How Can I Change My Laptop From Running Vista To Xp

[slippery when wet]

Hello all.

I hope that you can help me...........

I can't get on with the vista system on my laptop and wish to install XP but when I try to do this a message says that because Windows Vista system is a newer version it wont load/run the XP disc.

Someone at my place of work has suggested that it is possible to override but I'm not sure how this is done.

Please help...many thanks....slippery

[Lite Beer]

Moved to here.

[bdenner]

Not sure - Maybe a complete re format then install Xp from scratch.

BUT beware. MAKE SURE all your hardware drivers have an Xp version. Example, newer HP Pavilion PCs and NoteBooks ARE NOT Xp compatable.

[ignis]

Plenty of help on the web sites about this, one of the best is GEEKS........

What do you want to do? Reformat and use XP only do you have the Drivers? or run dual boot? you need to have/make a partition on your hard drive, and then load XP into this partition.... after it is loaded copy the XP 'boot' and replace the Visa boot with the XP one.... On start up you will get the option to start in Vista or XP, it is very easy to do.......... I have dual boot but now used to Vista and have not used XP for a long time, Vista is much faster

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_vista_a...ystep_guide.htm

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vis...vista-computer/

[harrry]

First you have to check you have xp drivers for all your hardware. It is quite possible if it is a new machine that no drivers are available for some of its components. If you are sure you have all these format the disk. THen using the driver for sata drives start to install XP.

I strongly advise you not to do this.If you do it is a good idea to remove your existing hard disk and replace it with a new one. Then if nothing works youcan always replace the vista hard disk and still have a computer.

I suggest if you must install XP you do not do it yourself as you obviously don't have the knowledge to do so or you wouldnt have had to ask the question. Go to a computer shop and get them to do it for youl.

[RKASA]

!. Back up all your data anything you don't want to go missing.

2. Make sure the xp your going to install is not an oem disk from some other pc.  purhaps you bought a new package with key and everything thats good.  Or maybe its our own OEM disk for that PC would be OK too.

3. Make or get a boot cd that has tools on it and boot into it then you can clean vista off the system and boot into the xp cd and install.  It won't see anything but a blank drive then.

4. If any of that seems over the top, just pay a few hunderd baht and have someone install your new or prior xp that you have.

5. Step 3 is a good time to wipe any virus from the drive by end to end overwrite and check for bad sectors. The boot cd or livecd runs in ram and the drive can be completely cleaned.  It will be like new when its done.   You may also want to partition at that time and get your data storing seperate from the OS's location on the drive.  At least thats the way I would go about it.

Edit: harry was posting while I typed. Harry has good point about the drivers, if this is not an OEM disk that came with your PC then make sure the hardware has support.

Edited April 29, 2009 by RKASA

[ignis]

I strongly advise you not to do this.If you do it is a good idea to remove your existing hard disk and replace it with a new one. Then if nothing works youcan always replace the vista hard disk and still have a computer.

Is a very good idea........ at the same time you buy a new hard drive also buy a USB case, there not expensive, then if XP will work on your laptop you can then plug in the 'old' hard drive and COPY all your files over...... I say COPY so you have a back up, then use the old hard drive in the USB case as your back up drive so 1x per week or when you have important data you can copy it to this hard drive

Later on you may wish to go Windows 7, this is an easy upgrade from Vista, so you could swop the drives and then use the XP hard drive as the back up... If at any time your hard drive fails you can always change the Hard drive and carry on with all you files and data on the other drive.

To get a PC Shop to do this or to exchange your present Vista to XP or set up Dual boot cost betweem 200 - 500 baht, depends on what is involved [they will save all your present data onto a hard drive and then re install it back to your new OS system]

[Jimjim]

I heard horrible things about Vista and of course when I got a new laptop that's all I could get but it has been fine for me so far, no complaints at all. Just the usual occasional problem with Windows when it decides to freeze for a few seconds, but had just the same amount with XP. Macs are better, if you can afford them...

[justanothercybertosser]

I had the shop do this for me, when i bought my new laptop. Many laptops come only with Vista drivers, and they have to be replaced with XP drivers. Most shops here can do this very well, as there are many customers who prefer XP.

[warfie]

best if you consult a professional. Farang I.T. Services

shameless self promotion

[antony77]

Plenty of help on the web sites about this, one of the best is GEEKS........

What do you want to do? Reformat and use XP only do you have the Drivers? or run dual boot? you need to have/make a partition on your hard drive, and then load XP into this partition.... after it is loaded copy the XP 'boot' and replace the Visa boot with the XP one.... On start up you will get the option to start in Vista or XP, it is very easy to do.......... I have dual boot but now used to Vista and have not used XP for a long time, Vista is much faster

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_vista_a...ystep_guide.htm

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vis...vista-computer/

very interesting. I use vista but cannot use my "Dragon" word recognition program without getting it certified by going on line. But with xp I can use it without certification, So I have to have two computers. It would be nice to have both windows versions on my laptop.

[harrry]

.

very interesting. I use vista but cannot use my "Dragon" word recognition program without getting it certified by going on line. But with xp I can use it without certification, So I have to have two computers. It would be nice to have both windows versions on my laptop.

The easiest way is to use Virtual PC a free download from Microsoft which allows you to create a complete new virtual machine running whichever operating systemyou want.

Using the compatibility mode in windows 7 will actually run the xp program in a virtual pc environment.

You could use VM Ware to to do the same thing but I have a prefence for the virtual pc software on windows as I believe rightly or wrongly that it interacts with the original oreraing system more transparently.

[mdechgan]

You must have an HP or Compaq. Same here but I don't recommend installing XP. It is just too must hassle. I recommend installing Vista and try using it. Xp will be phased out soon and if not start now then when? I hate Vista but I have to learn to use it no matter how I loved XP. I even hated XP while I was using 98/ME. Its tough to change.

[eek]

Just a quick side note, if you like the look of vista, but the speed of XP, you can add a vista skin to XP (or get an all in one XP OS with vista skin).

(Personally I find running intensive programmes on my laptop with vista makes them lock up/crash/lag, particularly when running multiple programmes. I dont have this issue with XP).

[2008bangkok]

I would aslo recommend that you just leave it.... to get xp working you need to use soemthing lite N-Lite to add the sata drivers to a installation CD otherwise all that will happen is when you go to install XP it will say Windows cannot find any Hard Drives....

Not something to do easily

[mdechgan]

I would aslo recommend that you just leave it.... to get xp working you need to use soemthing lite N-Lite to add the sata drivers to a installation CD otherwise all that will happen is when you go to install XP it will say Windows cannot find any Hard Drives....

Not something to do easily

I agree. Trying to install XP on a computer that was not meant to be XP supported is just a disaster waiting to happen. There will be so many more steps especially with the SATA drivers, etc. Driver support for microsoft certified components on XP is iffy enough. Try installing a driver that was not meant to be used for a certain component is 50/50 at best. Imagine the horror if you have to format the computer again in the near future. Vista is no where near perfect but neither is XP on a vista-only supported computer.

[2008bangkok]

Just for the record aswell i cant understand why people keep saying i cant get on with Visat etc...XP is now the best part of 7 years old so why would you want to put it on a new machine..

once you get used to vista then it becomes alot better to use than Xp is..... XP is finished so its better to get used to somethng new now..its like trying to still use a horse and cart when every1 else is using a car.........

[Mousehound]

We run XP and vista on our machines at home and work. (we also run apple machines) Vista is a good system and we have never really had any problems with it. However, it needs to be set up to suit your requirements, by some one that knowws what they are doing, to get the best out of it.

Whether you run XP or vista you should run Word 2007. This is a great improvement on the older versions.

[ignis]

Agree Vista and Word 2007 and both a vast improvement over XP and Word 2003.

Like anything new keep playing with it, and search the web for what other users say, once you have it set up to your liking it is so much better, faster smoother to use than the old XP

Edited April 29, 2009 by ignis