downloading Vista home basic to XP Pro

[Marimari]

My friend was formatting my hard drive in my laptop and went and put his copy
of Vista Home Basic on instead of XP Pro.

How can I downgrade from Vista to XP.

I have tried formatting it and reinstalling XP but it froze and then I tried
it again with a different disc and it froze at the very same point. He ended
putting Vista back on and then used a virtual PC program and put XP on there.
It worked for a while but now it doesn't -see below*
I can't go on the internet because of course it is a copy of his genuine copy
of vista and he is using it too


What can I do? I need XP for college and I can't go on the internet which I
need for my homework. In fact I can't do anything with it at the moment
because it is telling me *I must contact dell (it is a Dell version of
windows Vista and my laptop is a Fujistu Siemens which was XP ready) and get
a new product key but I don't and never will want vista.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You need to contact Fujistu Siemens support and request
their Windows XP recovery disc. You cannot use a Dell
Windows XP reinstallation CD and license on a non-Dell
computer.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------

My friend was formatting my hard drive in my laptop and went and put his copy
of Vista Home Basic on instead of XP Pro.

How can I downgrade from Vista to XP.

I have tried formatting it and reinstalling XP but it froze and then I tried
it again with a different disc and it froze at the very same point. He ended
putting Vista back on and then used a virtual PC program and put XP on there.
It worked for a while but now it doesn't -see below*
I can't go on the internet because of course it is a copy of his genuine copy
of vista and he is using it too


What can I do? I need XP for college and I can't go on the internet which I
need for my homework. In fact I can't do anything with it at the moment
because it is telling me *I must contact dell (it is a Dell version of
windows Vista and my laptop is a Fujistu Siemens which was XP ready) and get
a new product key but I don't and never will want vista.

 

[Tom Ferguson]

Put the XP CD in the drive and boot from the CD. Use the HD utilities on
the CD to delete the partition. Create a new partition and install XP.

There are www sites that have detailed instructions. Google for "install
XP from CD" or similar. This is one:
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

and another:
http://www.petri.co.il/install_windows_xp_pro.htm

Tom
MSMVP 1998-2007

 

[Tom Ferguson]

Very good point.