Downgrading To XP - A Matter Of Life And Death!!!

[Guest]

I just bought a new computer that came with Windows Vista Home Premium
pre-installed. My, now dead, old computer was running Windows XP SP2.

For all practical purposes, ALL of the software that ran perfectly well on
XP, that I depend on to survive, has compatibility problems. Some are
slightly annoying, some are devastating and an entire range of varying
headaches lie in between.

My old computer originally came with Windows 98. I bought, and still have,
the Windows XP upgrade disk. I HAVE to install XP on my new machine. It's a
matter of life and death. I'm watching everything crumble around me because
of compatibility issues.

I am praying that something can be done here. I thank you for your help.

 

[Adam Albright]

I just bought a new computer that came with Windows Vista Home Premium
pre-installed. My, now dead, old computer was running Windows XP SP2.

For all practical purposes, ALL of the software that ran perfectly well on
XP, that I depend on to survive, has compatibility problems. Some are
slightly annoying, some are devastating and an entire range of varying
headaches lie in between.

My old computer originally came with Windows 98. I bought, and still have,
the Windows XP upgrade disk. I HAVE to install XP on my new machine. It's a
matter of life and death. I'm watching everything crumble around me because
of compatibility issues.

I am praying that something can be done here. I thank you for your help.

It would seem the best solution for you since you just got a new
computer is return it for one that has XP installed. If you rather not
to do that and none of your 'life and death' software runs under
Vista, then you can reformat and install XP assuming you have a
install disc and product key. If you do, you are aware you will wipe
out whatever is currently on the computer including Vista. So think
hard before doing something final.

 

[Guest]

When you go to install Win 98 use a parition then install 98 there followed
by XP.

 

[Peter Foldes]

Not true. If the OP has the original 98 install CD then all he has to do after formatting the HD with Vista on it is to start the Windows XP upgrade install and when it asks for the qualifying upgrade product he has to put in the 98 CD and the XP install will continue.
If the OP does not have the 98 install CD that was installed originally then he is in a problem situation. He then will have to acquire a retail version of XP not an upgrade version.

 

[Guest]

Not true. If the OP has the original 98 install CD then all he has to do
after
I have all of the mentioned items. The original Windows 98 OS disk, The
Windows XP upgrade disk along with the packaging and associated
authentication numbers.

It sounds like there's hope for me. I have a very serious problem here that
needs to be resolved.

Thanks again.

 

[Guest]

I have all of the above items. The original Windows 98 OS, the XP upgrade
disk along with the packaging and associated authentication code.

Does this mean there is some hope? I am desperate to resolve this problem.
Thanks again.

 

[Shane Nokes]

I don't know that it's truly life or death, you won't die lol.


However why not try having us help you with Vista before you roll back to
XP?

Can you detail all of the issues you're having?

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

There are some other problems you could run into when installing XP.
XP drivers may not have been developed for that Vista PC's hardware.

If the hard drive is large enough, another approach would be to keep
Vista intact, create a second partition and install XP to the second
partition.

Gary VanderMolen

 

[Malke]

There are some other problems you could run into when installing XP.
XP drivers may not have been developed for that Vista PC's hardware.

If the hard drive is large enough, another approach would be to keep
Vista intact, create a second partition and install XP to the second
partition.

That doesn't solve the drivers problem, if there is one. If there truly
are no drivers for XP for that computer's hardware and the OP can't just
go buy a machine with XP preinstalled, then Virtual PC running an XP vm
on the Vista host would be the way to go.


Malke

 

[Zim Babwe]

What's the death part? Since you are dealing with Microsoft products, can
you put me in your Will?

 

[gls858]

I just bought a new computer that came with Windows Vista Home Premium
pre-installed. My, now dead, old computer was running Windows XP SP2.

For all practical purposes, ALL of the software that ran perfectly well on
XP, that I depend on to survive, has compatibility problems. Some are
slightly annoying, some are devastating and an entire range of varying
headaches lie in between.

My old computer originally came with Windows 98. I bought, and still have,
the Windows XP upgrade disk. I HAVE to install XP on my new machine. It's a
matter of life and death. I'm watching everything crumble around me because
of compatibility issues.

I am praying that something can be done here. I thank you for your help.

I suggest trying Virtual PC 2007. It's available for free from MS.
It will allow you to run XP and Vista at the same time, this way you
can still run the apps you need and learn about Vista at your own pace.

gls858

 

[Tinman]

I suggest trying Virtual PC 2007. It's available for free from MS.
It will allow you to run XP and Vista at the same time, this way you
can still run the apps you need and learn about Vista at your own pace.

How exactly can he do that on the new computer running Vista Home Premium,
without first upgrading to Ultimate/Business/Enterprise?

Oddly enough VPC 2007 works fine under Media Center 2005. 'Course so does
Remote Desktop Host. That's why I've got yet-to-install Vista "upgrades" for
several PCs that might just go unused.

 

[gls858]

How exactly can he do that on the new computer running Vista Home Premium,
without first upgrading to Ultimate/Business/Enterprise?

Oddly enough VPC 2007 works fine under Media Center 2005. 'Course so does
Remote Desktop Host. That's why I've got yet-to-install Vista "upgrades" for
several PCs that might just go unused.

My mistake. Glad you pointed that out. I wasn't aware that it wouldn't
run on Vista home. Went back and checked the specs. You're right.

gls858

 

[LaRoux]

For what it's worth, I believe this is a EULA limitation and not a technical
one. You might also try VMWare server (also free) although I believe they
still classify Vista support as "experimental".

 

[Jane C]

Virtual PC 2007 is not officially supported on Home Editions, as in you get
no support from Microsoft for problems, but it does install and run on them.
The warning box that pops up during install does tell of the non-supported
scenario. Running VPC on Home editions is not a contravention of any EULA.

 

[Tinman]

Virtual PC 2007 is not officially supported on Home Editions, as in you
get no support from Microsoft for problems, but it does install and run on
them. The warning box that pops up during install does tell of the
non-supported scenario. Running VPC on Home editions is not a
contravention of any EULA.

You are correct! I went to install it on a Home Premium laptop and
apparently thought the warning box meant it would not run properly. Indeed
it does install and run just fine.

 

[Tinman]

My mistake. Glad you pointed that out. I wasn't aware that it wouldn't run
on Vista home. Went back and checked the specs. You're right.

Thanks, but it looks like I was wrong. Though there is a warning box that
pops up, you can still install VPC 2007 under Home Premium. Can only assume
the warning confused me and I aborted the install (the first time I tried; I
just tried again and it did indeed install on a Home Premium laptop).

 

[Guest]

That's an excellent suggestion; that is, to run virtualized PCs. I've been
doing that with my XP host and several Linux guest OS.

(I've been struggling with the Vista upgrade, and I'm not sure that Vista
will work well once I eventually get it installed.)

 

[Guest]

I don't know that it's truly life or death, you won't die lol.


However why not try having us help you with Vista before you roll back to
XP?

Can you detail all of the issues you're having?

Yes, how stupid of me to think that not being able to run software that my
livelihood depends on is a matter of life and death. LOL...How stupid of me
to think that when I can't deliver promised goods that clients will somehow
understand and forgive me because my operating new system is horribly flawed.

I pray that you won't wake up tomorrow wondering what you will do when your
clients seek other resources. When your loss in revenue makes you sick
wondering how you will pay your bills, how you will afford food...

Yesssss...Life and death...LOL...A pretty damned funny idea...

 

[Ann Watson]

Thanks, but it looks like I was wrong. Though there is a warning box that
pops up, you can still install VPC 2007 under Home Premium. Can only assume
the warning confused me and I aborted the install (the first time I tried; I
just tried again and it did indeed install on a Home Premium laptop).

So how much extra hard-drive space does one need to install VPC 2007 on
Vista plus the second operating system? Sounds like it could eat up a
lot of a laptop's hard-drive space.

Ann W.