If you must run W7 a virtual solution is the only sensible one so don’t knock yourself. The only virtual system I have used is VMWare Workstation free but the principles are likely much the same. We find it easiest to transfer using a usb stick. There was an issue because VMWare stopped supporting 32 bit Windows and the system wouldn’t work until I reversed an update and reinstalled a much earlier version of VMWork Player free. Referring back to the usb stick we now have a 64 bit W10 desktop and a usb stick is only recognised in the virtual XP OS if it is usb 2. For use in W10 only I use usb 3 sticks but the usb 2 stick is earmarked for use with transfers between W10 and XP. See if you can get your virtual OS to recognise a usb stick. If that is successful, you have a way in. Anything that works for you is right.
