The answer is probably "no". Microsoft don't have public download links anymore and any other source these days would probably be fairly unofficial (/breaking the EULA/illegal/YMMV), so not particularly trustworthy. I'm sure there are some links available, but I'd be careful and try to at least use a checksum from a trustworthy source to check the download. Alternatively you could see if someone trustworthy will transfer the file to you. 500MB or so isn't huge in these days of fibre. Or you could see if you can hunt down a physical disk for next to nothing, maybe on the marketplace here? I'm sure a lot of techy types have a few hanging around gathering dust.
Doesn't really matter. I was trying to avoid buying due to it being a work project (off the books) so I might try windows7 first and hope the programs work.
No it isn't illegal. It potentially breaks the EULA if it isn't exactly the same version as was first installed but it isn't illegal. Plus, I'm fairly confident none of us here are likely to infect anything we provide with viruses. Sort of defeats the whole community vibe we have going.
Actually, <pushes glasses up nose> it is illegal. S'unauthorised redistribution of commercial software without the permission of the rightsholder. Nobody cares, least of all Microsoft, but to say it's not illegal is technically incorrect.
Actually <pushes glasses so far up nose they touch eyeball> , given that the software without a license key is useless after a while (and none of us are distributing those), I would argue that at worst it's a legal grey area as the ISO files are already readily available from official sources (or in the case of XP, they were available until all support was dropped making it basically abandonware).
You could argue that, yes. But you'd be wrong. The key there is official sources: unless you're an official source, which is to say a source that has written permission from the rightsholder to redistribute the software, then your redistribution of said software is illegal. S'not a grey area at all; s'pretty black and white. You'd also struggle to argue that Windows XP is 'abandonware' (a term without legal definition, I'd add) considering Microsoft just licensed a shedload of it to the Royal Navy for its new battleship...
No, it's a grey area. The software is useless without the means to activate it. How could anyone claim any sort of rights infringement when the software being distributed won't work? And I'm fairly sure that those XP installs are temporary, being replaced with a newer OS when the ship becomes operational so are likely to be essentially free with the newer OS accounting for most of the cost. But it's fine, I simply won't offer to help anyone else, given Bit-Tech's stance against illegal warez and such.
Because the software itself is still copyright, which makes its distribution illegal under Section 16 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. To quote: The software, Windows XP, is copyright Microsoft. Copying or issuing copies of the software without authorisation from Microsoft is, de facto, in contravention of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and ergo illegal in the UK. You may note how the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 makes absolutely no mention of licence keys or the requirement that anything so copied and distributed actually works. Like I said, illegal. Just like it'd be illegal to copy and distribute one of my books, even if the people you were distributing it to couldn't read. Questions? You'd be wrong there, too: Windows for Warships (not its official name, unsurprisingly) is based on Windows XP, and absolutely will not be upgraded to any other release of Windows for the life of said warships. S'one of the selling points, in fact.
I really can't be bothered arguing with you any longer. You have some sort of psychological need to be correct at the cost of everything else. I stand by everything I've said, and would wager my argument would easily stand up in court since I'd be doing no damage to anyone anywhere.
Only when I'm actually correct. Like now. Notice how I linked the actual law to support my argument, whereas you've provided zero backing to your own claims. Doesn't require damages to be proven (for a civil suit, anyway - it would for criminal charges), so I'm afraid that's a case you'd lose. For Pete's sake, man, this is GCSE level stuff, here.
Pete ? What the hell has Pete got to do with it. Pete ! PETE ! What ya done now !!!! OK,OK, I'm going !
If you only need to test things, then Microsoft offer a free download of a virtual machine for testing Internet Explorer. They have stopped linking to XP, but according to this thread they're still available to download if you reverse engineer the link. They expire after 30 days though.
You can get it for free from MS themselves. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8002
