After using Vista on a Toshiba laptop for about a week, I had a user request that XP be put on it instead. After trying to back up his data before the conversion, I can understand why! Vista is truly an abomination, but that is not the focus of this blog.
After re-formatting and installing Windows XP I was shocked to learn that Toshiba offered no drivers for XP and that they would never offer any drivers for XP, and that only Vista would ever be supported. This is after going through three levels of support mind you. But after discussing the weather in Manila or Bhopal for a while (actually I think it was Manila) he remembered that last years model supported XP and that those drivers might work.
Luckily they did work, but it took a substantial amount of time and effort to get the laptop fully functional and stable with XP.
The question is: Did Toshiba agree to NOT support XP in an effort to force buyers to use Vista? Upon searching the internet, I was shocked to find so many computer buyers of different brands in exactly the same predicament. They hate Vista and want to install XP or Linux, but the OEM forces them to use Vista by offering no support for anything but Vista.
I’m guessing Microsoft forbids support for anything but Vista in their sales agreements with various OEM’s. And if my guess is correct, it’s really aggravating!
