Install XP on Vista machine

14 years ago

Last time I installed Windows, it was Windows 2000 (?).

I am tired of my software not working on Vista and upgrading to newer version of the software is not an option financially. I already have an XP license and the software "likes" XP.

I have a laptop (HP brand) purchased in 2007 with Vista Home installed by the manufacturer.

Other than making a backup of the data files and a backup of the full system, is there anything else I should do/know/be prepared for?

Thanks

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Comments (4)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX
14 years ago
before you do that have you updated your Vista to the latest service pack? if not do that and try it, that has helped many people who had the earlier versions of vista.

have you gone to the manufactures site of the software you are having problems with to see if they provide a vista solution or driver etc which would aid in it working with vista?

going backward would be a last option, you mention you have an xp license did it come on a pc? you would be going to a completely different pc and that is not allowed, I would definitely make sure that what you have would be allowed or you may end up not being able to activate it.
Definitely make a few good images of the system with Vista on it in case you find you need to go back to Vista that way you will have it exactly as you were before you messed with it.
disk imaging software there that is a free imaging program you can use. I am not sure what is built in to Vista for that.

Here is a link to a pc magazine article on downgrading
How to Downgrade from Vista to XP

If you were to go to widows 7 instead which would be going in the right direction there is on certain versions of 7 the option to run xp within 7 so that any programs that run on xp would be able to run within 7 that way as in a virtual machine situation.
janie_ga
Original Author
14 years ago
OHHH, didn't know 7 had that option. Will keep that in mind. It is a statistical software package that is giving me problems with Vista. To upgrade the software (which I do not need, it does everything I need, just not on the Vista machine!) would be almost an entire paycheck!
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ravencajun Zone 8b TX
14 years ago
have you considered partitioning the hard drive and doing a dual boot with Xp on one partition and Vista on one?
This is a laptop right? so you can't add a second hard drive. that would be another good option to add a second hard drive that you install xp on and would allow you to use either.
You can also install a virtual machine with in vista and try your software that way.

personally I think that would be the very first thing I would do before changing your current operating system, but definitely make some images of it as it is before you do anything to it so you can revert back should you need to. Here is a guide on how to create a virtual machine running xp within vista, and virtual pc is free and you said you do have an xp license.
Geek to Live: Run Windows XP inside Vista with Virtual PC

Windows Virtual PC

here is one using VMWare
Creating A Virtual Machine With VMware Workstation Software

a video on how to
Creating a Virtual Machine
janie_ga
Original Author
14 years ago
You are an absolute treasure trove of help, THANKS!

The PC article mentioned doing that and I like that idea better.

Last time (1996 or so) I reformatted a hard drive, the tech support at Corel Wordperfect walked me through the process over the phone. Basically, all I had to do was rename a .bat file and could reformat without wiping out the drive. I KNOW it will not be that easy this go round, I think that is why I have put it off so long.

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Install XP on Vista machine

Comments (4)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

janie_ga
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Install XP on Vista machine

Comments (4)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

janie_gaOriginal Author

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ravencajun Zone 8b TX

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