[sososick]

My brother bought a laptop yesterday. It has low specs like 1.73 ghz and 512 mb ram, and it has Vista on it (basic). So i recommended him to replace Vista with XP. Do you think it's a good idea? The computer does run slow and some programs don't work properly with it. If you do agree with downgrading to XP, what steps should i take? He has no data on it yet so i don't need to backup any personal files. The laptop does NOT come with a recovery CD, will that affect anything?

Help please!

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I personally would do the same as your suggesting, main reason being that a lot of hardware devices don't work on Vista yet, because the manufacturers haven't released compatible drivers -- it will take several weeks if not months for them to catch up -- although it's less of an issue with a laptop since you rarely plug a printer or scanner into them unless a laptop is your main or only PC. Same applies to software applications to a lesser degree -- incompatible. And as you only have the Vista basic, all your virtually getting is a new OS that doesn't even offer any new visual effects, on top of which you have compatibility problems which didn't exist with xp. I bought a new laptop last week and insisted it had XP on it even though it was old stock, despite them trying hard to get me to accept a brand-new vista one.

Assuming you have an XP CD which was installed on a different PC, you'll have to delete it from the other PC first before you can (legally) install it on a different one. If you don't have an xp CD you need to hurry and buy a boxed copy as they will gradually become scarce in order to force us all to buy Vista which isn't selling very well.

Just boot up from the xp cd, choose to delete the Vista partition, then choose to install Windows XP on the new "unallocated space" which is where Vista used to be.

If it's a new unused XP cd, it will activate no problem. But if you use an xp cd that was previously used on a different PC, you'll most likely be told to ring Microsoft when you get to the activation screen (the phone number will be shown). Explain what you are doing and they should give you a new activation code over the phone.

Edited by pip22, 24 March 2007 - 01:54 AM.

[pip22]

I personally would do the same as your suggesting, main reason being that a lot of hardware devices don't work on Vista yet, because the manufacturers haven't released compatible drivers -- it will take several weeks if not months for them to catch up -- although it's less of an issue with a laptop since you rarely plug a printer or scanner into them unless a laptop is your main or only PC. Same applies to software applications to a lesser degree -- incompatible. And as you only have the Vista basic, all your virtually getting is a new OS that doesn't even offer any new visual effects, on top of which you have compatibility problems which didn't exist with xp. I bought a new laptop last week and insisted it had XP on it even though it was old stock, despite them trying hard to get me to accept a brand-new vista one.

Assuming you have an XP CD which was installed on a different PC, you'll have to delete it from the other PC first before you can (legally) install it on a different one. If you don't have an xp CD you need to hurry and buy a boxed copy as they will gradually become scarce in order to force us all to buy Vista which isn't selling very well.

Just boot up from the xp cd, choose to delete the Vista partition, then choose to install Windows XP on the new "unallocated space" which is where Vista used to be.

If it's a new unused XP cd, it will activate no problem. But if you use an xp cd that was previously used on a different PC, you'll most likely be told to ring Microsoft when you get to the activation screen (the phone number will be shown). Explain what you are doing and they should give you a new activation code over the phone.

Edited by pip22, 24 March 2007 - 01:54 AM.

[Amigatu]

Yes you did right thing. I have a Dell 1505 Inspiron and installed a Vista upgrade. I had nothing but problems with it. I reintsalled XP. I will wait to everyone catches up with Vista and then put it back in. I like Vista but too many problems right now. Good Luck.

[happyrock]

you may want to contact the manufacture and get restore cd though..costs about $20.00..just so if later down the road you decide you want to go back and "try" vista after they get the bugs worked out ...

[sososick]

pip22 - The CD i have came with my laptop. I never used the CD since the laptop came with XP installed on it.

happyrck - So i do need a recovery CD?

[sososick]

Okay my brother said he's never gonna go back to Vista on his laptop since the RAM isn't enough, do i still need a recovery CD?

[Amigatu]

Hi, I am not a expert on this, I can only speak on my own experience with this myself. I ordered a recovery disc because my lap top lost some of the things it came with. I want it back to factory, the way I recieved it. Is your lap top running fine? Is there any problems since you removed Vista and reinstalled XP? If there is and your lap top is not where you want it to be, I would say yes. I think it is a good idea to have a recovery disc on hand anyway. But, you might want to wait to hear back from a tech. They know much more than me. I only learn from trial and error. Good Luck!

[happyrock]

Okay my brother said he's never gonna go back to Vista on his laptop since the RAM isn't enough, do i still need a recovery CD?

he says that today...but down the road he may just throw in a bigger stick of ram and then the recovery cd will make it easy to try vista again,,,maybe even dual boot...the recovery cd will only be available for awhile...after that you would have to buy a OEM cd at the full price...the recovery cd will come with all the drivers he will need for the laptop...you can get the drivers but its a PITA and the $20 bucks he spends now will seem like a very good deal..

[AnthonyJ]

Okay my brother said he's never gonna go back to Vista on his laptop since the RAM isn't enough, do i still need a recovery CD?

if im right you are on a compaq laptop yes? then i believe you are also on a dual core. my relative has the same laptop same spec, runs slow lol. i told her and she just cusses me out and says whatever :Dlol some people will never learn

[sososick]

It's Acer actually.

[sososick]

Okay i put in the XP CD, then ran it, and the choice "Install Windows XP" was grayed out. Anyone?

[happyrock]

format the drive first...look here...
or try this...
Reformatting a disk prepares it to accept a new operating system. It also wipes out everything on the hard drive. That's your goal.

Past versions of Windows (through Windows ME) allow you to create a start-up disk. You'll need one to reformat your hard drive. Click Start > Settings > Control Panel. Double-click Add/Remove Programs. Click Start-up Disk. Click Create Disk.

On Windows XP, you'll need to download the disk information. Go to BootDisk.com and click "DOS — Windows 9X/NT4/2000/XP Excellent Bootdisks." Download the Windows XP Custom Install Disk and save it to a floppy.

On all systems, shut down all open programs. Restart the computer with the floppy in the A: drive. At the A: prompt, type Format: C. Answer "yes" to the warning; you want to wipe out all the data. When the reformat finishes, put the Windows installation CD in the CD drive and remove the floppy. Restart and re-install Windows.

Edited by happyrck, 28 March 2007 - 09:27 AM.

[michael1991123]

I would ask a ggek or a technician before doing so because it could cause some prblems like driver and data loss for example.
Let's say you turn it on and it doesn't have audio or it doesn't have internet.
If you are okay with that go ahead BUT I WOUDN'T DO IT besides windows vista is a 64bit vs a 32vit which is slower and it gets harder to installany new hardware and software.
I woudn't recommend it, if you ask me JUST TURN THE AERO GLASS OFF.
Thanks

[james_8970]

Vista basic doesn`t have aero glass.
Why was this topic brought back from march?
James