Downgrade pre-installed Vista to XP

[jyj_atd]

I will soon be receiving a new Everex pre-installed with Vista. I also have
new-in-box full version XP sp2 with the intent to downgrade as soon as I
receive the computer. Since the computer does not have an older version of
Windows, and you cannot uninstall Vista, what steps will it take to downgrade
the new system. Please point me in the right direction.

 

[liu]

I'm planning on doig the same thing once my copy of Vista becomes
unbearably slow or unstable. I would do the following to install my
system.

1) If yours system has a partition that stores the Vista setup files
(instead of Vista DVD), make a Vista DVD from that. Maybe you don't
care at all, but I'd like to make a backup just in case.
2) Identify and download all the drivers relating to the system and
copy it to a CD.
3) Start the system with Windows XP setup CD.
4) Format the HD.
5) Install the system.
6) Install the drivers you preprared before-hand.

 

[DL]

Before you do that you check that winxp drivers are available for the hw in
your system.
Not all Vista supplied PC's have winxp drivers avilable.
If drivers are avilable you would have to boot from the winxp cd, and
undertake a clean install.
Not sure why you say 'does not have an older version' this would only be
neccessary if your winxp is an upgrade version.
Clean installing winxp will wipe out everything on the C drive of your PC

 

[Malke]

I will soon be receiving a new Everex pre-installed with Vista. I also
have new-in-box full version XP sp2 with the intent to downgrade as soon
as I receive the computer. Since the computer does not have an older
version of Windows, and you cannot uninstall Vista, what steps will it
take to downgrade the new system. Please point me in the right direction.

General information about replacing Vista with XP:

A. On an OEM (HP, Sony, etc.) computer:

1. Go to the OEM's website and look for XP drivers for your specific model
computer. If there are no XP drivers, then you can't install XP. End of
story. If there are drivers, download them and store on a CD-R or USB
thumbdrive; you'll need them after you install XP.

2. Check with the OEM - either from their tech support website or by calling
them - to see if you will void your warranty if you do this. If you will
void the warranty, you make the decision.

3. If the OEM does support XP on the machine, call them and see if you can
have downgrade rights and have them send you an XP restore disk. This will
be far the easiest and best way of getting XP on the machine.

4. If XP is supported on the machine but the OEM doesn't have an XP restore
disk for you, understand that you'll need to purchase a retail copy of XP
from your favorite online or brick/mortar store.

5. Also understand that you will need to do a clean install of XP so if you
have any data you want, back it up first.

6. If none of the above is applicable to you because you can't run XP on
that machine (see Item #1 above), return the computer and purchase one
running XP instead.

Malke

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I will soon be receiving a new Everex pre-installed with Vista. I also have
new-in-box full version XP sp2 with the intent to downgrade as soon as I
receive the computer. Since the computer does not have an older version of
Windows, and you cannot uninstall Vista, what steps will it take to downgrade
the new system. Please point me in the right direction.

It's your computer, so the choice is, ultimately, yours. (Although
it would have been a lot simpler to have just purchased the computer
with WinXP installed, to start with.)

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 may be the
additional cost involved in purchasing a WinXP license for this new
computer.

After backing up any data you wish to transfer to the new OS
installation, simply boot from the WinXP installation CD. You'll be
offered the opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as part
of the installation process. (You may need to re-arrange the order of
boot devices in the PC's BIOS to boot from the CD.)

HOW TO Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;316941

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

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

Then, assuming you were successful in obtaining WinXP-specific
device drivers so that the computer can be made to work with WinXP, the
backed up data can be restored and applications (those that are
WinXP-compatible, that is) re-installed.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

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~ Denis Diderot

 

[David P]

I'm planning on doig the same thing once my copy of Vista becomes
unbearably slow or unstable.

I've been using Vista for over a year, have applied SP1 too, and that hasn't
happened.