If you only need "make" functionality and not specifically Microsoft's implementation, provides a version of make compiled for older Windows versions. You can find this on GnuWin32's SourceForge page . Key Considerations for Windows XP NMake 1.5 (Standalone) NMake 8.0/9.0 (via SDK) Bit Version 16/32-bit compatible Complexity Basic makefile support Supports advanced inference rules Environment Minimal dependencies Requires VC++ redistributables
: Despite the name, this SDK contains build tools like nmake.exe that function on Windows XP.
Move nmake.exe and nmake.err to a folder included in your system’s PATH environment variable, such as C:\WINDOWS\system32 or your language's bin directory (e.g., C:\Perl\bin ). Method 2: Microsoft Visual C++ Express / SDK
: To verify a successful installation, open a command prompt and type nmake /? . If it displays the version and options, the tool is correctly configured in your system path. Where do I find nmake for Windows 7 x64 - Super User
: Once installed, you can typically find the executable at: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio [Version]\VC\bin\nmake.exe . Alternative: GNU Make for Windows
Historically, Microsoft provided a standalone version (NMake 1.5) as a patch for older Visual C++ versions.