To achieve usable performance rather than a very slow system, use QEMU with modern machine settings. Windows 10 rather slow under UTM #4241 - GitHub
You will need an installation ISO file for Windows XP. Numerous variants exist, but the most widely used and compatible for a lightweight VM is , as its .qcow2 file can be as small as 600MB. Standard XP Pro SP3 images are also widely available.
Windows XP QCOW2 refers to a virtual disk image of the Windows XP operating system specifically formatted for use with the emulator or (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) hypervisor. Key Features of the QCOW2 Format Thin Provisioning: Unlike "raw" images, a windows xpqcow2
The update servers are permanently offline. Disabling this stops background loops.
In Windows XP, go to System Properties > Advanced > Performance and select "Adjust for best performance." To achieve usable performance rather than a very
-drive file=windows_xp.qcow2,format=qcow2,cache=writeback,aio=threads Use code with caution.
Attach the VirtIO floppy or CD-ROM image to your QEMU command line. Standard XP Pro SP3 images are also widely available
qemu-img convert -f qcow2 winxp.qcow2 -O vmdk winxp.vmdk
: QCOW2 natively supports internal snapshots. You can save the exact state of your Windows XP environment and roll back instantly if a legacy application crashes or malware corrupts the registry.
Windows XP lacks modern drivers by default, which can make qcow2 feel sluggish without the right setup. To get "solid" performance, use these features: