replaceing vista with xp, Help needed please.

arsebandit

Hey, i have bought a laptop which had a trial version of vista on it and i want to replace it with xp,
When i try to install xp it tells me i have a newer version of windows and will not let me go any further.
I am a novice at this stuff so if someone could tell me how to remove vista and load xp on it would be great.
I dont want both os running so i dont want to put a partition in,
Thanks in advance .
Bandit

AlmightyCushion

Maybe post in the windows forum.

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=105

You have to format the existing partition (the one that vista is on), create a new partition and then install xp on it. First thing you should do is find all the xp drivers for your hardware.

yoyo

arsebandit wrote: »

Hey, i have bought a laptop which had a trial version of vista on it and i want to replace it with xp,
When i try to install xp it tells me i have a newer version of windows and will not let me go any further.
I am a novice at this stuff so if someone could tell me how to remove vista and load xp on it would be great.
I dont want both os running so i dont want to put a partition in,
Thanks in advance .
Bandit

Trial of Vista? Unlikely, maybe a trial of office 2007 though, Installing XP on new laptops is quite tricky, most times you'll need to slipstream XP install with n lite and add your chipset sata drivers to it, you'll also need to find drivers then for it, chances are you might not be able to get them all (especially hotkey utilities and such)

Nick

arsebandit

as i said a novice, chipset sata drivers????, the laptop was on xp its a dell d600, and it is a trial /evaluation version of vista , it says i only have 2 days left and then i must buy a reg key.
So how do i format the drive? there is no partition in the drive at all it was removed by the previous owner,i.e no back up partition. i have backed up all my drivers that are currently on the laptop using driver genius, .
Do i format the drive before i make a partition?, if i make a partition and install xp on it can i then remove the partition i formated and have only one drive?
Im sorry i havent a clue what i am doing!!

Puteq

OK how you go about this will depend on whether you have access to another computer with internet access, you will see why in a minute.

just boot off the XP CD, then when it prompts you to choose a partition or whatever, at this stage just delete every partition you can see, then go ahead with the XP install - deleting partitions will have got rid of Vista for good.

after XP installs, you will see in device manager a load of drivers you need, if you have access to the internet from some other machine then just go to the Dell.com website and get relevant drivers, dont worry the Dell website is easy to use for this. however if you dont have access to the net from any other machine, you will want to go to the Dell website with this laptop before scrubbing it, i would only download modem/network card drivers, cos after you install XP, install the driver, get yourself on the net, you will be able to get any other driver you need from there

slipstreaming XP install and SATA drivers is good if you know your stuff, but the above is how i would go about it and that will work too

AlmightyCushion

If it was a dell then the version of vista that came with it is most likely an oem version and is only lisensed to be installed on that laptop. The previous owner has no right to install that on any other computer or laptop. Your key for vista (it's yours because it is only lisensed for use on that laptop) should be on a microsoft sticker on the bottom of the laptop.

Puteq

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

If it was a dell then the version of vista that came with it is most likely an oem version and is only lisensed to be installed on that laptop. The previous owner has no right to install that on any other computer or laptop. Your key for vista (it's yours because it is only lisensed for use on that laptop) should be on a microsoft sticker on the bottom of the laptop.

I was thinking that too, but OP said it was a Dell D600, i know this laptop it is from about 3 years ago or so, and went end of life at least 2 years ago, so it definitely didnt come from Dell with Vista on it. I'd say someone downloaded a trial of Vista when it was in beta, and only installed it 30 days ago or something. either way, knowing the spec of the D600, you dont want Vista on it anyway!

actually, this does raise the point of XP going on this laptop, is the CD you have a green one that would have come with this laptop originally? cos if not, and you go ahead and install XP on the laptop, it will also require activation, with a legitimate CD key that has not been activated before. If you dont have such a key, then you will be able to find it where cushions says, on a sticker underneath the laptop.

arsebandit

Hey puteq that sounds like what i need all right, how do i boot from the xp disc? i have a pc with internet access so thats not a problem, so how do i boot from the cd? i presume i press f8 or something along thoses lines??

AlmightyCushion

Puteq wrote: »

I was thinking that too, but OP said it was a Dell D600, i know this laptop it is from about 3 years ago or so, and went end of life at least 2 years ago, so it definitely didnt come from Dell with Vista on it. I'd say someone downloaded a trial of Vista when it was in beta, and only installed it 30 days ago or something. either way, knowing the spec of the D600, you dont want Vista on it anyway!

actually, this does raise the point of XP going on this laptop, is the CD you have a green one that would have come with this laptop originally? cos if not, and you go ahead and install XP on the laptop, it will also require activation, with a legitimate CD key that has not been activated before. If you dont have such a key, then you will be able to find it where cushions says, on a sticker underneath the laptop.

Oh yeah, didn't think that vista wouldn't have been installed with the laptop. Either way there is most likely a valid license of windows for the laptop.

AlmightyCushion

arsebandit wrote: »

Hey puteq that sounds like what i need all right, how do i boot from the xp disc? i have a pc with internet access so thats not a problem, so how do i boot from the cd? i presume i press f8 or something along thoses lines??

When starting the computer, press delete (I think) to get into the bios. You need to change the boot order so that cd is first in the list.

arsebandit

yea i have the xp disc that came with it and i have the key too, your right about vista it is a trial version the owner put on,

Puteq

arsebandit wrote: »

Hey puteq that sounds like what i need all right, how do i boot from the xp disc? i have a pc with internet access so thats not a problem, so how do i boot from the cd? i presume i press f8 or something along thoses lines??

Well, providing you have the green XP CD that came with the laptop originally, just leave it in at bootup and i think it is F12 to choose boot menu, from there you an choose CD. Not sure if it is F12 exactly, but sure if you look at the screen during startup it will tell you something along the lines of 'F12 for boot menu' and go for it then

the reason i insist on it being the green XP CD that came with the laptop originally is that once installed it wont require activation because it will recognise it is on the hardware it is legitimately allowed to be on. if you have a standard XP CD you will need to activate after install, which shouldnt be a problem i guess if you have a valid key on a sticker under the laptop

Puteq

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

When starting the computer, press delete (I think) to get into the bios. You need to change the boot order so that cd is first in the list.

Hmm, just saw what cushion said, i think he is right actually, my previous advice about boot menu is more for later Dells if i am not mistaken.

good one cushion

extra-ordinary_

Press F12 at startup and you'll get a boot menu.

arsebandit

ok here goes, wish me luck!!! i will let you know how i get on later ,
Cheers
Bandit

Puteq

LOL good luck dude, and yeah let us know how you get on ...

Zorba

arsebandit, nice name by the way !!

Did u not get a blue disc with the laptop with all the drivers and utilities on it ?

or

U could go onto dell website now and get all the drivers u need or most of the important ones anyway and copy them onto cd or flash drive or something then go ahead with the format.

arsebandit

ok im back(but on the pc) i got xp working fully installed, happy days,
Now the problems, i presume its driver issues, i cant connect to the net, cant find any wireless cards etc on the computer is the message, im in the process of downloading all drivers from dells site, so fingers crossed!!!,i am putting them on a external drive and then installing them i presume thats the right thing??

AlmightyCushion

Yep it's drivers. Windows can't talk to your network card/wireless card without a driver. And yes you are doing the right thing.

arsebandit

ok internet is running, what eles will i need? im getting the audio driver at the min

AlmightyCushion

Graphics, wireless card, network card, touchpad may need one although it's not neccessary, bluetooth if you have it, chpset.

arsebandit

someone mentioned chipset? there is 2 drivers do i need these? one is for mobile chipset?? and the other is pcmcia/smartcard controller?

AlmightyCushion

Get both.

arsebandit

cheers, a great help, sound working, internet connecting, i even managed to fix that annoying pointer stick!!, so chipset is next, and graphics,
Thanks a lot your a star!

Bandit

TerrorFirmer

Well I've gone and messed up again - if you could so kindly move this towards the Windows direction.

Puteq

arsebandit wrote: »

cheers, a great help, sound working, internet connecting, i even managed to fix that annoying pointer stick!!, so chipset is next, and graphics,
Thanks a lot your a star!

Bandit

Basically in case you are wondering what drivers you need etc (and sorry if you already know this) but what i do after a rebuild is go into device manager (Start -> right click my computer -> properties -> hardware tab -> device manager), if you see anything there with a yellow exclamation mark or red x then you probably want to go looking for a driver for it. If everything there is listed OK without any of these symbols then you seem to have all relevant drivers installed

good luck

AntiRip

I bought a new Dell 1520 laptop last November with Vista Pre installed. Gave Vista 6 months and I swear I could not take the constant hassle from not connecting to wireless network, constant freezing and crashing and incompatibility with some softwares. So installed XP a couple of days ago and OMG what a difference! Connects to my home network straight away, no crashes, no bugs obviously. I found this site great because it isn't straight forward to install XP because it comes up with "Setup did not find any hard disk drives" during Windows XP Installation because your new computer has a storage controller that isn't supported natively in XP, usually an SATA (Serial ATA) controller.

All in all, I'm very happy with my decision to go back to XP and anyways, according to this news Microsoft has dropped two strong hints in the past two days that the next version of its Windows operating system will arrive in 2009 as MS intends to cut its losses with Windows Vista, which has been poorly received or shunned by customers, especially large companies.

yoyo

AntiRip wrote: »

I bought a new Dell 1520 laptop last November with Vista Pre installed. Gave Vista 6 months and I swear I could not take the constant hassle from not connecting to wireless network, constant freezing and crashing and incompatibility with some softwares. So installed XP a couple of days ago and OMG what a difference! Connects to my home network straight away, no crashes, no bugs obviously. I found this site great because it isn't straight forward to install XP because it comes up with "Setup did not find any hard disk drives" during Windows XP Installation because your new computer has a storage controller that isn't supported natively in XP, usually an SATA (Serial ATA) controller.

All in all, I'm very happy with my decision to go back to XP and anyways, according to this news Microsoft has dropped two strong hints in the past two days that the next version of its Windows operating system will arrive in 2009 as MS intends to cut its losses with Windows Vista, which has been poorly received or shunned by customers, especially large companies.

Well, I've been using Vista since the RC2 version and I must say I never have these issiues others have, software works fine, games run as fast as in xp, and its slicker and the only serious 64bit windows os atm is vista... When I say fine i lie in a way, I had a few minor problems with a belkin wifi adaptor but that stupid thing barely worked in xp so that was down to sucky belkin software, also I've yet to get a blue screen in vista , Got a ton of em in XP

Nick

AlmightyCushion

AntiRip wrote: »

All in all, I'm very happy with my decision to go back to XP and anyways, according to this news Microsoft has dropped two strong hints in the past two days that the next version of its Windows operating system will arrive in 2009 as MS intends to cut its losses with Windows Vista, which has been poorly received or shunned by customers, especially large companies.

That new os will most likely just be a re-design of vista. It seems that they are just reducing the amount of resources it takes to run. That will only affect people who have don't have a decent enough system to run vista (decent dual core, 2GBs ram). Seeing as you can get a laptop like that for less than €600 now I don't really see the point. By the time they do release this there will be very little (if any computers) that will be running without a dual core and 2GBs ram (maybe the eeepc and the like).

I think the problems with your computer were specific to your install. Something must have gone wrong or been corrupted when it was installed. I have two vista laptops in my house and both are working fine without a bother.

AntiRip

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

I think the problems with your computer were specific to your install. Something must have gone wrong or been corrupted when it was installed. I have two vista laptops in my house and both are working fine without a bother.

Reinstalled Vista 3 times since I got it & installed all the most up to date drivers. Tbh I don't think Vista was the problem with the wireless network as I had to reboot the laptop just now to get connected again so probably the card.

arsebandit

Ok how did this build up?? anyway just to let you guys know xp is working a hell a
of a lot better and faster than vista, and the wireless connection connects very fast, i dont get any problems connecting, no more "limited connection" although i am a novice i managed to get a wireless network working, i.e i can share my folders pc-laptop,etc, i even managed to get the printer working wireless from the laptop!!. (big pat on the back for the bandit).
Anyway thanks for all the help you guys gave me.

Bandit

AntiRip

arsebandit wrote: »

Ok how did this build up??

My fault I'm afraid talking about my experience. Sorry to hijack your thread

arsebandit wrote: »

anyway just to let you guys know xp is working a hell a
of a lot better and faster than vista, and the wireless connection connects very fast, i dont get any problems connecting, no more "limited connection" although i am a novice i managed to get a wireless network working, i.e i can share my folders pc-laptop,etc, i even managed to get the printer working wireless from the laptop!!. (big pat on the back for the bandit).
Anyway thanks for all the help you guys gave me.

Bandit

I'm also glad to go back to XP. Apart from the network card, it is a much faster and ALOT better than Vista.