BleepingComputer.com: Installing Window Xp On Window Vista

Hi, I have just bought my dell notbook that come with window vista and 2 hard drivers - c and d.

i am now in a fixed cause a lot of my program is not compatible with window vista.

I understand that I could also instal another operating system in my laptop but I am not sure how to go about it. can anyone please guide me to the installation of the second operation system in my notebook.

I understand that i need to download a driver but what driver and where to download.

thanks a million for the help.

Well, first we'll need to know the size of the C: and the D: drives, their names (such as Recovery or Restore) and how full they are.
Next, you'll need to ensure that you've got the DVD's necessary to reinstall Vista should you ever decide to go back to it (this'll save you a boatload of money).
Then, you'll need to have a copy of XP - you'll need a full, retail version to be fully able to install this (unless you've got an old copy of Win98, ME, or 2000 laying around to use with an upgrade. You'll also need copies of all the programs that you want to install.
You can get the drivers for your system at the Dell support site by entering your service tag number - but I don't know if that'll show XP drivers or not - maybe you can ask Dell support (via email) where the XP drivers are for your syste..

Then it's just a matter of inserting the XP disk, formatting your hard drive, and then starting the clean installation of XP. After that you'll spend a lot of time updating drivers and Windows Updates, then installing and updating your programs. Don't forget a good antivirus, antispyware, and firewall program (at a minimum) for your protection while online.

Well, first we'll need to know the size of the C: and the D: drives, their names (such as Recovery or Restore) and how full they are.
Next, you'll need to ensure that you've got the DVD's necessary to reinstall Vista should you ever decide to go back to it (this'll save you a boatload of money).
Then, you'll need to have a copy of XP - you'll need a full, retail version to be fully able to install this (unless you've got an old copy of Win98, ME, or 2000 laying around to use with an upgrade. You'll also need copies of all the programs that you want to install.
You can get the drivers for your system at the Dell support site by entering your service tag number - but I don't know if that'll show XP drivers or not - maybe you can ask Dell support (via email) where the XP drivers are for your syste..

Then it's just a matter of inserting the XP disk, formatting your hard drive, and then starting the clean installation of XP. After that you'll spend a lot of time updating drivers and Windows Updates, then installing and updating your programs. Don't forget a good antivirus, antispyware, and firewall program (at a minimum) for your protection while online.

Hi, usasma, many thanks for your speedy reply and help and please ignore my earlier mail. forgive my little finger and the need to get use to this new laptop.

my notebook come with the following hard drive:-
c: 45.5 free of 59.99 - os
d: 76.8 free of 76.9 - data part 1
e: 5.77GB free of 9.99GB - recovery


I actually asked for my notebook to have 60GB in C and 100GB in D but why now that my D is so much lesser? should I call Dell to clarify?

I should have the Vista disc with me (from Dell). I have also have a copy of my old window XP.

As this is laptop less than a week old, I do not have any other program as yet. I will have to download themfrom the web if i need them later.

I went to the dell support and found my model of the laptop and there seem to have no XP drivers. may be it is because i click on vista.

can you please teach me a step by step guide from the moment first step (is it format first or download the driver first?) up till the end including the updating of drivers and windows updatees. I am getting a little nervous on this.

thanks a million!

First you have to locate XP drivers for the system. I suspect the Vista drivers "might" work - but there's no way to be sure short of trying them.

You'll also have to iron out the difficulties with the size of the hard drives - otherwise you may find your warranty void when you remove Vista from the laptop.

Once that's done, you'll have a couple of choices - you can install XP or you can run it from a XP Virtual Machine from within Vista. This decision will rest upon what programs that you intend to use. Quite a few XP programs run quite well in Vista. Let us know what programs that you intend to use and we'll find some suggestions for that. (I've used Vista for about 18 months now and have run a lot of different XP programs on it without issue).

hi, usasma, thanks for your reply. i could run my dell axim on window vista as that is my primary concern. over the next week or so, i will try other programs and if they work on vista than i guess i could live with it. otherwise, be sure i will be here asking for help and remember to help me yeah. thanks a million.

I was an early beta tester for Vista and have suffered through the compatibility issues. There's a ton of ways to work around this, so most XP compatible programs can be made to work in Vista (I've even made a WFW 3.11 program work in Vista at a customer's request).

The first step is to right click on the installer, select Properties, then select the Compatibility tab. Check the box to run as XP SP2, and the box to run as Administrator. Click on OK to close the dialog. Then right click on the installer again and select "Run as administrator" (this is a "just to be sure" step).

Then, if the program still doesn't work correctly, find it's installation folder and do the same thing to every .exe file in there (but you don't have to run them).

This solves most problems with compatibility - although there isn't a whole bunch more that the average user can do. I, personally, don't hassle with this - I use the VM for everything XP related and keep it open on my Desktop for just that purpose.

To the original poster: definitely get all the drivers first. I neglected to do this and after a format of the harddrive the computer would not recognize the hard drive from the windows xp install program once I ran from disc. The only way I could get it to work was to go into bois, select boot options, and turn off sata support. If you can find the driver that the hard drive needs (IDE Controller I think) you can in theory load it up in xp setup by pressing F6 and have Sata compatibility, but to be honest the computer is still lightning fast without it and I would much rather give up a little theoretical speed and not have to use Vista. Just something to be aware of if you are considering a clean install of XP.

Thank you for your reply. It seems to me this is a very scary procedure and that I do not have much time now to work this around. So, I guess for the time being, I will stick by the new vista software.