thanks but I had done this already and said no snapshots or none - still issues -after even managed to fix my COM+ install as well.
Alternative SOLUTION for anyone with issues making hotclone Vm from their host Xp
I eventually used MOA Cold Clone Converter ISO to make a VM of my XPs and related partitions and now finally it appears to be working after configuring the created VM with the latest Vmware converter 5.5.1 (just to add Vmware Tools and remove restore points selected) via my Windows 8.1 host (as failed to configure via MOA but made VM image fine).
Anyone else having issues making VM from their XP host and if want to make a VMware Player image - search internet for MOA Cold Clone Converter (it uses an older ver of Vmware Converter 3 that allows cold cloning, I think later vers don't)- it was relatively easy to setup and use.
I could also dual boot via boot ini file as before my 2 XP systems.
Just make sure to presetup your boot ini file as I did before made the VM from the physical host partition it is on - I added some other partitions to boot from as tests in case boot partition number changed as it did.
Eg: My Xp partitons came after 1st Partition C (boot ini containing partition) and also a 2nd Partition - D and 3rd Partition - E (I left out F and G as decided not needed as on host) so my first XP became Partition 4 and then other XP Partition 5 so in boot ini I had set this:
[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(5)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(5)\windows="XP Pro SP3 MAIN J - C Bootini" /PAE /fastdetect /3GB /USERVA 2560 /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\windows="XP ALTERNATE/OLDER DRIVE I -ADMIN USE ONLY - Repair/Rescue/Backup" /PAE /USERVA 2560 /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(6)\windows="TEST PARTITION 6" /PAE /fastdetect /3GB /USERVA 2560 /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(7)\windows="TEST PARTITION 7" /PAE /fastdetect /3GB /USERVA 2560 /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(8)\windows="TEST PARTITION 8" /PAE /fastdetect /3GB /USERVA 2560 /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(9)\windows="TEST PARTITION 9" /PAE /fastdetect /3GB /USERVA 2560 /NoExecute=OptIn
THE test partitions starting from 4 as I thought new boot ones would be 4 and then 5 and then others added in case
You will need to alter numbers depending on how many other partitions are before your XP ones.
I used free Easeus Partition Manager to check the order of partitions I was cloning from the disk.
Also a free program EasyBCD helps you to change and label your partitions to edit your boot.ini file easily after you boot into correct partition from boot ini you set up above and before you make/clone your Virtual Machine.
Note: the boot ini can only hold a limited number of entries or test lines so work out carefully most likely partition no that your operating system will be on after cloning to Vm.