Installing on a modern UEFI-only system (post-2020 hardware) is extremely difficult because XP has no native support for UEFI or GPT. While "Legacy BIOS" or CSM (Compatibility Support Module) was once standard, many 2021+ systems have removed it entirely.

This is where most 2021 installs fail. Windows XP install media (CD/USB) doesn't have drivers for USB 3.0/3.1 ports or NVMe storage.

If you must install it on real hardware rather than a virtual machine, follow these community-driven workarounds: :