Vista To Xp

[bkkmick]

Hi

Should be a quick one for you clever guys out there.

I bought a HP desktop that came with Windows Vista Starter pre-installed on it.

I have Windows XP pro and want to install that on my new PC. When I put the CD in the first option to Install XP is greyed out so I cannot click and install XP.

I've tried booting from the CD but the PC just starts up as normal (after pressing any key to boot from CD).

Any ideas how I can get the first option active so that I can install XP?

Thanks

Mick

[A_Traveller]

Though I've not tried, my understanding is you can't install XP over the top of Vista owing to incompatibilities in the file system but need to run a clean install.

Secondly I've heard too many versions of this, but in principal one can downgrade to XP from Vista, but I'd guess the starter edition is probably not included in this, which may account for your CD issue.

Regards

Edited June 24, 2008 by A_Traveller

[bkkmick]

Thanks Traveller.

This is turning into a bit of a nightmare (for me). I've Googled installing XP over Vista and it seems like a right mess.

I'm still blank as to what to do, I guess that I have to format the C:\ drive but will the PC be able to detect the XP CD if I do that? Right pain in the arse.

Think this might be beyond me. Think that I'll have to take the PC to someone who knows what they're doing...

Cheers

Mick

[Tywais]

I didn't have a problem when I did it but I had Vista Ultimate and went back to XP Pro. I just disabled the hard drive in the BIOS and under boot options made sure the drive didn't show up as a boot option and that the CD/DVD drive was the primary (only) boot device.

[gzu88bv]

Hi

Should be a quick one for you clever guys out there.

I bought a HP desktop that came with Windows Vista Starter pre-installed on it.

I have Windows XP pro and want to install that on my new PC. When I put the CD in the first option to Install XP is greyed out so I cannot click and install XP.

I've tried booting from the CD but the PC just starts up as normal (after pressing any key to boot from CD).

Any ideas how I can get the first option active so that I can install XP?

Thanks

Mick

The problem is that your current OEM XP SP1 or SP2 operating software CD does not incorporate the S-ATA drivers that you very likely need for your new system.

I understand your problem and even after making within BIOS my CD-drive the first drive to boot, I was just not able to partition, format or install XP on my new system.

How did I solve the problem? I used the software nLite and incorporated the S-ATA drivers into a so-called slipstream-copy (bootable CD) comprising my legitimate XP Pro SP2, above S-ATA drivers, the recently released Service Pack3 and also a few other items.

You have to google after nLite and study that software within their forum, but I am sure you will be excited about it as well.

[sjaak327]

Yep, probably your sata drivers are not recognised, as when you boot from the XP CD, you would always be able to install XP, the only thing that might not be available is an upgrade option, but if you want to format your harddrive (regardless which OS is currently present) XP will happily let you do that.

So when running the XP cd, there is a point where you can load disk drivers (F6), you only need to have a driver disk, so find out what drivers you need, download them and put them on a disk (or a USB disk, if your machine doens't have a floppy drive, when you press F6 load the disk, or browse to the USB drive, and voila, you are ready to install XP over Vista.

[2008bangkok]

Iv said it before and ill say it again..why woul dyou want to downgrade to XP from Vista???You cant use XP for the rest of your life because 'you dont like it' just gove it a go guarentee i week you will not go back!!

[Guest Reimar]

Iv said it before and ill say it again..why woul dyou want to downgrade to XP from Vista???You cant use XP for the rest of your life because 'you dont like it' just gove it a go guarentee i week you will not go back!!

He would like to downgrade because he have the XP Software and the pre installed Vista Starter is: NOTHING!

Difficult to understand?

And may to upgrade the Vista Starter to Ultimate, is expensive on one hand and may useless on the other because for the performance of that PC.

Cheers.

[2008bangkok]

Iv said it before and ill say it again..why woul dyou want to downgrade to XP from Vista???You cant use XP for the rest of your life because 'you dont like it' just gove it a go guarentee i week you will not go back!!

He would like to downgrade because he have the XP Software and the pre installed Vista Starter is: NOTHING!

Difficult to understand?

And may to upgrade the Vista Starter to Ultimate, is expensive on one hand and may useless on the other because for the performance of that PC.

Cheers.

Not as difficult as your English is to understand no....maybe you could benefit from this free service provided by google

http://translate.google.com/translate_t

[Guest Reimar]

Iv said it before and ill say it again..why woul dyou want to downgrade to XP from Vista???You cant use XP for the rest of your life because 'you dont like it' just gove it a go guarentee i week you will not go back!!

He would like to downgrade because he have the XP Software and the pre installed Vista Starter is: NOTHING!

Difficult to understand?

And may to upgrade the Vista Starter to Ultimate, is expensive on one hand and may useless on the other because for the performance of that PC.

Cheers.

Not as difficult as your English is to understand no....maybe you could benefit from this free service provided by google

http://translate.google.com/translate_t

What's difficult to understand?

That the OP like to downgrade to an better Version as he has on his Laptop or Computer? And XP Pro if for sure better than Vista Starter!

And what a downgrade is, everybody should understand, even a native English speaking human! Are you one of that?

And why he should spend more money or use a copy if he has an original, even if is not the latest version!

Cheers.

[slackula]

Not as difficult as your English is to understand no....maybe you could benefit from this free service provided by google

I have had my run-ins with Reimar in the past but I think that that was out of order and uncalled for.

His information and advice is extremely good for Windows stuff, and English is not the first language of many folks here. Reimar is trying to offer helpful advice, either accept it gracefully or post a follow up question asking for a clarification.

To answer the OP, I thought that Vista did something to the MBR that prevented it from accepting an XP install disk? I could be way off base here though.

Anyway, since no-one else said it yet: Install Linux !

[sjaak327]

Not as difficult as your English is to understand no....maybe you could benefit from this free service provided by google

I have had my run-ins with Reimar in the past but I think that that was out of order and uncalled for.

His information and advice is extremely good for Windows stuff, and English is not the first language of many folks here. Reimar is trying to offer helpful advice, either accept it gracefully or post a follow up question asking for a clarification.

To answer the OP, I thought that Vista did something to the MBR that prevented it from accepting an XP install disk? I could be way off base here though.

Anyway, since no-one else said it yet: Install Linux !

Sorry, but indeed you are way off base here

That would be something if even remotely true, as Microsoft would be sued to hel_l and back for sure

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi

Does the machine in question BOOT from CD in first place? Because usually even if there is no HDD present, Windows XP setup will still boot, then obviously complain that there is no HDD.

So IF the machine boots from CD (i.e. you get the XP Setup), there is an option to delete existing partition and that *should* wipe out any traces of Vista.

Here it looks as tough the OP's machine does not properly boot from the CD and instead falls back on the HDD. And guess what? I had that happen to one of my machines not that long ago, a crappy old Compaq! That one refused to let me into the BIOS to change boot order, instead when hitting the required option key it simply went on booting Windows.

Since your machine is new, see if you can get into the BIOS (usually hit "Del" or some key during boot, it is shown on the screen like "Hit *whatever* to enter setup" and, when you're in, look under "Boot" if you have your CD drive as first boot device. If not, well, make it the first

Agreed that, from WITHIN Vista, you won't be able to install XP as it's older. Also agreed - Vista "Starter" is worse than Windows 98, compared to XP. Also agreed to the "install Linux" however as you want XP and have it already, why not? XP is a good system, too.

If all fails, does your new machine have a floppy drive? If yes, get hold of a Windows 98 startup diskette (or Windows 2000) that incorporates a CD-ROM drive driver. You could use that to boot the machine and access the CD drive, then start setup from there.

If your HDD is a SATA model you may indeed need a SATA driver, on a floppy or USB stick, to be installed BEFORE Windows XP, during XP's initial setup you get an option to install that. You will likely find that driver on HP's website.

And lastly, complaining about Reimar's English is a sign of poor communication skills by whoever complains. While i had a good clean fight with Reimar before, too, he indeed gives EXCELLENT advice, and for good communication it not only requires a good talker but also a good listener. If the talker lacks a bit, the listener can equal with his own skills. I have no problems understanding Reimar, and i'm no native English speaker either.

Best regards.....

Thanh