Can I replace Vista with XP?

  • Thread starter Thread starter dylan mac
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dylan mac

Just bought a new PC which came with Vista pre-installed. I've been very
happy with XP so I would prefer to install XP onto the new PC in place of the
existing Vista. Is this possible?
 
dylan said:
Just bought a new PC which came with Vista pre-installed. I've been
very happy with XP so I would prefer to install XP onto the new PC in
place of the existing Vista. Is this possible?
Click to expand...

Probably. If the PC is a laptop, it stands a chance of having hardware for
which XP drivers do not exist.

All you need to do is buy a copy of WinXP and you should be good (assuming
the hardware will work with XP).
 
Yes it is. Format the drive with Vista on it and then install your XP. Is your XP a full retail version ?
 
Thanks for your quick reply. From what you say, this new PC (a desktop) may
have hardware in it only suitable for Vista - is that possible?
 
Then unless you were supplied with a full retail version (unlikely) its an
OEM version which is only licensed to the PC it was supplied with.
And thats assuming its not also bios locked to the origonal hardware / PC

As others have said some new Vista supplied PC's do not have winxp drivers
available for their hardware
 
This will become more and more the standard. Early on the problem with
Vista was lack of drivers. As more and more hardware is certified for use
with Vista the situation will reverse so that only Vista drivers are
available
and Windows XP won't be supported. I've already encountered a few
cases where installing XP ( instead of Vista ) results in a device not
having
XP drivers for it ( embedded Sound chips on the motherboard ).
 
dylan said:
The XP that I have came with another computer that I have.
Click to expand...

You can't use it and be within the EULA guidelines. If it's a restore
disc that you have from the other computer, it won't work technically.

Alias
 
On Sat, 24 Nov 2007 07:29:00 -0800, dylan mac <dylan
Just bought a new PC which came with Vista pre-installed. I've been very
happy with XP so I would prefer to install XP onto the new PC in place of the
existing Vista. Is this possible?
Click to expand...



Sure. The only potential issue is making sure that you have drivers
for all the hardware that came with the new computer. But note that
problems finding drivers are much more likely with a laptop than a
desktop.

Over and above that, my recommendation is that you stick with Vista.
Yes, as with almost anything else new, if takes some time and effort
to get accustomed to, but it's worth it.
 
The XP that I have came with another computer that I have.
Click to expand...


Then you have an OEM version of Windows XP. Adding to the message I
just sent about this, there are two other issues:

1. The biggest disadvantage of an OEM version is that its license ties
it permanently to the first computer it's installed on. It can never
legally be moved to another computer, sold, or given away.

2. Over and above the licensing issue, many OEM versions are
BIOS-locked to the computer they came with. If that's the case with
yours, it will not install on a different computer.
 
dylan said:
Just bought a new PC which came with Vista pre-installed. I've been very
happy with XP so I would prefer to install XP onto the new PC in place of the
existing Vista. Is this possible?
Click to expand...


It's your computer, so the choice is, ultimately, yours. (Although I
fail to understand why you'd have purchased a computer with Vista if
that wasn't what you wanted.)

However, there could be a couple possible adverse repercussions of
which you should be aware. First and foremost, if the specific computer
model in question was designed specifically for Vista, there may well be
no WinXP-specific device drivers available to make the computer's
diverse components work properly. Consult the computer's manufacturer
about the availability of device drivers. Secondly, removing an
OEM-installed operating system and replacing it with another will almost
invariably void any and all support agreements and, sometimes, even the
warranty. You would, at the very least, have to re-install Vista before
getting any support from the manufacturer. Again, consult the
computer's manufacturer for specifics. Thirdly, there will be the
additional cost involved in purchasing a WinXP license for this new
computer.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
dylan said:
The XP that I have came with another computer that I have.
Click to expand...


Then, by your own admission, you have an OEM license for WinXP that
came with the HP. An OEM version must be sold with a piece of hardware
(normally a motherboard or hard rive, if not an entire PC) and is
_permanently_ bound to the first PC on which it's installed. An OEM
license, once installed, is not legally transferable to another computer
under _any_ circumstances.

You'll have to purchase another WinXP license to go with the new
computer.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
dylan mac said:
Just bought a new PC which came with Vista pre-installed. I've been very
happy with XP so I would prefer to install XP onto the new PC in place of
the
existing Vista. Is this possible?
Click to expand...

The answer is a resounding maybe. It would be considered a downgrade, and
if it's a laptop, there may be problems with drivers. Why not take it back
where you bought it and see if you can exchange it for what you want?
 
dylan said:
Thanks for your quick reply. From what you say, this new PC (a
desktop) may have hardware in it only suitable for Vista - is that
possible?
Click to expand...

It's possible, though unlikely. Much bigger issue with laptops in that all
the hardware is integrated into one big lump. Desktops tend to have more
"commodity" bits.
 
=?Utf-8?B?ZHlsYW4gbWFj?= said:
Just bought a new PC which came with Vista pre-installed. I've been very
happy with XP so I would prefer to install XP onto the new PC in place of the
existing Vista. Is this possible?
Click to expand...

Yes, but you have to make sure you have the drivers first for XP for
your system before you put XP on.
 
dylan mac said:
Thanks for your quick reply. From what you say, this new PC (a desktop)
may
have hardware in it only suitable for Vista - is that possible?
Click to expand...

Quite possible. Contact your system manufacturer. I recently downgraded my
HP Pavilion from Vista home Premium to XP Pro. I could not find XP drivers
on HP's site. I contacted them via their online chat and asked for info and
they gave me links to all of the hardware drivers that I needed.
 
Bruce Chambers said:
It's your computer, so the choice is, ultimately, yours. (Although I
fail to understand why you'd have purchased a computer with Vista if that
wasn't what you wanted.)
Click to expand...

Bruce, I imagine that the Op had no choice in the system he/she bought other
than Vista. Personally, I had no real problem with Vista but the more i
used it the more i was somewhat frustrated with the performance of
Photoshop - it was definitely slower than it was with XP. In addition, a
RAW image converter I sue was flaky with Vista (the publisher has not yet
published a Vista certified version). I made the choice to go back to XP
but I added a second drive to do it and can dual boot in case I decide that
Vista wasn't so bad :)
 
Pete said:
Quite possible. Contact your system manufacturer. I recently downgraded my
HP Pavilion from Vista home Premium to XP Pro. I could not find XP drivers
on HP's site. I contacted them via their online chat and asked for info and
they gave me links to all of the hardware drivers that I needed.
Click to expand...

True. When going from a Vista PC/Laptop to XP. Make sure in advance that
XP drivers are availble for XP
 
Plato said:
True. When going from a Vista PC/Laptop to XP. Make sure in advance that
XP drivers are availble for XP
Click to expand...

Particularly SATA drivers that might need to be installed during the install
process by pressing "F6". This was a worry to me since my system came with
no floppy drive but the system BIOS allows me to set the SATA drive as "IDE"
and I was able to install XP without a hitch.
 
Pete said:
Particularly SATA drivers that might need to be installed during the install
process by pressing "F6". This was a worry to me since my system came with
no floppy drive but the system BIOS allows me to set the SATA drive as "IDE"
and I was able to install XP without a hitch.
Click to expand...

SATA HDD or CDrom drivers?
 

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