How to change to XP from Vista?

[Richard Urban]

It likely has to do with pushing the video system harder than the inbuilt
cooling can handle. It's tight inside a laptop.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban MVP
Microsoft Windows Shell/User

 

[Justin]

The heating situation is being fixed by MS.

It was even worse in beta.

 

[Ann Watson]

Winnowill wrote:
SNIP

Anyways, I'm less than thrilled with Vista. It still has issues with
networking, and Win Mail won't do Hotmail. I've also read several other posts
here about other things with Vista.

SNIP

I would hope that Win Mail not being able to do Hotmail would not be a
major factor in your decision to scrap Vista since there are other
(free)e-mail programs which will do Hotmail.

Ann W.

 

[Hugh Wyn Griffith]

I think it's likely to be a conflict between the power management
utility of the laptop manufacturer and power management in Windows.

I've seen examples of this on Toshiba laptops.

 

[Ann Watson]

The Hotmail issue IS a factor, tho not the major one. Still, with XP and
Outlook Express, I hit one button on my keyboard, and OE gives me all 3 of my
email accounts open and ready for use. Why should I trade something that
works so well for a different program that's not only going to put ads on my
screen, but also ads for itself INTO my outgoing emails?

Not all other free e-mail programs add ads to e-mail. Presently I'm
using Thunderbird with webmail and hotmail extensions. No ads. True, I
can't hit one button on the keyboard to open it, but it's almost as
easy. I haven't heard any major issues with it running on Windows
Vista. There is of course a learning curve involved with a new e-mail
program as well to contend with.

In buying a new computer, I was looking for improvements in EVERYTHING, not
some improvements here but setbacks there.

Vista still has WAY too many issues. Home Networking is one of the biggest.
I've followed all the intructions, talked with techs, and even talked with a
friend who's MCSE Certified. The result is the same: "Well, that SHOULD have
worked..." But it doesn't. Even when we got my 2 XP computers to see the
Vista machine, Vista still doesn't see the other PC's. I'm just tired of
dealing with it.

That I can understand. I know next to nothing about setting up networks.

The other major issue for me is that some of my most used programs don't
work or don't work right on Vista. 3rd PlanIt is the big one here. This is a
model railroad design and simulation program. My daughter is a tomboy, and
wanted a big model railroad. We don't have the room. So, I got 3pi, and a big
layout was professionally designed for us. Running 3pi's 3D simulation in
Vista, the ballast, which is the stuff that the tracks sit on, doesn't show
up. So, our tracks just float in the air, and everything on the lower level
of the layout is visible where it shouldn't be. I'm not about to pay $80- to
renew my subscription to get whatever updates are available to make the
program work in Vista.

I agree with you totally on this one - I have about 4 most-used programs
(okay, they're not MS products either) that aren't the latest versions
and probably will not run on Vista. I cannot afford to upgrade them all
when I have to shell out for a new home computer, which unfortunately
seems will happen sooner than later (it's a laptop).

So, to sum it all up: I went from a very slow computer with XP that did
everything I needed it to do, to a very fast computer with Vista that, so
far, won't do ANYTHING that I need it to do. The simple solution? Change to a
very fast computer with XP so that I'm back to being able to do everything
that I need to do.

Maybe sometime in the future MS will get the bugs worked out of Vista, but
until they do, I'm not going to put up with trying to deal with it nor am I
going to give up anything that I already have just to use Vista.

You are wise then to replace Vista with XP. I doubt that Vista will
ever be fixed so that we can run our "older" favourite and familiar
software though!

Ann W.

 

[Guest]

I would hope that Win Mail not being able to do Hotmail would not be a
major factor in your decision to scrap Vista since there are other
(free)e-mail programs which will do Hotmail.

Ann W.

The Hotmail issue IS a factor, tho not the major one. Still, with XP and
Outlook Express, I hit one button on my keyboard, and OE gives me all 3 of my
email accounts open and ready for use. Why should I trade something that
works so well for a different program that's not only going to put ads on my
screen, but also ads for itself INTO my outgoing emails?

In buying a new computer, I was looking for improvements in EVERYTHING, not
some improvements here but setbacks there.

Vista still has WAY too many issues. Home Networking is one of the biggest.
I've followed all the intructions, talked with techs, and even talked with a
friend who's MCSE Certified. The result is the same: "Well, that SHOULD have
worked..." But it doesn't. Even when we got my 2 XP computers to see the
Vista machine, Vista still doesn't see the other PC's. I'm just tired of
dealing with it.

The other major issue for me is that some of my most used programs don't
work or don't work right on Vista. 3rd PlanIt is the big one here. This is a
model railroad design and simulation program. My daughter is a tomboy, and
wanted a big model railroad. We don't have the room. So, I got 3pi, and a big
layout was professionally designed for us. Running 3pi's 3D simulation in
Vista, the ballast, which is the stuff that the tracks sit on, doesn't show
up. So, our tracks just float in the air, and everything on the lower level
of the layout is visible where it shouldn't be. I'm not about to pay $80- to
renew my subscription to get whatever updates are available to make the
program work in Vista.

So, to sum it all up: I went from a very slow computer with XP that did
everything I needed it to do, to a very fast computer with Vista that, so
far, won't do ANYTHING that I need it to do. The simple solution? Change to a
very fast computer with XP so that I'm back to being able to do everything
that I need to do.

Maybe sometime in the future MS will get the bugs worked out of Vista, but
until they do, I'm not going to put up with trying to deal with it nor am I
going to give up anything that I already have just to use Vista.

Sue

 

[Justin]

You can use WLMd and you can remove the ADs as well.

It's in beta but it's very stable and it's self updating via Windows Update.

 

[Guest]

Sue I m with you. Your description of your wireless home network and your
purchase of a new cmputer with Vista fits exactly my situation. I actually
got the new machine on to the nework but I have not been able to make it
access the shared printer on one of the XP machines. I was reading microsofts
docs on booting with more than one operating systems. Unfortunately it seems
that installing XP AFTER Vista will make the Vista partition invisible (31338
and 27210). In additon there is the recovery partition (D which I don't
know if it is required by Vista or if it was provided by HP to faciitate the
recovery. I asked them (they were very nice!) and they said that the recovery
could be accomplished with a bootable recovery CD created by me with Vista.
They thought that I could install XP into the C: partition (wiping out all
that is on it) and still recover Vista at a later time with the recovery CD.
Drivers for the hardware should be available on the XP disk or could be
obtained on the sites of the manufacturers of the hardware items. Obviously
that was not HP policy or advice! Strictly personal opinion on their part!
I just got into this thread hoping that someone had tried it already and
could tell us about their experience.
If somebody knows about dual operating systems or has migrated from Vista to
XP please, please, please let us know. Arno

 

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for the replies.

I made the recovery disks, and I also ran thru the Device Manager, made a
list of every driver, and copied them all to CDs.

As long as I have the recovery disks, I should be able to put the PC back to
factory specs, but I'll test that out before I do anything else.

I can take the PC to Best Buy, Circuit City or someplace and get XP
installed, but it would cost $130 plus the cost of XP. The store price for XP
Home is $200. Of course, eBay has it for less, but that seems a bit chancy.
I've got the OEM XP OS disk from the old PC, and personally, I don't feel
that it's wrong to use that disk in a replacement PC. I'm not selling the
thing, I'd just be putting my old OS into my new machine for my own personal
use. I don't much care if my HP ends up thinking that it's a Gateway, as long
as it works.

So, are there any chances that an old OEM OS disk can't be installed into a
new machine? After buying the new system, I have no money left to pay a tech
to do the install for me using a brand new copy of XP.

Sue

 

[Michael Jennings]

There is information all over the place about dual booting.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=dual+boot+xp+and+vista

Begin sensibly. Test the recovery DVDs you burned with HP's software.
Buy a hard drive, plug it in, make two partitions. Unplug the original
hard drive. Plug the new hard drive into the socket the old hard drive
was plugged into. Run the restore DVDs, which should set up a recovery
partition and vista in the lower partition, leaving the upper one blank.

If that worked, you have two hard drives - the original disconnected
with factory vista and the new one booting vista with a partition for XP.
You also have restore DVDs, and you know they will do a restore.
Your tush is covered - pull out the new drive, plug in the old: original.

Play to your heart's content with the new hard drive until you have the
XP and vista dual boot set up just right. If this seems too burdensome,
print this post. Take it to a computer shop. Ask if it makes sense.
Ask how much they'll charge to do it. Then decide on who does it.

So far, no one in this thread, claiming to want to return to XP, has
admitted that he or she has done step one - burn recovery DVDs.
I'm assuming that you all have desktop computers. Putting a cheap
hard drive in a desktop computer isn't very difficult. Actually laying
out cash for a Windows XP CD might, I admit, be very hard to do.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Drivers for the hardware should be available on the XP disk or could be
obtained on the sites of the manufacturers of the hardware items. Obviously
that was not HP policy or advice! Strictly personal opinion on their part!

This is rather an iffy situation. NVidia, for example, will not release drivers
for laptop graphics cards with NVIDIA chipsets because OEMs like HP often
customize those drivers. I know for a fact that HP is being very stingy about
releasing XP drivers for computers that were produced with Vista
installed on them.

 

[Michael Jennings]

The old computer's manufacturer's recovery disk ought to be locked in
so that it will install on that computer only. By all means, see if it works.
If you have to buy some version of Windows XP, full retail is prudent.

 

[John Barnes]

You can buy an OEM version of XP Home for about $90.

 

[Michael Jennings]

Microsoft is scooting support charges up into the sky. Being entitled
to some no-charge support and being allowed to move the OS to
another machine are two things that don't come with the OEM version.
I'm somewhat tempted by OEM XP pro multi-lingual for less than $150.
If I ordered that, it would make me a hypocrite for recommending full.
An unhappy hypocrite whining about being stuck and unsupported.

 

[John Barnes]

I haven't followed the support charges, but don't they still limit you to 2
possible support issues for the $100 extra a full costs. I agree if you
have any intention of installing on another computer you do have to weigh
the likelihood. On home paying about $110 for the possibility of saving $90
again brings support to the fore. Do you use it, has it ever helped, could
you get better advice here, all valid considerations. Personally, all
support issues I have had are related to updates, which are free anyway (and
on which they put their best people). Good luck, lots to consider.

 

[Michael Jennings]

I haven't called MS support since I used up my two 98se entitlements.
I've done some freebie email since - seemed like twitch response
canned answers - Eastern Europe gave up quick, the Hindus were
incapable of honesty, the Chinese were competant eventually. That
would make support a non-issue. If I know I'm going to suck a half
dozen years out of the box, then OEM is unquestionably most sensible.

 

[John Barnes]

XP Home upgrade is only $99 and you can move it to a new machine. Still
have your old XP or Win98 cd's?

 

[Hugh Wyn Griffith]

I can take the PC to Best Buy, Circuit City or someplace and get XP 
installed, but it would cost $130 plus the cost of XP.

You certainly may be able to get XP installed but whether any of those
stores, or anyone else, will return to you a PC that fully works as it
should is a crap shoot.

It entirely depends on whether the PC maker has made available XP files
and certainly with laptops it would seem that many manufacturers are
not supplying XP files for the machines they delivered with VISTA
installed.

You might be lucky and be able to identify a sufficiently similar model
that came out with XP on it and use its files but there's no guarantee
that you will -- and that applies to the Best Buys etc of this world
who are less likely to spend the time in working around a problem than
you yourself.

 

[Hugh Wyn Griffith]

You'll forfeit the warranty coverage and support of your new HP computer if you
do away with the factory installed Windows Vista operating system and replace it
with Windows XP.

That's not universally true. Some manufacturers will observe the warranty for
hardware failures ...... but you'll get the machine back with the original OS on
it.

 

[Michael Jennings]

I think I've still got anti-cmos virus infected Win95 install floppies.
That critter may have contributed to the demise of IBM AV in
Richardson, TX. It was unusual - seemed to come from Montreal.

Microsoft Windows XP Professional Multilingual SR2 w/SP2B
1 Pack - OEM would not make me show any filthy previous OS.
Microsoft Windows XP Professional Upgrade with SP2 - Retail
could be shown the 98se upgrade CD and I get a vista coupon -
if I quit procrastinating immediately. So it's $150 vs. $200 or balk.