Can't load Win XP Pro over Vista

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Hi,
I have read a couple other forums with a similar problem but mine maybe a
little bit different, hence I thought it would be best to post here. First of
all I'm trying to help my brother over the phone for this. He recently bought
a new computer which came with Vista Home Premium but his printer and other
programs don't work with it, so we decided to install XP pro on it. Now when
he inserts the XP CD, it runs the setup file and pops the installation Window
but the option to "Install Windows XP" is greyed out. We tried the other
options but none of them allow him to install XP.

The second thing we tried was to try and boot from the XP CD, even then it
somehow loads Vista.... although we select the "press any key to boot from
CD" option when the computer is starting up it still does not load XP or take
us to the installation steps..???
His PC config is:
- Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor E6600 (2.4GHz)
- 2GB DDR2-667MHz dual channel SDRAM (2x1024)
- 320GB 7200 rpm SATA hard drive
- LightScribe 16X DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti drive
- 16x max. DVD-ROM
- 15-in-1 memory card reader, 3 USB, 1394, audio
- 3.5 in. 1.44MB Floppy Drive
- 802.11 b/g Wireless LAN and 56K data/fax modem
- 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 7500LE
- Integrated 7.1 channel sound w/front audio ports


Please please help!!!
Thanks
 
hasan said:
Hi,
I have read a couple other forums with a similar problem but mine maybe a
little bit different, hence I thought it would be best to post here. First of
all I'm trying to help my brother over the phone for this. He recently bought
a new computer which came with Vista Home Premium but his printer and other
programs don't work with it, so we decided to install XP pro on it. Now when
he inserts the XP CD, it runs the setup file and pops the installation Window
but the option to "Install Windows XP" is greyed out. We tried the other
options but none of them allow him to install XP.

The second thing we tried was to try and boot from the XP CD, even then it
somehow loads Vista.... although we select the "press any key to boot from
CD" option when the computer is starting up it still does not load XP or take
us to the installation steps..???
His PC config is:
- Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor E6600 (2.4GHz)
- 2GB DDR2-667MHz dual channel SDRAM (2x1024)
- 320GB 7200 rpm SATA hard drive
- LightScribe 16X DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti drive
- 16x max. DVD-ROM
- 15-in-1 memory card reader, 3 USB, 1394, audio
- 3.5 in. 1.44MB Floppy Drive
- 802.11 b/g Wireless LAN and 56K data/fax modem
- 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 7500LE
- Integrated 7.1 channel sound w/front audio ports


Please please help!!!
Thanks
Click to expand...

As you found out, you cannot load Windows XP from within Vista.
You MUST boot the machine with your WinXP CD.

When you boot the machine from your WinXP CD then you
get a prompt about using the CD as the boot device. At this
point you MUST press a key such as the Enter key in order
to start the WinXP installation process. Note that if you have
a USB keyboard then it may not yet be active. Use an ordinary
keyboard.

Note also that you must have a second partition as a target
for WinXP. Installing WinXP on the same partition as Vista
is a bad idea.
 
Hi hasan,

Going from Vista to XP would be considered a *downgrade*, and the system
will not allow it. My suggestion would be to format the harddrive, and
install XP from scratch (a fresh install).
 
hasan said:
Hi,
I have read a couple other forums with a similar problem but mine maybe a
little bit different, hence I thought it would be best to post here. First
of
all I'm trying to help my brother over the phone for this. He recently
bought
a new computer which came with Vista Home Premium but his printer and
other
programs don't work with it, so we decided to install XP pro on it. Now
when
he inserts the XP CD, it runs the setup file and pops the installation
Window
but the option to "Install Windows XP" is greyed out. We tried the other
options but none of them allow him to install XP.

The second thing we tried was to try and boot from the XP CD, even then it
somehow loads Vista.... although we select the "press any key to boot from
CD" option when the computer is starting up it still does not load XP or
take
us to the installation steps..???
Click to expand...

You cannot run the XP installation from within Vista. It has to be done by
booting the XP CD. When the computer restarts go into the BIOS and set the
CD drive as the first boot device. Here is a link on how to do a clean
install:

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

One thing to note: Are there XP drivers available for this computer? Have
you checked on the computer manufacture's web site for them? Some new
systems, particularly laptops, do not have XP drivers.
 
Thanks Curt and Pegasus.
Yes I did realize that I can't load XP from within Vista :( The problem when
trying to boot from CD is really weird. The system accepts the keystroke when
it says"press any key to boot from CD" and kinda takes him into BIOS type
menu where it has options like: F8 for advance settings, select the OS to
boot (which only has Vista), Start in Safe mode, etc.
Unfortunately the drive does not have a separate partition that we could use
for XP. Hence I thought the best bet would be to boot from CD and when it
took us to the installation steps, we can specify to format C:\,
unfortunately we don't get to that point.
As you would have already guessed, my brother is not very technical so I'm
trying to suggest the easiest options. Would it help if he loaded Vista and
then started the command prompt and typed "format c:" would that erase the OS
and then we can restart with the XP CD in the drive, or is that posing too
much of a risk.
Thanks once again guys, really appreciate your help.
 
In
hasan said:
Hi,
I have read a couple other forums with a similar problem but
mine
maybe a little bit different, hence I thought it would be
best to
post here. First of all I'm trying to help my brother over
the phone
for this. He recently bought a new computer which came with
Vista
Home Premium but his printer and other programs don't work
with it,
so we decided to install XP pro on it. Now when he inserts
the XP CD,
it runs the setup file and pops the installation Window but
the
option to "Install Windows XP" is greyed out. We tried the
other
options but none of them allow him to install XP.

The second thing we tried was to try and boot from the XP CD,
even
then it somehow loads Vista.... although we select the "press
any key
to boot from CD" option when the computer is starting up it
still
does not load XP or take us to the installation steps..???
His PC config is:
- Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor E6600 (2.4GHz)
- 2GB DDR2-667MHz dual channel SDRAM (2x1024)
- 320GB 7200 rpm SATA hard drive
- LightScribe 16X DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti drive
- 16x max. DVD-ROM
- 15-in-1 memory card reader, 3 USB, 1394, audio
- 3.5 in. 1.44MB Floppy Drive
- 802.11 b/g Wireless LAN and 56K data/fax modem
- 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 7500LE
- Integrated 7.1 channel sound w/front audio ports


Please please help!!!
Thanks
Click to expand...

To add to what has already been pointed out, if you're trying
to install XP on an SATA hard drive, you're going to have to
provide drivers for the SATA controller on the motherboard
early in the installation. You will have to go to the
manufacturer's web site to obtain the correct drivers, put them
on a floppy and hit the F6 key when prompted for third party
drivers.

I'll also suggest posting a question to one of the Vista
newsgroups seeking advice on getting your brothers printer and
programs to work with Vista. As Rock pointed out, I think you
may have a problem obtaining XP drivers for a new system.

Good luck

Nepatsfan
 
hasan said:
Thanks Curt and Pegasus.
Yes I did realize that I can't load XP from within Vista :( The
problem when
trying to boot from CD is really weird. The system accepts the
keystroke when
it says"press any key to boot from CD" and kinda takes him into BIOS
type
menu where it has options like: F8 for advance settings, select the OS
to
boot (which only has Vista), Start in Safe mode, etc.
Click to expand...

Um, you need to boot using the Windows *XP* bootable CD. Vista nor any
other Windows install CD carries all prior versions of Windows.

Sounds like the BIOS may be setup to boot from the CD drive but needs
the user to hit a key to make sure that it doesn't "pass through" that
device to the hard drive. Most likely your friend still doesn't have
the boot drive order correct in the BIOS. Have him go into the BIOS and
set the boot drive order to floppy, CD-ROM, <some hard drive interface
depending on what you have on the motherboard>.
Unfortunately the drive does not have a separate partition that we
could use
for XP.
Click to expand...

It is highly unlikely that Vista occupied all of a partition unless it
was sized ridiculously too small (but then it is likely there are other
partitions for, say, data files). If you are not going to keep Vista
installed, why do you need it left on the hard drive? The Windows XP
install CD lets you delete partitions, create new ones, and format them.
Nothing of Vista will survive.

Hence I thought the best bet would be to boot from CD and when it
took us to the installation steps, we can specify to format C:\,
unfortunately we don't get to that point.
As you would have already guessed, my brother is not very technical so
I'm
trying to suggest the easiest options. Would it help if he loaded
Vista and
then started the command prompt and typed "format c:" would that erase
the OS
and then we can restart with the XP CD in the drive,
Click to expand...

Grab your shoelaces and pull up hard on them. Did you manage to float
above the floor by a couple inces? Nope. How could you possibly run a
format program within the OS that has to load and run that program to
then destroy that OS that is running that program?

If your friend can't manage to figure out how to follow the prompts
during the setup program started by booting using the Windows XP install
CD, go to killdisk.com and make a bootable floppy that will wipe
everything off the drive. Poof, all gone.

Although right now your friend doesn't want Vista, make sure he has the
install media for it. If it is a pre-built then maybe the recovery
image is in a hidden partition on the hard drive and your friend will
lose it if he deletes all partitions and makes a bigger one just for
Windows XP. Often for that type of recovery method (which usually just
lays down a fixed image atop the partition so it is back to when you
bought the computer), the OEM provides a program that lets you copy the
files or create a CD used to reinstall the OS.
 
hasan said:
Hi,
I have read a couple other forums with a similar problem but mine maybe a
little bit different, hence I thought it would be best to post here. First of
all I'm trying to help my brother over the phone for this. He recently bought
a new computer which came with Vista Home Premium but his printer and other
programs don't work with it, so we decided to install XP pro on it. Now when
he inserts the XP CD, it runs the setup file and pops the installation Window
but the option to "Install Windows XP" is greyed out. We tried the other
options but none of them allow him to install XP.

The second thing we tried was to try and boot from the XP CD, even then it
somehow loads Vista.... although we select the "press any key to boot from
CD" option when the computer is starting up it still does not load XP or take
us to the installation steps..???
His PC config is:
- Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor E6600 (2.4GHz)
- 2GB DDR2-667MHz dual channel SDRAM (2x1024)
- 320GB 7200 rpm SATA hard drive
- LightScribe 16X DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti drive
- 16x max. DVD-ROM
- 15-in-1 memory card reader, 3 USB, 1394, audio
- 3.5 in. 1.44MB Floppy Drive
- 802.11 b/g Wireless LAN and 56K data/fax modem
- 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 7500LE
- Integrated 7.1 channel sound w/front audio ports


Please please help!!!
Thanks
Click to expand...

Thanks everyone. I think Rock's point makes perfect sense, I'll check with
the manufacturer if the system would support XP before we try and install it.
I will post my findings.
 
Back
Top