Windows XP build for retro gaming.

[Retro6]

I've been thinking about turning one of my old Computers into a Windows XP gaming computer for playing games of the mid 2000 era...

I have two old Computers that would be good XP candidates both have more less the same specs.

Here are the specs of the current computer that I have in mind for an XP gaming computer.

Processor: Core 2 Duo @ 2.50GHz
RAM: 4GB
H/D: 250GB SATA
DVD ROM Drive
3.5 floppy drive
USB 2.0
Onboard Audio
1GB GeForce Video card.
OS 64 bit Windows 7 which will be Windows XP 32 bit service pack 4.

I have some questions regarding the Windows XP installation...

1.) How do I activate Windows XP?
2.) Does the unofficial Service Pack 4 take care of the activation?

 

[Retro6]

The only reason I'll be having a floppy drive is because the computers already have them they are all retro style cases so I may as well leave in the floppy drive in as its better than having a hole where a floppy drive was.

I might not bother with XP if I can't activate it, I was thinking about Service Pack 4 in hoping it would have the activation. I have an original XP installation CD. The only other option is Windows 7 32bit. I was thinking about Windows NT 4.0 but I don't think that would like a core 2 duo processor or 4 gigs of RAM same with Windows 2000. I'll probably ditch the idea and leave the Duo Core systems as they are. Maybe in the future they might be a bit more useful for something.

Everything is geared towards Quad cores and above now so Dual Core systems lagging behind by today's standards, of course there is the possibility of Linux but I wont be able to play games on them.

 

[Retro6]

These are the two computers I have in mind, Windows 7 is still supported, they both have Windows 7 on them. One has 32 bit Windows 7 and the other has 64 Bit Windows 7. The performance on these two computers isn't to bad I might put Windows 10 on one of them and stick with Windows 32 bit one the other. I built these years ago to keep as back up PC's.