This is a document on performing an orderly removal of Vista and replacing it with Windows XP. There have been a number of postings from people asking how to do this; also, a number of postings asking how to fix the computers after they have started and encountered problems.

The problems in installing Windows XP (any version) onto a machine that came with Vista are identical to the problems encountered with installing Vista on machines that came with XP - DRIVERS. (If you have a machine that qualified for the free Vista upgrade from your computer manufacturer, you got the drivers with the upgrade).

DRIVERS

Every modern PC has a myriad of drivers to handle the coordination of the Operating System and the hardware. While we have all become accustomed to plug-n-play, it has also cushioned us from the need to insert an installation disc when we add a new monitor. We no longer have to worry about drivers when we install a new DVD burner or other similar device. Windows has taken care of that for us with the drivers that are included on the Windows installation disc. In those cases where the device is newer than our version of Windows, then the driver disc from the device manufacturer will be needed. Most often the driver disc is needed more for the nice add-in programs, like special features for the mouse (the basic mouse itself will never need a separate driver disc) and print managers that are more utility programs than drivers. Windows comes with the basic drivers for most widely used devices in existence when the CD or DVD was produced.

CAUTION

For this reason, I STONGLY suggest you not burn your bridges. Sometimes we get frustrated at computers and do rash things in the heat of the moment. How many times have we pounded the poor keyboard in frustration that this piece of plastic and wires wont do what we want it to do. We decide to blow it away; insert the CD and start the install, and part way through have a problem. Now were hung. We can't go forward and we can't go back.

So in the interest of caution, and taking a page from the physicians, first do no harm. Lets take a breath and plan the downgrade from Vista to XP. As one who uses Vista and has had no problems, I think it is a mistake, but as a forum member, I recognize some are going to do it, so I would rather they had a successful result than later ask the forum how to fix it.

PREPARE

In your documentation somewhere it should have mentioned burning recovery discs, and it should have directed you to do that immediately. If you have not done that, then that should be your first step. I do not know how many DVD's it will take in all cases, but be prepared for 2 or 3. Recovery partitions on the HD range from 8 GB to 13, and with 4.7 GB per DVD it will take at least two. The burning routine will tell you, but its easier if you have a package already on hand. These DVD's should be marked as recovery DVD's, put into jewel cases and put in a safe place. Although you may have sworn off of Vista, it would be nice not to have to purchase a new copy of Vista, should you change your mind.

Secondly, I would purchase a new HD or at least use a second drive that may be available. You will also have to order the full install version of XP. You can order it at the same time as you order the new HD. The upgrade version will call for a previous Windows installation when it does not detect it on the PC, but it will not consider Vista to XP a recognized upgrade path. As a side note, XP Pro to Vista Home Premium is not a recognized upgrade path either.

You may have ordered your machine with a humungous hard drive thinking you would store everything on it, and now you want to use it with XP of course. Consider for a moment, the future. At some point in the future, the vast majority of us will be on Vista. When XP came out, many were taking XP off the machine because of various issues and installing an older OS. I did, I went back to Windows 2000 because I read all the negative things about XP (the same things now are being said about Vista). However, rather than overwrite the HD with the older OS, I removed the OEM HD and installed a new HD for the installation. I was glad I did, for six months later; all I had to do was reinstall my XP HD and I was up and running (it is still running). Besides, during this downgrade process, it is a comfort knowing that you have another drive handy that will boot the machine, even if it does have Vista. In writing this I attempted to take my Media Center PC that originally came with XP MCE and later upgraded to Vista (free upgrade with drivers). I attempted an install of XP Home and encountered a BSOD. I think it is related to the drivers for the Intel SATA/RAID controller, even though I was able to install this version on a later edition MB. One never knows what they will encounter when going through this process. And after you encounter the BSOD is a terrible time to wish you had another bootable drive with any OS on it.

Before you attempt to install XP, you need to go into device manager and make a list of every installed item in the list. Especially the video card, the modem, the ethernet port, the wireless adapter, etc.

Then you need to go onto the website of your computer manufacturer, look for the support section, and then for the drivers and downloads section. The site will probably ask for your model number, and maybe the product number that is on the white sticker on the bottom of a laptop or the top or side of a desktop. When your products listing comes up the section should ask which OS, XP or Vista, and which version. I am not aware of different drivers for differing versions of an OS edition (i.e.: Home or Professional) but there could be in rare cases.

If you have a custom built computer, the task is the same but the steps are a bit trickier. Since you do not have one central place to get all of your drivers, you will have to go to each of your installed hardware manufacturers websites and download the latest driver version for each component.

Download all the drivers you have identified and save in a separate folder. I have a download folder in my system that has all the downloads for programs and drivers in it. That way if I ever have to reinstall, I have it available and don't have to go hunting for it. You may want to rename some of the drivers for what they are, for HP for example uses a non-descriptive naming convention on its drivers. Once you have the drivers downloaded you are almost ready. If this is a laptop, you need to either copy the drivers to a flash drive, or burn a CD for them.

BEGIN

From this point on, we will assume that you are removing Vista from the machine in a non-permanent manner by installing XP on a second drive.

If you have data on the second drive, you need to move it to the primary drive or again, if a laptop, onto a CD so the second drive is cleared. Then turn off the computer, remove the primary drive and move the second drive into the primary position. If these are SATA drives, then they are keyed to drive0 and drive1 by which connector they use. In a desktop we just can swap cables. In a laptop you need to physically swap drives. When that is done, and you are ready with the XP full installation disc, you will need to turn the PC on and hit the key to enter setup. This key varies by computer manufacturer, but is typically either <F1>, <F2>, <F10>, <Tab>, or <Delete>. Once in the BIOS setup, you need to change the boot order to the optical drive first and then the HD. Note: Windows uses the letter assignment to a volume, and a drive may have more than one volume. Some use the term partition to refer to a volume.

Then while the machine is on and paused, insert the CD into the optical drive. Exit the BIOS setup by pressing <F10> and the machine will continue. Once the computer restarts, you will get a message to hit any key to boot from CD, do so and then you simply follow the CD's instructions to format the drive and install XP. XP will by default install generic drivers for everything that it has to have. (Except for newer drive controllers and it will ask for them to be inserted). When it is finished the machine is very basic, and will probably have very poor graphics, but you need at this point to create a download folder and copy the downloaded drivers from the Vista drive or which is now in the secondary position or on the CD into this folder. Then turn off the machine and remove the Vista drive.

FINISH

Restart the machine, start Windows Explorer and go to the downloads folder and if the driver download is a compressed softpak like HP uses, you will need to double click on it to expand it. This is determined if it is an .EXE file. Then go into device manager, and one by one, double click on the devices and in the dialog box, click on update driver. In the next dialog box it will ask if you want to connect to the internet to search for better drivers, for all updates at this point, check the "not at this time box", and click on next. In the next dialog box, check on Install from specific location (Advanced). Then click on next. In the next dialog box (if the drivers are on the HD) uncheck update from removable media (CD) and check include this location and click on browse. Now point the computer to the exact folder with the driver for this device and click next. XP will do the rest.

Then reinstall the programs you intend to use and you should be ready. It is not a difficult process, just long and involved with a lot of steps to do. Put your XP installation disc in a safe place and if your drivers are on the HD, burn a CD so you don't have to download them again, and put it with the install disc. You may want to store it with the Vista HD and the restore discs. Just In Case.

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This document was generated from the following thread: From Vista To XP