Community Newsletter: Q&A: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how?
- 5/3/07 3:36 PM
Removing Vista
by rparnell - 4/21/07 3:40 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
After spending over 20 hours with Microsofts "Tech Support" ( has to be the biggest oxymoron of the year!) over 2 weeks, I gave up. Bought a new drive and just re-installed everything from my old cd's. Had to go to Microsoft to get new legal system numbers BUT I have had 4 weeks of peace!
Everytime I do something on my puter I KNOW what the results will be.
I have kept the older drive with the cursed vista on so that if there is ever a fix for Vista then I can just open up my box and plug the abomination back in. I plug it in every couple of weeks to keep the mountains of updates at bay.../
Answers for Franklin S.
by marilyn1954 - 4/21/07 3:43 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
if you have an old copy of windows 98+a setup disk for 98 you can put your old system back on or this is what I do . just put your 98 disk in to start up your computer when it ask you what you wont to do tell it to f disk then follow the instricshines after you have done that dont forget to format ,then just put your x.p back in .pps I also thing vistra is a bit of a con. hope this will help an 54 year old computer user from the commerdor user that is64 mb days
putting XP on your new computer
by redgoinggray - 4/21/07 3:44 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Transfer your existing files and settings from your old computer to your new one. RE: Windows XP, visual quickstart guide, by Chris Fehily, page 527. The book costs $1.00 + 3.50 (S&H) from Abebooks.com. Good luck
Returning to XP
by danielarbib - 4/21/07 4:11 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
My advis is as follows:
If you can still access the internet, then go to KillDisk.com to get a wipe hard drive free utility which you can download to a floppy.
During the boot sequence, press F8 to get to BIOS setup and select Boot from Floppy. Press F10 and exit. The computer will re-tart and will run from the floppy= select the options you want, and press F10 as neceessary and wait an hour or more and your drive will be returned to a raw state. Then format and re-install XP and have fun re-installing all your favourite programs. Good luck, I had the same problem, only worse because I tried the 64 bit Vista Ultimate. Over the years I have found that if you do not clean the drive thoroughly, and rely solely on re-formatting, then straggly bits can still be left on the drive.
XP without going broke
by riles246 - 4/21/07 4:16 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
One of my slightly older computers needed XP. My solution was to ask our tech support guy at work if he had a copy I could use. Since I do work at home with this computer, he allowed me to use a disk that had some sort of volume install and did not need individual activation.
Simple steps to get XP running on the system
by mattribbins - 4/21/07 4:29 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I can see your frustration with Vista, Franklin. Virtually most of my hardware and software will not work with Vista yet.
To put XP on your system, you will have to back up all documents and valuable stuff first onto a flash disk, CD/DVD or online storage like Xdrive.com. As Vista uses a different hard disk format to XP, Vista will have to go.
Then you will need to have your XP CD. If it is one that came with a different system, caution recommended, as it may not install if it is not a Tiny system, for example, and you are trying to install it on a Dell. If you need an XP CD, have a look on eBay or Amazon for a cheap, legal copy.
Put the CD into the bootable drive (usually the one that registers D: in windows). It will then load setup. If memory recalls, select the option, Install Windows or similar. It may then say that you have another OS or Partition format on the Hard Disk. This is expected.
You will then be presented with a list of Hard Disks and their partitions, one of them being Windows Vista (c:\). You will need to delete that partition. Once that is deleted, create a new partition, then use that to Install XP on it.
Setup should be straight forward from there. You may need drivers for certain hardware, which may be found on the Drivers CD with the PC - should be vista and Xp/2000 drivers on it, if not, they are around somewhere on the internet, i.e. driverguide.com
Hope this helps. Just shows that Vista's eye candy just don't work!
Moving back to Windows XP
by Precede - 4/21/07 5:04 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Franklin,
In order to move your system back to Windows XP, you will need to purchase a full retail copy of Windows XP from your favorite store such as Best Buy or Office Depot. This option will run you about $300 retail. Or if you are in with the DIY crowd, you can go shopping to Frys and purchase an OEM version. This option will cost you about half the price of the full retail. I also want to give you one more suggestion. Since you already own a license of Vista, maybe you should get familiar with it in a test environment. My recommendation to you is to do the following to get the most out of your computer:
1. Install Windows XP Professional (when installing Windows XP, you will be given the opportunity to reformat your harddrive and completely remove the existing Windows Vista OS. I suggest you do this. Once you remove Vista, the installation will also give you the opportunity to create one or more harddrive partitions. I suggest you create 2 partitions. One for Windows XP and one for Vista. Install Windows XP first! Get all of your drivers and programs working.
2. After you have successfully installed Windows XP and created 2 harddrive partitions, insert your Windows Vista DVD and boot from the CD. Install Windows Vista to the second, empty partition. After you install Windows Vista to the second partition and you start your computer, you'll receive a menu that asks you which OS you want to use. Now you have the opportunity to get acquainted with Vista, and be able to work/play as usual with XP.
NOTE: You must install them in the order noted or you may run into issues. Feel free to contact me if you have questions. I've built a number of dual/triple boot systems and they work just fine.
changing o/s
by dc1244 - 4/21/07 5:14 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
IF you made or have a boot disk ,Put in your floppy drive it will boot then fdisk the hard drive reformat the drive in question.Then re-install xp once your installed you have to register your o/s .Called the number on the sceen and tell microsoft what happened and they will give you new activation numbers. You alrerady bought why buy two versions.Hope this helps.
Denny
Vista to XP "Crossgrade"
by davdunlap - 4/21/07 5:56 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
It's still debatable whether this is an upgrade or a downgrade to go from Vista to XP, as they are very different operating systems at the core. I've done this "crossgrade" for a few people that have experienced some of the same issues that you mentioned, and it has gone fairly smoothly. Before you begin, you will have some information gathering to do.
1 - Check with you manufacturer to see what this will do to your warranty. Many manufacturers will not honor a warranty on a new system if the operating system has been altered. In and of itself, this may not be a dealbreaker, since you need a system that meets your needs more than meeting warranty "requirements". This is more of a "look before you leap" suggestion.
2 - Download all device drivers for XP and place the executables or install folders on a CD or DVD for use during your setup. At minimum, you will need drivers for your network card, but it's easier to get them all together in one place before you start. If you right-click on the My Computer icon, select properties, and then select Device Manager, you can see a list of installed devices to verify that you have got all the required drivers. Don't forget XP drivers for all of those peripherals that have been "left out in the cold".
3 - While it is technically possible to install XP from your old system restore disk, that copy of XP is legally attached to the computer it came with. It will also probably require a much longer series of patches and upgrades to get it completely up to date. In order to be entirely legal, you should purchase a new license for Windows XP with the latest release CD. This also ensures that your computer will pass any future WGA validation tools or upgrades that may be implemented.
4 - Back up your Vista configuration and/or make sure that you have a restore disk to return to Vista Home in the future. Once Vista has "matured" a bit, and all of the other manufacturers are up to date on their drivers, you will probably want to return to Vista. You don't want to be left having to buy another copy of Vista, and a system restore will help you do that in the easiest possible way. Then you will only have to install service packs and updates to be ready to go rather than starting from scratch.
5 - Gather your installer disks for all of you software, such as office productivity suites, photo editors, or anything else that you will want on your system. Make sure that the disks are good to go before you begin.
At this point, you should have all your prep work done, and can begin the installation. XP is pretty straight forward in this respect, and I'll assume your comfortable with that, based on the way that you asked your question.
David Dunlap
no experience with vista
by hmazuji - 4/21/07 6:01 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
try opensuse or fedora core.
OEM XP vs Microsoft XP
by agieryic - 4/21/07 6:19 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I can only assume your older PC is running an OEM version of XP that came with your older PC. Your recovery disk was created and geared for the original PC. You can not use it on the new system. OEM copies of XP are not transferable. Even if you could get it to install XP, you would run into driver and configuration issues. Your best bet is to purchase an "over the counter" Microsoft XP product which you could transfer to an other PC if needed in the future. It may require you to call Microsoft's licensing department, but it can be done.
Next, go to the new PC manufacturer's website and download all your required drivers and software (BIOS, Audio, video, chipset ..etc) that you'll need to rebuild the new PC with XP. Companies such as Dell and Gateway still offer XP drivers for their newer systems loaded with Vista
Your new PC should have come with either the Vista media or it may have the Vista restore partition on the hard drive that you can use to rebuild your PC back to the original configuration when you feel you're ready for Vista.
On a final note. If your PC is a non-clone system such as a Dell or Gateway, work with their customer/tech support for their feedback. If your PC is a clone, check out the individual componant manufacturer's websites for XP/Vista driver/software compatibilities.
When does a PC die?
by pepper8892 - 4/21/07 6:21 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi everyone,
PC's never die! They just get rebuilded...
Never think your PC needs to be replaced, unless, you are just tried of it. Anything can be replaced on a PC to upgrade it, and make it better. and most come with a OEM CD to replace the Operating system if it needs it.
Think of it this way. If your PC is 3 years old? Then maybe you would want some of the new Technology, and you have a decktop, no problem, just upgrade. If a Laptop? Wow, a new one maybe in order...
Take Care everyone...
Replace Vista with XP?
by samuishark - 4/21/07 6:36 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I think that these compatability issues, while frustrating, will cease to be problems when everybody 'catches up'. As far as replacing the OS goes, you would have to buy and install a copy of XP, as the recovery disk can only recover a pre-installed version of XP. However, this does seem rather drastic, especially when you consider all the features of Vista you would lose. I would rather install XP on a virtual machine http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/virtualpc/default.mspx, which would allow you to run any legacy programs, although sadly it wouldn't do anything about your peripherals, as they are fed to the VM through Vista.
Yah gotta start all over, sad to say....
by butopia - 4/21/07 6:45 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Unfortunately, you will have to buy a copy of XP and start all over. You could try to use the system restore disks from some other machine, but it might not work (unless you were actually given a REAL XP disk mfg by Micro$oft). Plus if you load a copy from another mfg computer, you might have problems with updates going forward.
My suggestion is, go to Fry's electronics, and buy some computer part that allows you to buy an OEM XP disk. You save some money, you have a genuwine copy of XP and you can go on about your life. You can also find new, legitimate OEM and retail disks with a search online cheaper than typical retail.
Sadly, Micro$oft has foisted the WORST OS ever on the public, and short of switching to a Mac or Linux, we are stuck dealing with a pack of problems. Good luck dude.
vista to xp
by champ111 - 4/21/07 6:47 AM In reply to: I want Vista out of my PC and XP back in, but how? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi to go back to windows xp all you need to do is put your windows xp disc into cd or dvd rom restart computer hit delete on boot up and check in bios that cd rom is to boot first, on boot up it show 'boot from cd press any key' do so then follow instructions, don't forget to delete all partions then press enter to continue to install xp.
Hope this helps.
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