desktop. In frustration, I uninstalled Virtual Box. After un-installing it, the system was sluggish, and the Mac HD reported that the space I allocated for the partition in Virtual Box (30GB) was still not available, even though I had completely uninstalled it. Not to worry, though.....I had backed up the entire Mac HD with time machine, onto an external HD, so I was able to do a complete restore.

The problem I'm having now is that OS X is not reporting file types properly when I look at the storage contents under "About my Mac." It reports the proper amount of disk space being used, but I have 17GB of music files on the HD (I verified they are in the proper folders, and that they are present and play in iTunes), but they don't show up as "audio" - rather, they are included as yellow "other" files.

Is there a way for me to somehow tell the Mac to re-search (re-index?) the HD so that it reports the correct file types and sizes? Forgive my newbie question - I guess I still have quite a lot to learn about my new Mac.

Thanks.

[EDIT]: After exploring the disk settings, I performed a "Repair disk permissions", and everything is seemingly as it should be - the file types reported under "About my Mac" seem to be correct now.

Just so I can understand why that worked....can someone please educate me on this? Thanks!
 
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In brief that is what Repair Permissions does - puts things back in the proper order. If your Windows OEM disc has not been used before, you may be able to install it on a USB flash drive. As you no doubt know, once an OEM disc is used it is tied to that particular machine.
 
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jt1968
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........ If your Windows OEM disc has not been used before, you may be able to install it on a USB flash drive. As you no doubt know, once an OEM disc is used it is tied to that particular machine.
Not necessarily. I have been using the same Win XP OEM CD since 2006 for installation on 4 different computers (but only ONE AT A TIME). For example, I used it for a gaming PC I built in 2006, and I uninstalled it from that machine when I sold it to a friend. Then I put it on my new gaming rig, and when it was time to activate, I called MS and activated it over the phone. I did that once more, and finally it's on an old windows laptop. Each time, MS let me call to activate it on the new machine, but I must stress that I never had it running on more than one machine at a time. I do believe I should have the right to transport it to any computer I choose, so,long as that's the only computer it's running on - I paid for it, after all, and if MS keeps letting me re-activate it on different machines, so much the better.
 
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Methinks you were a bit lucky. Have only been able to use an OEM disc once, uninstalled, tried another computer and would not activate and Microsoft here would not provide any assistance other than buy another copy.
 
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I've just discovered WineBottler. So far, I've been able to run one Windows program using it (haven't tested any others yet).

Anyone had experience with Wine or WineBottler?
 

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Anyone had experience with Wine or WineBottler?

WineBottler includes WINE. And yes, I use it to run some older Windows games which it does rather well. However, any newer Windows programs that require a more complex installation or accelerated graphics will not install properly, or if they do, will not run. I've had better luck with Crossover. However, Crossover is not free although I got my copy for free during their one time give away.
 

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