brandonbuff said:
ok... so I bought a computer with vista on it... hate it... I want xp pro as
my OS or at least have a dual OS choice. I have xp pro disk. When I try to
install i get to the point of choosing a partition, but there are no choices.
I can't create, delete or choose a partition. There are no partitions
listed there at all. I then get an error about my setupdd.sys being a
problem. Also I get the oxooooooo8e error.
So i created some partitions, but still there aren't any listed.... If i
don't boot off of the XP disk then it pulls up the install menu, but the
intall option is greyed out.
So how do i get vista off and xp pro on?
Your best choice would have been to purchase the laptop with WinXP
installed, to start with. Several OEMs still offer WinXP on their products.
Be that as it may, it's your computer, so the choice is,
ultimately, yours.
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. (An OEM CD and license from some previous computer will not
do, for legal and usually technical reasons.)
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 that the laptop 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.
or atleast get a dual OS choice?
Normally, the older OS must be installed first unless you wish to
acquire and use some 3rd-party partition and boot management utility.
(In which case you have to follow the instructions provided by whatever
3rd party solution you select.) However, this KB Article (not for the
faint of heart) explains how to repair the Vista boot process after
installing WinXP:
Windows Vista no longer starts after you install an earlier version of
the Windows operating system in a dual-boot configuration
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919529
However, dual-booting is no longer necessary in most situations.
Why not download a Virtual Machine application, such as Microsoft's
VirtualPC 2007 (
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp?) or
Innotek's VirtualBox (
http://www.virtualbox.org/) and run Win2K and your
legacy applications within a virtual computer. Both are free and work
with Vista.
NOTE: Microsoft does not support the use of VirtualPC 2007 on Vista
Home editions, but several people have reported that it works. Your
results may vary.
--
Bruce Chambers
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