xp in notebook

[z3r0]

I bought a notebook and came with Vista OS. I want to install
XP instead since I'm unsatisfied with Vista OS performance.

My HP came with no CD, (preinstalled OS). Is there a legal way
to switch (downgrade) to XP? In that case, how do I get the XP installation
disc?

HP don't want to provide support to do that, since they say hardwarde is
made
for vista, bla bla.

 

[smlunatick]

I bought a notebook and came with Vista OS. I want to install
XP instead since I'm unsatisfied with Vista OS performance.

My HP came with no CD, (preinstalled OS). Is there a legal way
to switch (downgrade) to XP? In that case, how do I get the XP installation
disc?

HP don't want to provide support to do that, since they say hardwarde is
made
for vista, bla bla.

HP might be right as they are the ones who are to provide the
required drivers. If they decide not to make drivers for XP, you
might be out of luck.

As for installing XP, you will need to purchase a XP install kit,
either "Retail" or OEM and do a complete "fresh" clean install.

 

[R. McCarty]

Vista performance in my experience is hampered by Windows Search.
In some cases just disabling that service will noticeably improve Vista's
performance.

You'd be better served moving the other direction. Not down to XP,
but up to Windows 7. Most OEMs have a program that provides a
free upgrade to Windows 7 if the PC was purchased from June of 2009
until January of 2010. Based on when you purchased the notebook I'd
check and see if you vendor has a Windows 7 upgrade program.

You can downgrade Vista Professional & Ultimate to XP, but most
notebooks ship with the Home Premium SKU that doesn't qualify.

 

[HeyBub]

I bought a notebook and came with Vista OS. I want to install
XP instead since I'm unsatisfied with Vista OS performance.

My HP came with no CD, (preinstalled OS). Is there a legal way
to switch (downgrade) to XP? In that case, how do I get the XP
installation disc?

HP don't want to provide support to do that, since they say hardwarde
is made
for vista, bla bla.

Legal? Sure. You can buy XP.

As to whether it's possible, that's another story. If HP says the hardware
won't support XP, it probably won't. The only way to be sure is to buy a
copy of XP and give it a go.

 

[SC Tom]

I bought a notebook and came with Vista OS. I want to install
XP instead since I'm unsatisfied with Vista OS performance.

My HP came with no CD, (preinstalled OS). Is there a legal way
to switch (downgrade) to XP? In that case, how do I get the XP
installation
disc?

HP don't want to provide support to do that, since they say hardwarde is
made
for vista, bla bla.

Along with what everyone else has suggested, I would look on the HP site and
see if there are XP drivers for your model notebook. If there are, download
them and expand them to a CD. Then purchase an XP install (whichever flavor
you want), format the HDD, and install it. Then load all your drivers from
the CD you made, starting with the chipset drivers. Then connect to the
internet and do all the XP security updates.
If HP has no XP drivers listed for your model, you are MTL SOL. In that
case, you'd be better off upgrading to Win7. Even if no drivers are listed
for 7, you can probably get away with using the installed Vista drivers, or
if any are missing, install the Vista driver in compatibility mode. I
upgraded my Gateway to Win7 from Vista and the only driver I needed to
reinstall was the ATI video driver (Gateway has no Win7 drivers for my model
and doesn't look like they're going to be developing any). I'm happier with
Win7 than I was with Vista, but just as happy as I am with XP that's still
on my desktop.

 

[Paul Randall]

I bought a notebook and came with Vista OS. I want to install
XP instead since I'm unsatisfied with Vista OS performance.

My HP came with no CD, (preinstalled OS). Is there a legal way
to switch (downgrade) to XP? In that case, how do I get the XP
installation
disc?

HP don't want to provide support to do that, since they say hardwarde is
made
for vista, bla bla.

In addition to what the others have said, if HP doesn't have WXP drivers, I
believe there are free software packages that will give you a detailed list
of all the hardware in the notebook, which may lead you to the device
manufacturer's website that may have WXP device drivers you need.

-Paul Randall