You can make your Windows XP machine Web Server by installing IIS (Internet Information Server) on it using following simple steps.

1. Go to Start menu, click Control Panel.
2. Double-click "Add or Remove Programs" icon.
3. Click "Add/Remove Windows Components" tab available in left side of "Add or Remove Programs" dialog box.
4. List of Windows Components will appear.
5. Tick mark Internet Information Server (IIS) in the list.
6. Double click on it or click on details to See Sub component list for IIS.
7. Insert CD of Windows XP in CD ROM.
8. Click next and finish installation.
9. A default web directory will be created at C:Inetpubwwwroot if OS is installed on C: drive.
10. To check whether IIS is installed successfully type http://localhost or http://127.0.0.1 in address bar of your web browser.
11. A page containing more details about IIS should appear.
12. You can go to IIS by going to Control Panel->Administrative tools ->Internet information Services.
13. Expand up to "Default Web Site" in left pane it will show the contents of directory "C:Inetpubwwwroot".
14. To change your Home Directory Right Click "Default Web Site" then go to Properties from list.
15. Click on the Home Directory Tab Insert path to directory in Local Path text box or Browse.
16. Now your web server is ready create HTML, ASP or ASPX (Dot net Framework required) file in your Home Directory.
17. To Create a Virtual Directory Right Click on Default Web Site go to New -> Virtual Directory.
18. Give an Alias and select directory containing your web pages by clicking on Browse button on following screens.