Everybody’s got an opinion on how to keep a Windows system running fast and smooth. Some tips are timeless, others are bunk that always recirculate. Here’s a closer look at what really helps and hurts your Windows PC. More »

Windows XP Mode is a pre-configured solution for Windows 7 users needing support for older software, and, until recently, it required AMD-V or VT processor hardware. An update released today should make XP Mode far more accessible to more Windows 7 users.

If you’re a 7 user who’s been trapped by the lack of that finicky hardware requirement, check out the XP Mode page later today and look for the update. Those with Intel or AMD processors sporting virtualization code will still see benefits, but now you can run XP inside 7 solely on the back of your processor and memory, if that’s what you need to do to ensure legacy program compatibility.

When XP Mode gets its update, check out the How-To Geek’s XP Mode installation guide. You can also still use XP Mode outside of Microsoft’s own virtualization window by running it as a VMWare image, and run it on any version of Windows, regardless of license or hardware.

Windows 7 only: If you’ve been itching to use the new XP Mode feature in Windows 7, but you aren’t too keen on using Virtual PC or just prefer VirtualBox, here’s how to use XP Mode in VirtualBox.

We’ve already covered how to setup and use XP Mode in Windows 7, how to use it on a machine without hardware virtualization, and then how to create your own XP Mode for any version of Windows with the freeware VMWare Player software, but if VirtualBox is your virtualization platform of choice, writer Matthew from How-To Geek (my home away from Lifehacker) has you covered with a guide to setting up XP Mode under Windows 7 using VirtualBox instead of Virtual PC.

The basic principle is pretty simple, requiring you to just install XP Mode from Microsoft without the additional Virtual PC component, creating a copy of the XP Mode virtual hard drive, and then using it as an existing hard drive in a new VirtualBox VM. Because you can only legally install XP Mode for Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate PCs, if you’re using a different version you should probably create your own XP Mode that works anywhere.

Windows 7 does a pretty good job of detecting applications made for older Windows versions and offering a compatibility fix. If you’ve got an app that just won’t run, though, take a dive into the Compatibility Mode’s deeper settings for a solution.

Mysticgeek writes at the How-To Geek’s home away from Lifehacker about the ins and outs of Compatibility Mode, Windows 7′s hidden-but-awesome feature for making older programs work more seamlessly inside itself. Mysticgeek includes a fix for Windows 7′s overeager installation checking in his review, but also shows how to find online patches and fixes for apps that Windows 7 claims not to support, and fine-tune how certain apps are run.

For Windows 7 users requiring access to older apps, it’s a fine guided tour of a feature that doesn’t just jump out at users and explain itself.

Whether you want to run XP mode on your Windows 7 machine and you can’t for lack of a chip that supports virtualization, or you just don’t want to use Microsoft’s virtualization software, you can run XP mode sans virtualization.

Over at How-To Geek they’ve put together a guide to running XP mode without jumping through all the Microsoft-approved hoops. You’ll need to download XP Mode from Microsoft (but skip the part where you download Virtual PC) and grab a copy of the free VMware Player. XP Mode can be imported directly into VMware Player and can even be linked into your main operating system (for sharing files and internet access) through VMware Tools.

The guide at How-To Geek provides picture-heavy step-by-step instructions, so even if you’ve never used a virtual machine application before, you shouldn’t have any problems getting started with VMware player.

Have a favorite virtual machine tip or trick to share? Let’s hear about it in the comments.

Windows 7′s XP Mode feature seamlessly runs your older applications in a virtualized Windows XP behind the scenes, but if you’re using the Home edition, you’re out of luck. Here’s how to create your own XP Mode for any version.

Over at How-To Geek (my home away from Lifehacker), writer Matthew covers how to use VMWare Player’s Unity feature to create a seamless virtual machine that runs applications alongside your primary OS—and it works for any version of Windows. The guide steps through installing Windows XP in a virtual machine, configuring Unity and related settings, and even how to map your documents folders so the virtualized XP applications will use the same folders as your primary OS.

If you’re using the Professional or Ultimate version of Windows 7 and your PC supports hardware virtualization, you can check out our guide to setting up and using the official XP Mode in Windows 7, and we’ve also got you covered with a guide to using XP Mode on Windows 7 machines without hardware virtualization. If you don’t fall into either of those categories, or you are using Windows Vista—or even XP, hit the link for the full walk-through tutorial.

Windows 7′s XP Mode feature seamlessly runs your older applications in a virtualized Windows XP behind the scenes, but if you’re using the Home edition, you’re out of luck. Here’s how to create your own XP Mode for any version.

Over at How-To Geek (my home away from Lifehacker), writer Matthew covers how to use VMWare Player’s Unity feature to create a seamless virtual machine that runs applications alongside your primary OS—and it works for any version of Windows. The guide steps through installing Windows XP in a virtual machine, configuring Unity and related settings, and even how to map your documents folders so the virtualized XP applications will use the same folders as your primary OS.

If you’re using the Professional or Ultimate version of Windows 7 and your PC supports hardware virtualization, you can check out our guide to setting up and using the official XP Mode in Windows 7, and we’ve also got you covered with a guide to using XP Mode on Windows 7 machines without hardware virtualization. If you don’t fall into either of those categories, or you are using Windows Vista—or even XP, hit the link for the full walk-through tutorial.

Whether you want to run XP mode on your Windows 7 machine and you can’t for lack of a chip that supports virtualization or you just don’t want to use Microsoft’s virtualization software, you can run XP mode sans virtualization.

Over at How-To Geek they’ve put together a guide to running XP mode without jumping through all the Microsoft-approved hoops. You’ll need to download XP Mode from Microsoft (but skip the part where you download Virtual PC) and grab a copy of the free VMware Player. XP Mode can be imported directly into VMware Player and can even be linked into your main operating system (for sharing files and internet access) through VMware Tools.

The guide at How-To Geek provides picture-heavy step-by-step instructions so even if you’ve never used a virtual machine application before, you shouldn’t have any problems getting started with VMware player.

Have a favorite virtual machine tip or trick to share? Let’s hear about it in the comments.

Windows 7 does a pretty good job of detecting applications made for older Windows versions and offering a compatibility fix. If you’ve got an app that just won’t run, though, take a dive into the Compatibility Mode’s deeper settings for a solution.

Mysticgeek writes at the How-To Geek’s home away from Lifehacker about the ins and outs of Compatibility Mode, Windows 7′s hidden-but-awesome feature for making older programs work more seamlessly inside itself. Mysticgeek includes a fix Windows 7′s overeager installation checking in his review, but also shows how to find online patches and fixes for apps that Windows 7 claims not to support, and fine-tune how certain apps are run.

For Windows 7 users requiring access to older apps, it’s a fine guided tour of a feature that doesn’t just jump out at users and explain itself.

Microsoft put far more work into the look and themes of Windows 7 than its previous operating systems. Pull down that design work into your non-7-system with Digital Inspiration’s simple work-arounds.

You can’t just grab the files from Windows 7′s themes gallery and set them as your own. You can, however, use tools like 7-Zip and John’s Background Switcher to pull out each theme pack’s files, install them, set them to rotate (a la Windows 7), and even get the sounds, cursors, and other elements running.

It’s a bit more work than “Click to install,” but it’s also a new source of themes, wallpapers, and other modifications that are more than compatible.