Simplify your laptop buying
Windows Vista: downgrading from vista to xp
Some Answers..
by Grif Thomas
- 8/19/07 9:53 PM
In reply to: Collecting Scattered Questions: by Howlleo
1... The Recovery Discs for your previous computer won't work.. They are hooked in to your other computer's hardware and it won't install on your current machine.. You'll need to purchase a legal XP CD or it simply won't activate and work correctly.
2. Nope, we can't confirm there won't be any problems with AMD chipsets.. It's dependent on the BIOS for that particular computer and we're seeing some that require SATA drivers to function correctly and others that don't.. And even those that will install without the SATA drivers won't have the full SATA function..
3. If you're referring to THIS POST, then the user DID wipe all the partitions from the computer before installing the operating system.. DBAN wipes everything from the drive.. On the other hand, there have been one or two posts above which indicated a possibility of simply formatting the active Vista partition and installing XP on it which would then leave the Recovery partition with Vista still there.. Unfortunately, even though I've only downgraded a handful of Vista comps, such a method hasn't worked for me.. I find it easiest to wipe the drive completely, then install.
4. The Vista Recovery "should" work after wiping the drive.. I've already posted an answer to your question above.. See the link below:
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-12546_102-0.html?forumID=133&threadID=243153&messageID=2566384#2566384
Hope this helps.
Grif
New Vista?
by one2three - 8/25/07 2:22 AM In reply to: Some Answers.. by Grif Thomas
Hi, My laptop (my main "system"!) is steadily falling apart 
(actually it's a c****y DELL so I'd love to replace it) Sooner or later I'm going to have to bit the bullet and get a new one. I say bite the bullet not because of finance (things need replacing eventually) but because of the immense amount of time it seems to take to get a new system set-up to fit, and running smoothly. It's NEVER as simple as it's made out to be. As if that wasn't bad enough now we're being force-fed Vista!
I came across a thread on CNET here: http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=260644&messageID=2570121#2570121
about cloning hard drives. Does this provide an answer? Can I buy a new laptop with Vista on it, boot from a DVD with the cloned software partition from my old machine, reformat the new hard drive and copy across the old/mirrored/cloned partition???
Doubtful...
by Grif Thomas - 8/26/07 9:39 PM
In reply to: New Vista? by one2three
...The cloned hard drive would only function correctly on the original machine because of various XP requirements to be tied in with the motherboard and other hardware. Many such transfers don't boot at all. Some do.
In addition, the Vista machine would have completely different hardware drivers than the other machine.. You'd still need to identify ALL hardware and download, then install the appropriate drivers for EVERYTHING that needed such drivers..including the motherboard/chipset, video, audio, etc..
Hope this helps.
Grif
Can I buy just an XP license to load on a PC with Vista?
by brendak024 - 11/27/07 12:43 PM In reply to: Some Answers.. by Grif Thomas
I hate vista. I have software, but want to be legal before I start this. I have Vista basic on an Acer pc, and have downloaded all the drivers to a cd. I have two copies of XP, both XP home and Pro. Someone told me that the microsoft licenses are backwards compatable. Is that true?
You can...
by John.Wilkinson - 11/27/07 1:35 PM
In reply to: Can I buy just an XP license to load on a PC with Vista? by brendak024
If you click here you can order just a license key from Microsoft at around a $30 discount, as a current XP owner with a usable CD. Just make sure the XP CD is retail and not a manufacturer's recovery system before placing the order.
As to the licenses, they are not backwards compatible...a Vista key will not work for XP just as an XP Pro key won't work with XP Home. Under some circumstances you can trade in your Vista license for an XP license, deactivating the Vista key before receiving an XP key, but that offer doesn't apply for Vista Home Basic users. If you don't plan on 'moving' the installation or replacing the motherboard down the road an OEM license may be the cheapest route. Otherwise the above link should get you going.
Hope this helps,
John
YOU NEED DRIVERS!!!!!!!
by inachu - 9/6/07 6:06 AM In reply to: downgrading from vista to xp by paolopaedHi,
YOu will need to find drivers FIRST!
XP is not native to SATA hard drives and this is why XP will not install.
If you really want XP installed then you need to know what kind of hard drive you have and find the drivers for it.
The Best thing to do
by mediagt - 9/7/07 8:29 PM In reply to: YOU NEED DRIVERS!!!!!!! by inachuMicrosoft thought of everything. They repaired many flaws in XP and made the latest win Vista. In my opinion, changing from Vista to XP is like killing ur self. Y turn back to the many errors in XP? Blue screen and all. Vista has the build in layers n environments for maximum compatibility. XP SP2, ME, Win 2000, 98 and 95. All the programs on XP can run on Vista. Y change? Win Vista also solves all driver problems oso. Great!!!
Your right
by anthonyhuff - 9/10/07 10:57 AM In reply to: The Best thing to do by mediagtIt does solve driver problems to some extent, but at the expense of speed. In fact it is more difficult to make an effective driver for Vista than it is for XP. It will probably be a couple more years before we get a refined version.
"downgrading" to xp
by gerryo543210 - 9/13/07 9:44 PM In reply to: downgrading from vista to xp by paolopaedXP is a great OS compared to Vista. I'm thinking of doing the same thing but have many concerns obviously. Good luck and think of it as "upgrading".
Ok, It's only a downgrade if you have a new PC
by ptnitz1369 - 9/14/07 8:58 PM In reply to: "downgrading" to xp by gerryo543210You have to be cautious here. My experience with HP ( or Compaq ) is that the newest PC's only work with Windows 'Bista'.
And the device drivers that they ( HP ) supply don't work with previous versions of Winbdows.
So I've had to install PCI devives to override the system boards stuff.
I would say it depends on your vendor for your new PC.
Downgrading from Vista to XP
by ptnitz1369 - 9/14/07 8:48 PM In reply to: downgrading from vista to xp by paolopaedPiece of cake! But you need some basic tools to get started.
First you have to boot from something other than the hard disk.
Then you need to be able select the hard disk installed in your new PC do some DOS funs=ctions like 'Dir C:'
If you can see the disk 'C:' then run FDISK from the DOS prompt'
You should be able to see the new disk as (*** size and the format as 'NTFS' )
Delete all the partitions and redisplay the result.
If no other partitions on the disk, then proceed.
If you need to keep compatibility with your friends in sharing files, then in Fdisk, select 'create partition' and use 32 bit partition.
Now you can successfully run 'Format'.
After that it's a walk in the park to install whatever operating system your heart desires.
Notebooks and VISTA
by ramnet - 9/14/07 11:35 PM In reply to: downgrading from vista to xp by paolopaedUnfortunately a lot of newer Notebooks are sold , serviced and supported based on the VISTA operating system ONLY. I personally think this is a disgraceful controlling mechanism designed to 1. Phase out XP 2. Force VISTA down our throats 3. Make Microsoft even richer but there will be others who dispute that view. Frankly VISTA is a pig of an operating system and I don't blame anyone for wanting XP on a Notebook .. period.
In Australia at least a few Dell , Toshiba and HP Models are now appearing with the choice of saving the VISTA pre-installed build onto a DVD and re-installing XP from disks supplied at point of purchase. Only a few specific models have this choice .. most do not. You almost certainly could re-install a licenced version of XP on your Notebook. A couple of things to be wary of however .. a) you may have a SATA Hard disk drive and therefore you would need a disk formatting utility to reformat the disk (after you make a backup set of your VISTA Build)
SATA drivers would have to be loaded to see the hard disk drive most likely and then even IF you get to install XP I bet that drivers like sound , video , internal modem etc will NOT install correctly because the drivers almost certainly will be difficult if not impossible to get. I suggest you discuss this with the manufacturer of the Notebook to see if an XP Crossgrade is available or get your money back. I am advising all my clients in Australia to avoid VISTA ona NOtebook like its the plague.
Ken
To paolopaed
by suhungmung - 9/15/07 8:09 PM In reply to: downgrading from vista to xp by paolopaedpaolopaed, the reason why your xp disks said there was no hard drive is that u have SATA enabled. Please disable it and try again
(NT) Please Read Previous Posts/ Already Suggested Many Times
by Grif Thomas - 9/17/07 2:53 PM
In reply to: To paolopaed by suhungmung
some one please help me
by athar201 - 9/25/07 7:22 PM In reply to: (NT) Please Read Previous Posts/ Already Suggested Many Times by Grif Thomas
i have a hp pavillion desktop 6041me model with seagate 320 gb hard disk and i am downgrading it from vista to xp i need the sata drivers please help me how to get the sata drivers for that drive or how to load xp on it
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