According to a Tuesday announcement by Microsoft, its Windows 7 XP Mode beta, which was released three months back, has entered Release Candidate (RC) status. The Windows 7 add-on would enable users to run a virtual version of Windows XP or Vista within Windows 7 OS, provided they have the requisite hardware.

The Windows 7 XP Mode RC can already be downloaded from the Microsoft Website. The XP Mode is essentially aimed at the small- and medium-sized businesses, and is compatible with the RC and release to manufacturing (RTM) versions of Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise.

Referring to the XP Mode in a blog post, Microsoft spokesman Brandon LeBlanc said: "Windows XP Mode provides what we like to call that 'last mile' compatibility technology for those cases when a Windows XP productivity application isn't compatible with Windows 7."

With the unveiling of the XP Mode RC, the XP Mode programs will provide users with a jump-list of the most recent files opened, thereby bringing into play a useful productivity feature of Windows 7 with older programs. The XP Mode RC will also enable the users to launch specific files from the Windows 7 taskbar.

LeBlanc has advised the users to install antivirus and anti-malware protections in XP Mode, over and above the protective steps they may have taken in the native Windows 7 environment!