[irish_eyes]

This may seem like a really stupid question, but if I buy a new computer (have my eye on one already) and it has a Vista operating system, how much of a hassle would it be to eliminate the Vista and install XP?

I have heard nothing but bad things about Vista and am very happy with the XP system I have now, I just want to upgrade to a bigger monitor, more memory space, etc. So, I guess what I am asking is this - is it possible to replace the Vista OS with the XP, and if so how would I go about doing that?

Thanks in advance

[Advertisements]

Well, you'll need to pay ~$90 (Home edition) or ~$140 (Pro edition) for a new copy of Windows XP. Then you simply install it over Vista (choose to install it on the same partition Vista is on), which will erase Vista and install XP. Or you could stop listening to whining bloggers, learn to deal with a few changes, and use Vista and save yourself the money. You better make the decision soon though, because XP will stop being sold on June 30th, 2008. At the very least, I would recommend trying Vista first and seeing how you like it. That can't hurt, can it? Also, another option would be installing XP on a different partition, so you could dual-boot both Vista and XP.

[stettybet0]

Well, you'll need to pay ~$90 (Home edition) or ~$140 (Pro edition) for a new copy of Windows XP. Then you simply install it over Vista (choose to install it on the same partition Vista is on), which will erase Vista and install XP. Or you could stop listening to whining bloggers, learn to deal with a few changes, and use Vista and save yourself the money. You better make the decision soon though, because XP will stop being sold on June 30th, 2008. At the very least, I would recommend trying Vista first and seeing how you like it. That can't hurt, can it? Also, another option would be installing XP on a different partition, so you could dual-boot both Vista and XP.

[reconman]

I agree with stetty when it comes to whiny bloggers. I installed vista on my system a few days ago and I love it so far. There's lots of neat little features on it and I especially like the fact that you no longer need a third party app to change the size of your partitions. I was originally just dual booting with XP and Vista but decided to just stick with Vista and I haven't regretted it yet.

Edited by reconman, 12 June 2008 - 11:42 PM.

[BravoZulu]

Definitely give it a try. By now Dell has their hardware compatibility dialed in well, and you don't lose anything by trying it. I have it along with XP and I have no issues with either. Do yourself a favor and google a few Vista tweaking sites and don't overtweak but simply learn how to best use the OS and UAC. In fact Vista is best left relatively untweaked, save a bit of UAC behavior - there are a few good tools out there for that, but above all, install the OS and get used to it's default behavior first before any tweaks.

[somerandomperson]

yeah you can do it but your PC was built to Vista specifications and equipped with Vista-compatible software and drivers. Your PC doesn’t have XP drivers, and Windows XP might not have all the drivers built into it that your PC needs. Unless you collect all the right drivers before you do your upgrade, you run the risk of ending up with a crippled PC. to download the drivers seach in google your computer brand name and model number then followed by "driver xp"

Edited by somerandomperson, 14 June 2008 - 11:19 PM.

[irish_eyes]

Thanks for the replies! I guess I will try the Vista program and see what happens. I had heard bad things about it in the past and that is why I was hesitant to go for it - but I really like the new computer's set, so I will give it a shot. If I have any problems - I know where to come, right?!

Thanks again!

[charge06]

i have had vista for over 6 months, i love it, never had one prob with it. One thing you might notice if ur new comp has less than 1g is it might be a little slow. 2g of ram would be best.


I say give it a try, you wont turn back to xp, i cant even stand using xp now.