Vista to XP Downgrade - Comments Page 4

everytime i try to install xp, a blue desktop suddenly appears denoting that there is an error. i have an acer 4530 and turion 64x2. need help.. please reply....what cd shud i use?... actually, im having a windows vista business 64 bit. i want to downgrade to windows xp pro 64 bit.. got any tips?! or suggestions?!

I am fed up with Windows XP and Vista. I switched to Ubuntu 8.04 and I there is no activation to worry about. Its great for Internet too.

I have recently downgraded from Vista to XP. I have a C and a D drive on My PC , I formated my C Drive and installed clean XP .. I did not format my D drive , Now I am not able to view files on my D drive hardly any files are present a lot of files and folders are missing. Please suggest how to rectify the problem , woudl re-installing Vista on my C drive help??

EDITOR'S NOTE: I can't see why formatting the C: drive would affect anything on the D: drive. I suggest you try a recover utility. See http://askbobrankin.com/recover_deleted_files.html

I got carried away and bought myself a cute little laptop from Fujitsu. Model U810.I also paid a fortune for it since I was looking for some good portable laptop. I was pretty excited but when I started working with the mini laptop, but soon, all my hopes crashed. Vista is a worst system ever. It takes for ever to boot up and for the program to load. I have scrapped my Fujitsu and since July last year have not used it. I paid Can$1100 for it. I accept I was a fool having not investigated about it properly.

It came loaded with Vista Home Premium. I called Microsoft and they told me its not possible to downgrade. But I know something can be done to go back to Windows XP. I have concluded after doing some research on the Internet. I got my hopes back after reading the postings here.

Can anyone suggest how to do install Windows XP Home on Vista Home Premium. I have not tried anything fancy as I have no knowledge of it. I checked Fujitsu drivers for XP are available over the internet but I have no idea which ones are needed and how install Win XP over Vista Home Premium.

I will be eternally grateful to anyone extending any help to me.

I got a new HP laptop with Vista Business. Lets say I activate it by talking to the Microsoft rep and tell them I want to use my Downgrade Rights to install XP Pro. Do they provide me with an XP key or just an activation ID? I ask cause what if I downgrade to XP and then sometime in the future need to totally wipe the hard drive and reinstall XP. Will the activation ID work again or will I have to call up again or what?

I took Bob's suggestions and clean installed XP Pro on Vista Home in my Fujitsu U 810. Everything works fine other than the Ricoh built in Cam and the in built mouse pointer. I tried out all the compatible drivers from Fujitsu Download but nothing could make them work. I can, though work with external mouse.

Any suggestions from friends out there. Thanks

OK Laptop got fried and dell sent me a free laptop ok sweet.. However it is a Vista Home edition and I freaking hate Vista. I get the Win XP disk in there and it starts to load the disk. When its done with the drivers it starts "loading windows" almost instantly afterwords I get the Blue screen of death. This has happened twice. Didn't happen on my mom's laptop when I downgraded her.

If I needed to UPGRADE from Vista to XP I would use the freeware program DBAN. I used it on a secondhand laptop. It removes everything and leaves a blank hard-drive with a C:> prompt. From there, just put in your XP software disk and re-install it. Bingo, done in no time at all without any difficulty. Hope this wiill be of value to someone.

I want to convert my Vista to XP on a Gateway. Has anyone heard of any problems with this downgrade?

Thanks

I have a Dell Inspiron and I've endured Vista Home on the machine (which it came with) for about 2 years and I can't take it anymore. I've had to wipe the hard drive a couple of times and it stopped recognizing my CD/DVD drive at least 3 times.

My friend gave me a Dell XP recovery CD. I'm hoping my computer will be able to recognize the recovery CD since I've had so many problems with the CD drive! Can I just go ahead and install it using the directions above, or do I need to download drivers and put them on a flash drive? Thanks SO much for your help.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I'm not sure which drivers may be lacking for the Inspiron. Best to do a bit of googling and find someone who's already been down that road.

Thanks to Bob for the article and everyone else for the extensive comments for reference. I read through everything expecting someone else to ask this, but I guess that I'm going to be the first.

My expectation of a successful 'downgrade' would be the same as an 'upgrade'. Whereas all of your apps and Documents from Vista would be available in your XP install.

If this process that we are discussing formats your hard drive and installs a fresh copy of XP, then I would not call this a 'downgrade'. It's just installing a different operating system.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I was under the impression that installing XP on a Vista machine would just replace the operating system, and leave everything else intact. You could also create a dual boot system, which would be non-destructive.

So, my question is this. When I follow the instructions detailed in the article, will I really be downgrading, or am I starting over with a new XP install?

Thanks again.

I have never been so frustrated with computer operating software as I am with the Vista program.
What a package of garbage. What was wrong with XP?

i recenty bought an acer aspire pentium 2 2ghz with vista basic preinstalled. i wiped my hd and tried to install xp pro...now its coming up with the blue screen of death !!!

i took out all the new hardware out and put the originalls back in but to no avail...now i have a pc with no os and this blue screen of death.....please help im at my wits end :-(

EDITOR'S NOTE: I'd suggest re-installing Vista and waiting for the upgrade to Windows7.

I purchased new Lenovo laptop 3000N200 which comes with Vista Basic.

i tried so many time to install the win xp but after loading the drivers system gives me message there is no logical hard drive attached with my system. i am confused why this message is coming to me because i have vista working fine on my system and 160 hard drive is there with 2 partations.

want to downgrade from vista to xp on dell inspiron 1525. when installing xp the machine says it does not read a hard drive. i know it has something to do about the sata drive on the dell computer. have all the right drivers to downgrade but need some help with getting to run the xp disc.

I have the dell installation disc for XP pro SP2 from the inspiron 1525 that went through a fire. I now have an inspiron 1525 with vista on it... What a major mistake!

I thought is would be a simple switch have the the xp dell install, but have since found that thought to be wrong. Or not as simple as I thought..... Can anyone help me out with detailed instruction, step by step, for a laymen/women?

EDITOR'S NOTE: What happens when you boot up from the XP install disc and try the installation?

I starts loading windows stuff then comes to a screen that says it can't find the hard drive/disc.

EDITOR'S NOTE: You could be missing SATA drivers for XP...

I understand this but can not find the drivers..

fujitsu mhy2120bh, Of which, seems to be a discontinued HD.

I should have never went will a dell.
don't buy a dell, should have built my own pc

I quit, Lenox it is.... if I can figure that out for wireless...

EDITOR'S NOTE: You're going to use your expensive dishes as an operating system? Let me know how that works out...

I have experienced a lot of problems when I first attempted to install XP on on my laptop which came with windows vista preloaded. I somehow managed to setup dual boot.

The problem then was to find the right drives for me dell XPS m1330 laptop. Dell would not support for XP.

So what did I do? I wrote two posts on my blog with step by step procedures to:

1. install XP on a vista laptop - http://bharathreddyt.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/install-xp-on-your-vista-pc/

2. XP drivers for Dell XPS m1330 - http://bharathreddyt.wordpress.com/2009/01/28/windows-xp-drivers-for-dell-xps-m1330/