how to switch from vista to xp on new laptop?

Question

i have a laptop with xp. my wife just got a new laptop with vista and hates it. she wants xp. can i make a backup disc of my computer and load it onto hers? how do i take vista off and put xp back on

Answer 1

Sorry. You will have to purchase another copy of XP. Here's why:

Install Problems – What Windows Does –Install on Another Computer – Product Key – 25-character code

When you buy Windows XP in a shrink-wrapped box, you are allowed to install one copy on one PC. When Windows comes pre-installed on a new PC, it stays with the PC. You cannot transfer it from the bundled machine to a different machine. MS uses a technique called “BIOS locking” to make sure the copy stays ties to that specific PC forever.

Windows installer makes you type the 25-character code that’s printed on the case. The Product Activation program looks at various serial numbers inside your PC – the processor, network card, disk drives, etc. – mixes them together, and produces a second 25 character code that identifies your PC. These 50 characters, together, are called the Installation ID.

When you activate XP, you give MS the 50-character Installaton ID. If nobody else activated that 25-character code or if it has been activated with that specific Installation ID (which means you activated this particular copy of XP from the same PC twice) MS send back a 42-character Confirmation ID. The Installation ID and the Confirmation ID are stored on our PC.

If that 25-character code has been already been used on a different PC you will be notified that the number of times you can activate Windows with this product key has been exceeded.

Source: paraphrased from p. 18, Windows Gigabook for Dummies, by Peter Weverka et al.

Answer 2

There are several issues involved here. First, check your XP license. If it's for one computer only then it won't authenticate on your wife's computer, which means she won't be able to get any updates or patches. Also, if XP came installed on your computer and they sent you a restore disc as opposed to an actual XP install disc, it may not install on her computer (especially if it's from a different manufacturer). Another problem is that in order to install XP, not only will you need an XP install disc, but you'll have to format the hard drive. This means you'll lose all data, including any applications that came installed on the laptop. There's also the fact that her hardware is new enough that it may not be supported by XP.

To be honest, sticking with Vista is probably the safest course of action to take, unless you're willing to spend several hundred dollars to purchase XP and pay someone to do this for you. Because if you format the disc and find out that critical hardware, like the video card or hard drive, isn't supported by XP, then the computer will be stuck without an OS and will just be an expensive doorstop.

I hated Vista when I first got it, but now that I've gotten used to it I really like it. It might just take a little time. Try checking out http://www.windowsvistamagazine.com/US/ for some good information on using Vista, maybe that will help.

Answer 3

You don't backup a installed copy of any OS and install it on another computer. You would buy a retail copy of Win XP, then install it over Vista.

Answer 4

If her PC came with Vista it's licensed with Vista. If you want to put legit XP on there, go out and buy XP for her. Reinstall the PC from scratch.

If you want to put not legit XP on there, install from your PCs install medium and hope that when you come to register it Microsoft don't decide it's not legit for that PC and fail to register it. Anyway, you wouldn't want to put pirate software on your wife's new PC would you?