downgrading vista

Clarifications

If it is a brand name PC or NoteBook check the manufacturers site for XP drivers especially the Chipset, Video and Network. With Vista preinstalled some manufacturers will supply an XP Recovery CD. If you have access to that CD you can boot from it and it will install the Operating System and set it up for you. You wont need the rest of these instructions.

If it is an IBM clone you will need to find out the Motherboard ID to be able to source the drivers. Download CPU-Z and extract it to a folder. Run cpuz.exe and click on About and under Tools you will see Registers Dump (.txt) click on it and save the file. You will be looking for Mainboard Model and you can Google it to find the drivers for it. You may also need to slipstream Sata drivers into your XP install CD if you haven't access to a Floppy drive. See instructions below.

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

When you have the necessary drivers and your XP CD you can proceed with the installation. Copy your Drivers and Antivirus software to a CD or a USB Stick. Check in the BIOS to make sure that the Boot sequence is set to Boot from the CD/DVD first. One of these keys should get you in.

Common BIOS entry Keys

F1

F2

DEL

ESC

F10

You will know when to press this key when they see a message similar to the below example as the computer is booting. Some older computers may also display a flashing block to indicate when to press the F1 or F2 keys.

Press to enter BIOS setup

Tip: Hold a Key down, this will cause a stuck key error, which may allow you to enter the BIOS setup.

You will have to remove the Vista Primary Partition and recreate a Primary Partition before you can install XP.

Perform a clean install of Windows XP and delete the Primary Partition and recreate the Primary Partition on the fly.

1. Start your computer from the Windows XP CD. To do this, insert the Windows XP CD into your CD drive or DVD drive, and then restart your computer.

2. When you see the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press any key to start the computer from the Windows XP CD.

3. At the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to start Windows XP Setup.

4. Read the Microsoft Software License Terms, and then press F8.

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to select and format a partition where you want to install Windows XP. At this stage you can select to delete the Primary Partition C: Partition1 and recreate it. Then continue with the install.

6. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Windows XP Setup. Install the Motherboard drivers and your Antivirus. It is a good idea to have a copy of your Antivirus to be able to install it before going on the internet.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316941/en-us

Good Luck

How To: Slipstream your XP installation

Download nLite

http://home.midmaine.com/~nlite/nlite/nLite-1.4.8.installer.exe

These are the steps that I took

Download the Sata Drivers from the manufactures web site.

Installed Nlite

Extracted Sata Drivers to a folder named Sata

Copied the entire XP CD to a folder named XPS

Ran Nlite and Browsed to the XPS folder, Next, next then selected Drivers and Bootable ISO click next

At the Drivers Tab click insert, single driver and navigate to the folder with the inf for windows XP.

Highlight it and select open and select next. Select Textmode driver and select the XP Sata driver and click OK.

Click next and Yes to apply changes, next and select Make ISO. Use Nero or similar to burn it to a CD.

i have done this myself ont he laptop im currently using! if you want vista and JUST vista all you should need to do is load an XP disk from boot, and then format all your partions ((((MAKE SURE YOU BACK UP ANYTHING IMPORTANT)))) and then you should just be able to easily intall XP like you would normally. You should be able to go onto your laptop manufacturers website and find the drivers for your laptop but the XP version, this is especially easy for Dell, took me no time at all to find my laptop and search for XP drivers for it. Hopefully this helps. if your trying to dual boot you need to make your vista partion smaller, then you will have enough room to make a XP partition.
sorry for any spelling mistakes or anything

Is to wipe the HDD with a Wiping Utility like Boot & Nuke or Kill Disc

http://www.dban.org/

http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm

If this has a SATA HDD then use the Kill Disc Utility it's probably easier for you to use.

But before you do this there are a couple of things to remember. You need to make a Recovery Disc if you didn't get one with the NB.

If you want to remain Legal and not have M$ come after you for Piracy you need to either already have a Retail or OEM Copy of XP that has not been used previously or you need to buy one. Or you need to upgrade your Copy of Vista to Business or above.

You also need to make sure that your NB has the ability to use XP so you'll need to open Vista go to the Device Manager and make a List of all the Drivers that are loaded. You'll then need to look for XP Drivers for this Hardware. If there are no XP Drivers than that hardware is very unlikely to work once you have XP fully Loaded.

If the HDD in this system is bigger than 127 GIG and you are using a version of XP that is not at least SP2 you'll need to slipstream SP2 or newer to the Install Disc that you make and remember to include the SATA/Raid Drivers depending on who made the NB. Acer for example do not have SATA Drivers they call them RAID Drivers.

If you need to slipstream your own Install Disc for this system include the Sound Drivers as well because Realtech Sound Drivers [b]Are Not[/b] Digitally Signed and if you don't install them before connecting tot he Windows Update Servers the Sound will not work when you do install the Sound Drivers & Software.

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