Need to lose Vista from v.new Dell laptop & get XP (suprise, suprise),does anyone hav any easy ideas?

Question

I hav tried to reformat my HD (to get rid of Vista and load XP) but as my copy of XP from previous PC is an earlier Windows version it won't let me do it...I have heard recently that Dell are now selling Inspiron 6400's with the choice of Vista or XP (a choice that did not exist when I bought mine a few months ago) so does anyone know if Dell will now exchange for XP version (if one has full warranty and support etc.)?

Answer 1

You can do it, but you'll have to let the XP disc do a "from scratch" installation by booting from the CD. There's no way to roll the installation back to XP, even if it were an upgrade since so many things are modified by Vista.

Answer 2

I recently removed Vista from a E1505 and installed XP Pro I deleted and recreated all the partitions, then formatted the HDD and installed XP. I found some issues with the install such as some drivers wouldn't install until after I upgraded XP with many of the Microsoft patches, especially SP 2. So... it now works like a champ, you can download all the drivers from Dell's website.

BTW I did call dell to see about getting the drivers on a CD for XP but was told that since I purchased the laptop with Vista on it they could only provide a CD for Vista.

Answer 3

Wait you formatted your laptop and it won't let you install XP?

Did you try booting XP from the CD before windows starts? Usually you should be able to repartiton a drive which will let you run XP. The only thing you need to worry about is that you'll need all the right drivers for your laptop designed for XP not vista....

Answer 4

In order to "uninstall" Vista, you have to reparition the hard drive. Just formatting it does not get rid of all the Vista information.

If you boot from the XP CD, after the F8 to agree it gives you the option to partition the drive. Delete the existing partition(s), recreate, format, and them let XP install from there.

Answer 5

If you bought Vista business, you can do this. If you did not you will have to buy a full boxed copy of XP

Answer 6

Many new laptops have aspects for which XP gadget drivers have on no account been made. So that's a huge probability to downgrade to XP until you're particular that every physique obtainable drivers are obtainable. the different component to computer screen out for is the spec interest. You computing device might seem to have comparable specs even with the undeniable fact that that's maximum probable lots greater effectual than your computing device. everybody in the computing device corporation participates in this scam. type numbers of CPU chips, video chips etc are duplicated between the computing device international and the computing device international however the computing device variations could have an "M" in the type style and maximum many times be thoroughly diverse silicon this is likewise clocked at one million/2 the linked fee etc. And the evil 5400 rpm annoying drives will additionally make any computing device look slow whilst in comparison with a working laptop or computing device with its 7200 rpm drives. Even the fastes computing device 7200 rpm annoying rigidity is merely as rapid as alower end computing device 7200 rpm annoying rigidity. So earlier you may evaluate a working laptop or computing device and a working laptop or computing device, you may desire to make advantageous the computing device on paper has "double" the specs to be close to to an identical computing means as a working laptop or computing device. And nicely I won't start on clopper plumbing different than to assert look interior your computing device on the cooling equipment and then ask your self the place that suits in a working laptop or computing device. after which you will start to be certain that laptops can not violate the guidelines of physics - to run merely as rapid as a working laptop or computing device they'll might desire to generate an identical warmth and that has to bypass someplace. And to make laptops ligher and greater portable they get rid of much greater copper so which you get a working laptop or computing device that runs warm and noisy and actual slow without even commencing as much as contemplate the O/S aspects...