Thread: Windows Vista to XP

Ok so my new PC will be delivered on Thursday.

Acer Computer Singapore

Rather good I think, but with one problem - Windows Vista installed.

Now I want to make the most of my fairly high specs and install Windows XP instead of the Vista (I heard even with 2GB of RAM a system still struggles on Vista)

So my question is......

How do I get rid of Vista and put Windows XP on instead?

I do have a Windows XP cd.

Anyone done this before and can give me some tips? I am not an expert on operating systems etc.

btw don't bother talking to me about Linux. This is going to be a games machine and I need my Windows man.

reformat the HD and install XP from the cd .

vista will be gone , forever ..................

Thats the sort of thing I do and then the CD drive won't work or something.

yep , them's the risks with computer gremlins .........

you could try putting the cd in the drive and rebooting , if you luck in there maybe directions to take you there .....................

I would be interested to hear CMN's opinion on this

Originally Posted by Mid

you could try putting the cd in the drive and rebooting

I have never been able to install an older version of windows over a newer one.
It refuses to do it.
I had to do a format first

^
scratch that idea then

post #2 it is ..................

so if you format the HDD then surely you lose all the drivers too?

How will I get my CD drive to work after that?

no guarantees , but in my experience the drives still worked after a reformat , then after the instillation of the new OS you spend happy days updating and reinstalling all the other shite

Originally Posted by slimboyfat

Thats the sort of thing I do and then the CD drive won't work or something.

It's real easy I did it the other day there is a thread about it on here

i am not sure if that will work Rigger, as you weren't downgrading to an older version of Windows.

See Thetyim's post above

Anyway will try the suggestions. All my previous Acer PCs have come with a pretty good recovery disc in case of making a fuck up and will return the PC to its original factory state- which is all well and good as long as the CD drive still works

your not downgrading either ,

once you reformat vista is gone , all the xp installation disk will see is an empty drive

if i am not wrong Riggers reformat was done by the Windows disk when installing.

that's possible but ,

when you reformat from the command line , that's it ...all gone when finished .

then the installation disk will see a virgin drive even if it isn't .........

I am not very good at this but i think after you have formatted the drive you use a boot disk to load DOS which then loads enough drivers to read the Windows CD.

If you have a bootable windows CD then you can go straight in.

your correct about the process Thetyim , both are contained on my OEM XP Disk , ie one disk , first it loads the generics then installs XP , then you need SP2 , then update , good fun

Originally Posted by Mid

first it loads the generics then installs XP , then you need SP2 , then update , good fun

Yeah great fun if your on a high speed internet connection but if not expect to hear from slimboyfat in about a week given all the downloads XP will need!

^

good point , you may be advised to make a copy of XP SP3 slimboyfat.

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate