Installing XP in place of Vista..........

[Guest]

I have purchased a Compaq laptop for my mother who lives out of state.
Being a new laptop it came with the Vista O/S.
All my machines are XP and I have zero experience with Vista.
Because she lives out of state, I want to make sure she is using on OS that
I can assist her with when necessary.
As such, I want to load XP on this notebook.
Has anyone replaced Vista with XP?
I have contacted Compaq (HP) and obtained all necessary drivers for XP
(touch pad, chipset, audio, video, display, wireless, etc...)
She needs only e-mail and internet so this notebook is for the most basic
functionality.
Are there any concerns I should consider before I attempt this?

ANY advice, comments, suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Chuck

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have purchased a Compaq laptop for my mother who lives out of
state. Being a new laptop it came with the Vista O/S.
All my machines are XP and I have zero experience with Vista.
Because she lives out of state, I want to make sure she is using on
OS that I can assist her with when necessary.
As such, I want to load XP on this notebook.
Has anyone replaced Vista with XP?
I have contacted Compaq (HP) and obtained all necessary drivers for
XP (touch pad, chipset, audio, video, display, wireless, etc...)
She needs only e-mail and internet so this notebook is for the most
basic functionality.
Are there any concerns I should consider before I attempt this?

ANY advice, comments, suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

It's a clean install - everything you do not have backed up/installation
media for will be lost. As long as you have the drivers for XP - the
hardware will work in XP and you should have a functioning copy of Windows
XP. Know that if help from Compaq is ever needed - they will likely want it
to have Vista - if they will help at all.

 

[Alias]

I have purchased a Compaq laptop for my mother who lives out of state.
Being a new laptop it came with the Vista O/S.
All my machines are XP and I have zero experience with Vista.
Because she lives out of state, I want to make sure she is using on OS that
I can assist her with when necessary.
As such, I want to load XP on this notebook.
Has anyone replaced Vista with XP?
I have contacted Compaq (HP) and obtained all necessary drivers for XP
(touch pad, chipset, audio, video, display, wireless, etc...)
She needs only e-mail and internet so this notebook is for the most basic
functionality.
Are there any concerns I should consider before I attempt this?

ANY advice, comments, suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Chuck

If you do a clean install of XP, it doesn't matter what is on the hard
drive because you're going to wipe it clean. See the following on how to
do a clean install:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

You will need a copy of XP, Home or Pro do this. Vista can't be
downgraded to XP.

Alias

 

[R. McCarty]

Replacing Vista for XP can be done. While Vista has some changes the
basic functionality between it and XP isn't that great. If you know how
to resolve issues with XP that would certainly translate over to Vista. To
install XP might help you with support, but your Mom may come to like
Vista. I've helped several people with new Vista PCs and after about a
week or two of working with it they have settled into day-to-day use with
very few issues.

Whatever you decide it's probably a good idea to Image the Vista state
of the PC or burn the factory recovery disk set. This way you can restore
Vista if at some point you want to use it again.

 

[JS]

Since your going to buy a copy of XP, why not buy Vista for yourself (and
skip XP) so you can not only help your mother but also learn Vista at the
same time. Given it will be a little harder at first, but may be worth it in
the long run. Also can your mother do a clean install of XP, you will most
likely need to walk her through it and the driver installs.

JS

 

[FreeComputerConsultant.com]

I have purchased a Compaq laptop for my mother who lives out of state.
Being a new laptop it came with the Vista O/S.
All my machines are XP and I have zero experience with Vista.
Because she lives out of state, I want to make sure she is using on OS that
I can assist her with when necessary.
As such, I want to load XP on this notebook.
Has anyone replaced Vista with XP?
I have contacted Compaq (HP) and obtained all necessary drivers for XP
(touch pad, chipset, audio, video, display, wireless, etc...)
She needs only e-mail and internet so this notebook is for the most basic
functionality.
Are there any concerns I should consider before I attempt this?

ANY advice, comments, suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Chuck

It's all about drivers. Sony VAIO laptop I just worked on does NOT have
drivers for XP - Vista ONLY! Beware.

I wrote about that experience here:

http://freecomputerconsultant.wordp...est-buy-and-other-big-box-stores-just-say-no/

and here:

http://freecomputerconsultant.wordpress.com/2007/04/05/acronis-true-image-saves-the-day-again/

 

[Shenan Stanley]

It's all about drivers. Sony VAIO laptop I just worked on does NOT
have drivers for XP - Vista ONLY! Beware.

I wrote about that experience here:

http://freecomputerconsultant.wordp...est-buy-and-other-big-box-stores-just-say-no/

and here:

http://freecomputerconsultant.wordpress.com/2007/04/05/acronis-true-image-saves-the-day-again/

In your second post you state:

"By the way, this means you would NOT see this laptop used to any extent in
Corporate America - one big clue to whether you want to own it or not."

If intended for corporate/domain use - the customer should have insisted on
a professional/business version of Vista or their money back... And if they
explained their intended usage to the salesperson - they should STILL demand
satisfaction.

And no - I would not expect a $750 or less LAPTOP to be seen used as a
business level computer that would be a member of a domain. This is not the
result of poor support from a company - in my opinion - but poor research on
the part of the customer. ;-)

This is the offending laptop?
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...ategoryId=pcmcat103700050030&id=1167444907899

Yeah - it sucks. heh
Looking at what it is supported by - it is a horrible choice for a laptop
all around.
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-matrix.pl?upd_id=2416
(Rows for VGN-N220E/W)

My opinion - never get Sony VAIO anything...

My experience with the VAIOs and leaving the default installs on IBM laptops
(unrelated - but if we are ranting...) as well is that neither works out
well.

 

[smlunatick]

I have purchased a Compaq laptop for my mother who lives out of state.
Being a new laptop it came with the Vista O/S.
All my machines are XP and I have zero experience with Vista.
Because she lives out of state, I want to make sure she is using on OS that
I can assist her with when necessary.
As such, I want to load XP on this notebook.
Has anyone replaced Vista with XP?
I have contacted Compaq (HP) and obtained all necessary drivers for XP
(touch pad, chipset, audio, video, display, wireless, etc...)
She needs only e-mail and internet so this notebook is for the most basic
functionality.
Are there any concerns I should consider before I attempt this?

ANY advice, comments, suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Chuck

Read the fine print! I have seen other laptops where the warranty was
"null and void" if the operating system was not the one delivered with
the unit.

Also, check to see if Compaq provides XP version of the drivers.

 

[Tom]

Don't forget you will need a CD key to install XP. How do you plan on
installing XP?
As long as you have the drivers, a CD and the CD Key, you should be ok.
As opposed to some of the posters here have advocated, I would hold off on
Vista. There are too many problems. If your Mom has problems, it could get
rather involved. I am in a similar situation.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am currently creating the recovery discs as
suggested and will "dive in" head first after that. I will post the results
of my attempt when completed (I intentionally used "when" as opposed to
"if"......wishful thinking?)

You were all very helpful.
Thanks again
--
Thanks,
Chuck

Don't forget you will need a CD key to install XP. How do you plan on
installing XP?
As long as you have the drivers, a CD and the CD Key, you should be ok.
As opposed to some of the posters here have advocated, I would hold off on
Vista. There are too many problems. If your Mom has problems, it could get
rather involved. I am in a similar situation.

 

[FreeComputerConsultant.com]

In your second post you state:

"By the way, this means you would NOT see this laptop used to any extent in
Corporate America - one big clue to whether you want to own it or not."

If intended for corporate/domain use - the customer should have insisted on
a professional/business version of Vista or their money back... And if they
explained their intended usage to the salesperson - they should STILL demand
satisfaction.

And no - I would not expect a $750 or less LAPTOP to be seen used as a
business level computer that would be a member of a domain. This is not the
result of poor support from a company - in my opinion - but poor research on
the part of the customer. ;-)

If I could only get them to come to me first...

I was just surprised; I figure Sony has the drivers somewhere, the
hardware is probably the same they have been using for a while.

There are definitely better choices.

This is the offending laptop?
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...ategoryId=pcmcat103700050030&id=1167444907899

Yeah - it sucks. heh
Looking at what it is supported by - it is a horrible choice for a laptop
all around.
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-matrix.pl?upd_id=2416
(Rows for VGN-N220E/W)

My opinion - never get Sony VAIO anything...

I hadn't had to deal with a VAIO in a while, but the last one was junk
too, so I think I'll second that