Upgrade to Windows XP pro from Vista Business

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mrc
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Mrc

Is it possible to purchase Windows XP Pro update and install it on a laptop
running Vista Business, or do you have to purchase the Full version on XP?
 
Is it possible to purchase Windows XP Pro update and install it on a laptop
running Vista Business, or do you have to purchase the Full version on XP?
Click to expand...


No, you can not do a downgrade to Windows XP.

However, if you want to do a *clean* installation of XP, you can do it
with an Upgrade CD, as long as you have a CD of a previous qualifying
version (Windows 95, 98, Me, or 2000). The requirement to use an
upgrade version is to *own* a previous qualifying version's
installation CD (with an OEM restore CD, see below), not to have it
installed. When setup doesn't find a previous qualifying version
installed, it will prompt you to insert its CD as proof of ownership.
Just insert the previous version's CD, and follow the prompts.
Everything proceeds quite normally and quite legitimately.

You can also do a clean installation if you have an OEM restore CD of
a previous qualifying version. It's more complicated, but it *can* be
done. First restore from the Restore CD. Then run the XP upgrade CD
from within that restored system, and change from Upgrade to New
Install. When it asks where, press Esc to delete the partition and
start over.

But note that, especially with a laptop, you face another potential
problem. Are XP drivers available for all the laptop's hardware. You
should make sure that the answer is yes, and that you have everything
you need before you begin.
 
Thanks for the info.


Ken Blake said:
No, you can not do a downgrade to Windows XP.

However, if you want to do a *clean* installation of XP, you can do it
with an Upgrade CD, as long as you have a CD of a previous qualifying
version (Windows 95, 98, Me, or 2000). The requirement to use an
upgrade version is to *own* a previous qualifying version's
installation CD (with an OEM restore CD, see below), not to have it
installed. When setup doesn't find a previous qualifying version
installed, it will prompt you to insert its CD as proof of ownership.
Just insert the previous version's CD, and follow the prompts.
Everything proceeds quite normally and quite legitimately.

You can also do a clean installation if you have an OEM restore CD of
a previous qualifying version. It's more complicated, but it *can* be
done. First restore from the Restore CD. Then run the XP upgrade CD
from within that restored system, and change from Upgrade to New
Install. When it asks where, press Esc to delete the partition and
start over.

But note that, especially with a laptop, you face another potential
problem. Are XP drivers available for all the laptop's hardware. You
should make sure that the answer is yes, and that you have everything
you need before you begin.
Click to expand...
 
I tried to do an Upgrade from Vista to XP using a Clean XP Disk with service
pack 3. Whan I try to boot into it fior the instal, It says that I can't do
it as there is a newer version in the laptop. Any way to get arround this?
 
On Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:34:01 -0700, Rich Pitt <Rich
I tried to do an Upgrade from Vista to XP using a Clean XP Disk with service
pack 3.
Click to expand...


That's a downgrade, not an upgrade. Downgrades are never supported.

Whan I try to boot into it fior the instal, It says that I can't do
it as there is a newer version in the laptop.

Right.


Any way to get arround this?
Click to expand...


No. Downgrades are never supported. The only way to get XP is to clean
install it.

Another very important point, particularly important if you have a
laptop. Do you know whether drivers exist for running Windows XP on
your laptop? If it's a newer laptop that came with Vista, there's a
very good chance that they don't exist and you can't run XP on it.
 
In Rich Pitt typed on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:34:01 -0700:
I tried to do an Upgrade from Vista to XP using a Clean XP Disk with
service pack 3. Whan I try to boot into it fior the instal, It says
that I can't do it as there is a newer version in the laptop. Any way
to get arround this?
Click to expand...

Instead of allowing autorun to do its thing or running Setup. Have you
tried running NTWIN32.EXE from the i386 folder? That is suppose to
bypass the downgrade problem.
 
In Ken Blake, MVP typed onSat, 26 Sep 2009 14:45:37 -0700 :
On Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:34:01 -0700, Rich Pitt <Rich


That's a downgrade, not an upgrade. Downgrades are never supported.
Click to expand...

Oh bull! Run NTWIN32.EXE or if you booted up from DOS, run NTWIN.EXE
from the i386 folder.
 
Please begin a new thread for your question instead of hijacking someone
else's totally unrelated thread from November 2007.

PS: Attempting to install WinXP on a Vista machine is *not* an upgrade and
is not supported.
 
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