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by technogeek-1995

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How do I "downgrade" to XP. I have a friend on Vista Basic and bought an XP CD and wants to downgrade. Do I just insert the CD and it will do it without deleting the Word docs, or does it delete the docs. Or do I have to wipe the drive and get a fresh start.

18 replies

by cmiller5400

What XP disk did you buy? Did it come with a license (COA sticker)? It looks like you are SOL if you did not buy XP legally. Here is a quote from Computer world:

[i]So, what downgrades does Microsoft allow? Owners of the OEM editions of Vista Business and Vista Ultimate can downgrade to Windows XP Professional, including Tablet PC Edition and x64 Edition. Only the OEM editions qualify for a downgrade, so if you purchased a new PC with either Business or Ultimate preinstalled, you're in like Flynn.

Those who aren't: All users of Vista Home Basic and Vista Home Premium, and anyone who upgraded to Vista using a retail edition of any of the operating system's SKUs. You are, as they say, SOL. [/i]

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9040318

http://www.informationweek.com/news/windows/microsoft_news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205101355

by churdoo

The oem's that provide the systems with Vista pre-loaded, may not support, i.e. may not provide drivers for, Windows XP. The best thing to do is to call the MFR of the computer/laptop and see if they support and have drivers for XP on the particular model.

I can almost guarantee that XP will NOT install by launching setup and installing over top of Vista, preserving software and data ... your best chance of success will be to back up documents, etc. and make sure you have install CD's for software, format the volume, and do a fresh install of XP on the re-formatted volume.

If this doesn't work, you can always put the OEM restore CD back in and restore the Vista OEM install, but again, you will have to have your documents/data backed up.

by oh smeg

Open Device Manager in Vista and make a list of the Hardware in this computer.

Then look to see if you can get XP Drivers for it all.

If you can backup any Data on the system and then with a Wiping Utility like Boot & Nuke wipe the HDD.

http://www.dban.org/download

After you have this done you can insert the XP Install Disc into the system and format the HDD and finish the XP install. When this is finished you'll need to install the required Drivers and make sure that you install the Sound Drivers before logging onto the Windows Update Server or you may find that the sound drivers [b]Can Not[/b] be installed.

Here I'm assuming that you have a Legit XP License and are not attempting to Pirate Windows.

Of course if you can not get XP Drivers for all the hardware don't proceed as that bit that you can not get drivers for will not work.

Col

by rahouseholder

That link leads to DEll"s PCs with XP. The PC comes with XP installed and you get a license for Windows Vista Business or Ultimate, Not Vista Basic. As stated previously, their is no downgrade path form Vista Basic to Xp. However, that does not stop anyone from purchasing XP and installing it on the system, which your friend has done and you intend to do. As others have stated, Back up any data you want to keep and verify that drivers are available for all the hardware and download them before you start, then wipe the drive and perform a clean install.

by oh smeg

It only covers Windows Vista Business or Ultimate you said that this has Home something on it which isn't covered by the M$ Provided Backward License.

You need either to upgrade the Home to Ultimate or Business and then Upgrade to a working OS like XP.

If you only have a OEM Copy of a XP install Disc without a COA Sticker on the covering plastic and you use this to load XP you are committing an act of Piracy. That is what I was trying to point out to you as there is no Vista Home OS that you can legally load XP onto without buying a XP License. So in a case like that you are effectively paying for two OS for the 1 computer which are not Transferable from the Original Hardware that they where installed on.

However if you read my response above I did tell you how to improve a Vista Computer and upgrade it to XP. The Legal Side was nothing more than an After Thought to let you know what not to do.

I currently have 58 Dell NB's here that I'm doing the same thing to but in that case the business concerned are buying 58 Licenses extra for their Volume License that they already own. They purchased these NB's with the express idea of throwing away the supplied OS and software as it's totally useless for their needs.

As these NB's didn't come with either Business or Ultimate preloaded they do not have a Backward License for their Products and Dell do not provide Install Media on these machines unless you pay for a XP License and any other M$ Software that you buy with the computer.

[b]Where[/b] I think there is a misunderstanding is that Dell used to make one system and then you could get it with either XP or Vista Loaded but there was no Backward License involved just a new computer with your choice of OS preinstalled. Of course if you didn't specify XP you got Vista as the Default.

Col

by churdoo

Name the next lines and the artist.

But since I didn't start this thread, I can't even offer a thumb, so I guess the prize is letting the rest of the TR peeps know how old you really are. :-)

by churdoo

But since you brought up, you can't answer the question without googling it, can you? :-) Just kidding! Knowing or not knowing some otherwise useless bit of trivia is in no way a sign of intelligence.

The crack about letting peeps know your age was intended for anyone who COULD answer the question.

by kenone

If I had a valium
I'd take it in the morning
I'd take one in the evening
till I calmed down

by xnavydk

Everywhere you go there are forum trolls, even smart ones. I don't think he meant to offend you though.

by xnavydk

I as well meant no offense. I apologize for my use of words.

by churdoo

If you can't take a joke, BRING YOUR OWN!

Just trying to have a little fun. :-)
No worries
--C

by larryd4

IF I was a young man, I would have installed Ubuntu.

by 1bn0

If you do proceed with your XP installation, make sure you have the Vista recovery media.

Most manufacturers today require you to MAKE YOUR OWN RECOVERY MEDIA!

If you do not do this and your XP instalation fails, you may find yourself unable to re-install Vista either.

This means you have to INSTALL and ACTIVATE Windows Vista first. Now we know where Microsoft gets there Vista sales numbers from.

Once Vista is runnning you need to find the utility which you can use to burn the recovery DVDs' (or sometimes optionally CDs').

I recently had to do this for a client with an Acer Desktop. No Vista recvoer y media.

Fortunately it was Vista Business Edition and DID come with the XP media so you could downgrade.

I have switched to ordering Dell Vostros' which can be ordered with a Vista Business license but XP Pro pre-installed.

by dumphrey

and its Vista Basic, its not really a "downgrade" its a new install.

You will have to do a clean install after scrubbing the HD with DBAn or such. Which means backing up all data and reinstalling all programs.

Others gave some good advice of making sure you know what drivers, pre-downloading them befor the install, and verifying restore media for vista.

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